A change of accommodation often involves significant administrative procedures. Among them: the termination of home insurance.
Because who says new residence, says new risks to cover.
Is it necessary to terminate your contract? How to proceed? How soon should you notify your insurer ? We explain everything to you.
Summary
Who can cancel their home insurance following a move?
Good news: everything particular can terminate his home insurance in case of change of address, whether it is tenant, owner, roommate, in main residence or secondary.
Under Article L113-16 of the Insurance Code, the modification of the insured risk allows you to end your contract, even if you are still in your first year of commitment.
Good news: everything particular can terminate his home insurance in case of change of address, whether it is tenant, owner, roommate, in main residence or secondary. Under Article L113-16 of the Insurance Code, the modification of the insured risk allows you to end your contract, even if you are still in your first year of commitment.
In fact, your home insurance is linked to housing characteristics : surface, city, type of property, equipment, etc. A moving therefore leads to a modification of conditions initials of the contract.
Deadlines and legal obligations for canceling your home insurance contract
In the event of a move, the law authorizes you to cancel your home insurance contract at any time, even before the first year, in accordance with Article L113-16 of the Insurance Code.
However, certain conditions must be met for the termination to be valid.
- You must notify your insurer by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt, specifying the reason for the move.
- This letter must be accompanied by a proof official : exit inventory, rent receipt, moving invoice, or any other document proving your change of residence.
- Once the request is received, the termination takes effect 30 days later.
- If you have paid the annual contribution in advance, the insurer is required to refund the unused portion, calculated in proportion to the remaining days.
Please note: to avoid any interruption of coverage, it is recommended to take out new home insurance even before canceling the old one.
What are the steps to cancel your home insurance after moving?
Here are the steps to follow so that the termination of your home insurance contract be taken into account in the rules:
- Take out new home insurance for your new home. This avoids any risk of a period without coverage.
- Write a termination letter by invoking the reason for moving (article L113-16).
- Send the letter by registered mail with acknowledgment of receipt to your insurer. Don't forget to attach a proof, such as the exit inventory or a rent receipt.
- The contract will be canceled 1 month after receipt of your mail by insurance.
- If you had paid in advance, you will be reimbursed in proportion to the days not covered.
Letter template, practical information and advice are available on the websites of public service or directly from your insurance company.
How to write a termination letter?
Your full contact details (last name, first name, old address, telephone)
- Your contract number
- The moving date
- The mention of article L113-16
- The proof seal
We advise you to send it in a 3 month deadline following the move to avoid any administrative problems.
How to find new home insurance?
Before even leaving your current home, it is essential to find home insurance adapted to your future home, your situation and your needs. Here are the criteria to compare:
| Criterion | Why it is important |
|---|---|
| Guarantees offered | To check that your property, your home and your civil liability are covered. |
| Exclusions and limitations | Certain situations are not supported: it is better to know them to avoid unpleasant surprises. |
| Amount of insurance premium | To adapt to your budget: very broad coverage is not always necessary, depending on the value of your property and your lifestyle. |
| Adaptability to housing | A house or apartment, furnished or unfurnished, in an urban or rural area, does not present the same risks. |
| Additional services offered | Emergency assistance, online management, mobile application... Practical bonuses that sometimes make all the difference. |
| Customer reviews and reputation | Consult feedback to choose a reliable and responsive insurer. |
| Termination conditions | Flexibility, commitment, possible costs… It is better to know how to cancel easily if necessary, particularly in the event of a change in situation. |
Can I keep my home insurance following a move?
Of course, this is a right to termination, and not an obligation. Nothing stops you from keep your current insurance if the guarantees suit you.
In any case, whatever your decision, you are required to notify your insurer of your move. You will just need to specify in your registered letter that you wish to obtain a contract transfer to cover your new address.
Inform your insurance company, ideally at least one month before your moving date.
Know that you have a period of 15 days from the date of the move to validate your contract transfer. Find out the conditions beforehand, because your insurance premium is likely to change! This will be the case in particular if:
- your new accommodation is bigger than the old one,
- your new neighborhood is considered sensitive,
- YOU move from an apartment to a house,
- or if you have new equipment, like a chimney or a balcony.
Who says calculation of a new insurance premium, said new home insurance contract. For his part, your insurer has the right to refuse the transfer. You will then need cancel your insurance as specified above, and find another insurer.
Should I wait until I move to cancel my home insurance?
No, the moving is not not the only valid reason to cancel your home insurance.
You can do it at the end of the first anniversary of the contract or at each annual deadline. The home insurance contract is said to be tacitly renewable: its renewal is automatic.
To terminate properly, observe a two months' notice before the due date.
Send a cancellation letter by registered mail, as in the case of a move.
Please note that insurers have a legal obligation to inform you of your possibility of terminating your contract each year !
This information is transmitted to the insured via a notice of expiry, which must indicate the termination deadline as well as the steps to follow.
In the absence of notice of expiry at least 15 days before the annual deadline, you can terminate your contract by invoking the Chatel law. At the end of the first anniversary of the contract, this is the Hamon law which applies: No fees or penalties cannot be required by the insurer.
Others valid reasons for termination exist, like:
- there sale of housing,
- L'increase in insurance premium,
- A change in risks covered,
- or a change in your personal situation.
By “change in personal life”, we mean in particular a marriage, a/an divorce, the birth of a child, or even a retirement. In any case, you will need send registered mail with proof
