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How to Get Home Insurance When Living in a Flatshare
You must get home insurance when renting an accommodation in France, regardless of your situation, the property’s, and how long you are staying. Before you move in, you must take out a home insurance policy with the insurer of your choice. When signing the rental agreement, your landlord must receive a valid proof of insurance. If not, you cannot legally sign the contract. Your insurance should cover you from the first day until the last without interruption. If you wish to change your home insurance policy, both your old and new insurers must organize cancellation and subscription respectively to abide by legal requirements and ensure that your accommodation remains covered in case of accidents without a gap in coverage.
This rule applies to individual rental agreements as well as collective rental agreements. If you are living in a flatshare, for example, you must take out home insurance to cover your accommodation against any risks such as fire, water damage, natural disasters, etc.
At least one of the roommates must provide the landlord with an insurance certificate covering all the tenants and renew it every year. Each of the roommates must be named on the policy if there is only one policy. Otherwise, your landlord can legally terminate your rental agreement. This obligation applies regardless of nationality or length of stay.
How do you take out home insurance when living in a flatshare? We will discuss your rights and obligations with you.
How to Take out an Insurance Contract in a Flatshare?
Even when living in a flatshare, you are obligated to take out home insurance with an insurer of your choice and to provide proof of this to your landlord when signing your rental agreement. The procedures for taking out insurance vary somewhat depending on the type of rental agreement for your home: individual or collective. It is also possible that your insurer will offer you a contract with specific and adapted guarantees, intended for co-tenants.
You are free to approach the insurer of your choice to take out home insurance. The majority of insurance companies and banks will be able to insure you. This process is usually very simple and fast, you can take out insurance remotely (by phone or online) and obtain the necessary proof for signing your rental agreement in less than 24 hours. From then on, you will be committed for one year and you will not be able to terminate or change your contract without charge before the expiry date of this period, unless a situation mentioned in the clauses of the contract occurs (moving house, changing marital status, etc.). So take your time to compare offers and guarantees before committing.
Single Tenancy Agreement Flatshare
If your roommate agreement is individual, you can take out one home insurance policy for all roommates. You must declare to the insurer each member of the household in order to be listed on the policy.
It is also possible to arrange with your landlord for them to take out a home insurance policy that covers you and add it to the monthly rental charges. In this case, it must be included in your lease agreement.
Flatshare with multiple lease agreement
If each roommate has their own rental contract, you can take out a home insurance policy with the insurer of your choice. Again, the compulsory guarantee for collective risks is limited: it covers damage caused to the building, excluding those caused to neighbors and your personal belongings. If you want to be covered for these risks, you must take out home multi-risk insurance.
Don't hesitate to agree with your roommates to insure with the same organization. That way, you can limit disputes in case of an accident.
Should Each Roommate Take out Home Insurance in a Flatshare?
As explained above, although home insurance is mandatory when renting a property, in flatshare it is not mandatory for each roommate to take out an individual home insurance policy. Each tenant must however be insured and appear on the policy that covers the property, but having at least one insurance certificate that covers you against rental risks will suffice to fulfill the legal obligation.
The terms of your flatshare insurance will largely depend on the agreement made between landlord and roommates: it is possible that home insurance will be taken out by the landlord, who will add the divided amount to the monthly fees; that a single insurance policy covers the property and you have to take necessary steps to be included and covered in it as well as your roommates; or you may have to take out an individual home insurance policy. Ask your landlord how you should proceed.
In the event of a claim, your liability will be determined according to the portion of rent you pay. If a deductible is due to your insurer, its amount will be divided proportionally to the portion of rent paid by each roommate.
To be well covered and avoid too much expense in the event of a claim, do not hesitate to take out an insurance policy to cover your civil liability.
How to modify your home insurance policy when a roommate moves out?
If there are changes within your flatshare (someone leaves or a new roommate arrives), you must inform your landlord as soon as you become aware of them. First to obtain his/her agreement and, if you get it, to update the rental and insurance contracts by an amendment, in order to include all the roommates and exclude those who are no longer part of the group.
These steps are important and necessary to ensure you are properly covered in case of a disaster. If they are not done on time, your insurer could decide not to cover you if a disaster occurred. To make these changes, simply contact your landlord and your insurer and give them the necessary details for modifying the contracts.
