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Private medical insurance can be a confusing topic, and yet for the France WHV, it is an unavoidable one. In this chapter, we’re going to answer some of the most common and important questions about insurance. By the end, you will have a much better idea of what it is, and how to find one that suits your needs.
Travel medical insurance is a type of insurance policy that individuals can buy when they travel abroad. It typically covers medical expenses incurred abroad resulting from illnesses or injuries. It is an important consideration because in most cases, the health insurance that you have in your home country or province does not cover medical expenses incurred abroad. And conversely when you are in France or elsewhere as a visitor (including as a working holiday maker), the local public health insurance doesn’t cover you either.
Yes. Canadians heading to France on a WHV must have private medical insurance, even residents of Quebec who have a RAMQ attestation. This is stipulated in the Franco-Canadian accord.
French authorities require you to present proof of insurance as a part of your visa application. So yes, you must purchase insurance for the intended duration of your stay even before obtaining your visa.
In case of visa denial, you can try to request a refund from your insurance provider. Refund policies vary from insurer to insurer. Globe WHV is an insurance that can reimburse you in case of visa denial.
According to French authorities, the insurance should cover medical expenses, hospitalization, and repatriation. Globe WHV meets the requirements set forth by France.
Refund policies for early returns also vary from insurer to insurer. For the greatest flexibility, choose one that offers this kind of refund. Globe WHV is an insurer that can reimburse you for unused months of coverage, as long as there are at least 2 months left (minus a €30 administrative fee).
The answer can only be fully answered by reading your policy handbook in detail. But in general, travel insurance is intended for injuries, illnesses, and medical emergencies, not routine or elective expenses. This means that things like annual checkups, vision exams, and teeth cleanings must be paid for out of pocket.
It depends on what your needs, finances, and risk tolerance are. If you opt for the cheapest insurance, it is possible that the coverage is more limited. But this is certainly not to say that more expensive policies are always better. Read the following questions to learn what to look for when choosing insurance.
How do I choose the right insurance? This is a complicated question requiring a nuanced answer. There are many insurers out there for working holiday makers, but we (as working holiday makers ourselves) recommend that you check at least the following important things:
In case of injury or illness, the excess or deductible (interchangeable terms) is the amount that you have to pay out of pocket before your insurance starts covering for you. For example, if your policy has an excess of $90 but your qualifying medical claim totals $500, the insurance would only reimburse you $410. The excess threshold applies on every claim you file, not just the first one of the year. As you can see, insurance policies with zero excess like Globe WHV provide the highest level of protection.
Policies can have a coverage limit of anywhere from a couple hundred thousand dollars to several million dollars. There are also policies that don’t have a limit. It goes without saying that the ones without a limit provide the greatest level of protection. These numbers might all seem very high, but don’t underestimate the true cost of medical care in serious accidents or long periods of hospitalisation. Globe WHV covers true costs up to €150,000.
If you plan to visit other countries than France during your working holiday, make sure that your policy offers coverage outside of your main destination. Globe WHV covers you worldwide (including visits to Canada) on trips less than 30 days, up to €15,000.
Injuries sustained in these higher risk activities are not covered by all insurance policies and their coverage may require you to pay extra for add-ons. However, these activities are covered by default in the Globe WHV insurance.
Finally, assess the premium. In the insurance world, the premium refers just to the price of the insurance policy (i.e. how much you need to pay per month or year). Is the premium reasonable for the level of coverage it provides? Is it within your budget? Also don’t blindly assume the premium is a perfect indicator of level of coverage; a higher premium can but doesn’t always mean better coverage.
(57) Comments
Hi Jackson,
I’m in a bit of a situation – I’ve been working in Paris on a WHV and it’s expiring in 2 months. I’d like to either renew or apply for a Talent Passport but I’m unable to do so online since I don’t have a foreign number.
The local Prefecture has also been unhelpful they’re confused. Do you know if I can apply for a status change from France or if I need to go back to Canada? I’m trying to avoid going back by all means.
Thank you in advance.
Hi Alireza. It’s true that WHVers do not have a foreigner number. APS holders do, however, get one. I don’t know much about the Talent Passport, but if you want a foreigner number and thereby gain access to the ANEF portal, you can apply for an APS. The steps are explained in https://pvtistes.net/en/extend-working-holiday-france/
Hi Jackson! When renewing my WHV do I need the criminal record check and medical certification? My appointment is in Vancouver this week and I cannot remember if I had those in my application the first time. Kind regards!
Hey it wasn’t required the first time, so it shouldn’t be the second time. Good luck 🙂
Hello would it be possible to apply for 24 months long stay visa upfront on arrival to France? also do you offer one on one consultancy on whv in France, i need tips on settling in , opening bank accounts etc
Hi Tosin.
1) You can only get a WHV for 12 months. But Canadians can extend their stay for another 12 months at the end.
2) See chapter 7 for tips on settling, housing, bank account, phone number etc
3) If you still have questions, you can sign up for one of our free online Q&A workshops https://pvtistes.net/en/bonsplans/workshops/
Hi Jackson! Thanks for your website, it is very helpful! From your personal experience or from what you are noticing currently, do you happen to have a delay estimation from the time the application is sent to the consulate by vfs to when vfs advises that the passeport and visa are ready for pick up? My flight is in a couple of days and I am stressing really hard because I have no clue what I will Do if I do not receive it on time (either delay or cancel my trip). I applied for à long term visa because I will be in France for 11 months. I Wonder if there is any way to aplply for the visa from Europe within the 90 day time limit. Do you happen to know ? Thank you so much. You are my last hope at obtaining some sort of useful info now..
Hello Li, you’re very welcome. I have applied for two different France visas through VFS and in both cases, my passport was mailed back to me within 7-8 days of my appointment. It’s hard to say if that is standard for most people or not. And generally it is not possible to apply for a France visa as a visitor on French soil (certainly not the first WHV). What type of visa are you applying for?
Thank you so much for your Quick response, that gives me some hope 🙂 i am applying for a long term visa (tourist). And actually I was wonderijg whether it was also possible to do it abroad (for exemple in the French Embassy in England which is outside the Schengen zone). Thank you so much Jackson 🙂
I am not sure about that, it is best to confirm with the embassy directly. My understanding is that in general, you should be at least a resident of the country in which you are submitting an application (if not your country of citizenship). Though there could be exceptions.
I’m not sure if this is applicable to you, but Canadians who have gotten a WHV to France can apply for a 12 month extension via the APS. And this can fully be done on French soil. https://pvtistes.net/en/extend-working-holiday-france/
Thanks again for all tha precious info :)!!
Hi Jackson,
I hope you’re well! I am about to finalize a renting lease agreement and the landlord is asking for “Assurance Habitation” (home insurance). This would amount to a monthly fee that I’d get from a company of my choice. However, I already have the ACS insurance purchased as part of my Working Holiday Visa application, and from what I see in the certificate, there is also a “Civil Liability” section which includes damage to property. Doesn’t this count as the Assurance Habitation?
Thank you as always for your help!
All the best,
Niloo
Congrats on finding housing! These are separate protections. I am certainly not a lawyer, but civil liability protects you from legal recourse when you cause injury or damages to another individual. Housing insurance is to protect yourself as resident and the landlord, from potential damages. For example if your apartment gets robbed and you lose valuables, that would not be a claim to bring to your medical insurer nor your landlord. Rather it would be the housing insurance. Hope that helps
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