Cancelling an insurance policy: after one year or at expiry date

For home, auto, or supplemental health insurance contracts, there are two options. The first is to cancel at the annual renewal date, with the notice period specified in your contract, generally two months before the renewal date. The second is to cancel at any time after the first anniversary of the contract, without fees or penalties. This is what economie.gouv.fr states on its page dated June 25, 2026.

This page deals with these three types of contracts, taken out by individuals. It does not cover loan insurance, personal protection insurance, assurance-vie, or contracts taken out for a business.

Both paths in one table

Source: economie.gouv.fr, page dated 25/06/2026.

Terminating at the end of the contract: the notice period and the expiry notice

The notice period is as stated in your contract. The page dated June 25, 2026, indicates that it is generally two months before the expiry date. The subscription page on economie.gouv.fr (September 14, 2026) also refers to the notice period specified in the contract. Therefore, read your contract before counting the days.

Three rules supplement the notice period. The page does not indicate how they relate to the expiry date of your contract: check with the insurer or the source.

• The insurer's reminder. The insurer must remind you of the deadline by which you can cancel at the policy's expiry date. They must do so at least 15 days before this deadline.
• Opposition to the reappointment. You have 20 days from the date of sending the due date notice, by registered letter.
• The absence of a payment due date notice. The page dated June 25, 2026, includes a section on cancellation due to failure to send a renewal reminder. It states that if you did not receive a renewal notice, you can terminate the contract without penalty "at any time after renewal." The cancellation takes effect the day after the postmark or the date of notification. You will pay the premium corresponding to the period during which you were covered, up to the effective date.

The subscription page dated September 14, 2026, also states that objections to automatic renewal must be made by registered letter within a certain timeframe, without specifying a timeframe. The 20-day period is the one mentioned on the cancellation page.

Cancel after the first anniversary

After the first anniversary of the contract, you can cancel at any time, without fees or penalties. The page specifies that this rule applies to automatically renewable contracts.

The next steps depend on the nature of the contract:

• Mandatory insurance (car, tenant's or co-owner's home): your new insurer will take care of the cancellation with the old one.
• Insurance not mandatory You send the request to the insurer. The cancellation takes effect one month after receipt of the request. The insurer refunds any overpaid premiums.

For supplemental health insurance, the information sheet on service-public.gouv.fr (verified on October 1, 2026) states that most contracts are annual contracts that are automatically renewed, and that these contracts can be terminated "at the first annual renewal date or at any time after one year of the contract." It then specifies that this free termination after one year applies to contracts taken out individually. For company-sponsored health insurance, refer to the terms and conditions of the contract.

Cancellation in three clicks

Since June 1, 2023, the "three-click cancellation" option has been available to insurance companies (economie.gouv.fr, page dated September 14, 2026). This allows you to cancel a contract purchased online (page dated June 25, 2026). If your contract was purchased online, look for it in your insurer's customer area.

Cancelling outside the expiry date, for another reason

The first birthday isn't the only possibility. The page dated June 25, 2026 describes other scenarios:

The subscription page of 14/09/2026 also mentions retirement or the definitive cessation of professional activity, with the same condition of impact on the risk.

Numerical example (fictitious profile)

Situation. Sophie took out a personal car insurance policy on March 10, 2025. The renewal date is March 10th of each year. Her contract includes a two-month notice period (this is a hypothetical scenario, as is the subscription date and the personal nature of the contract). The current date is October 17, 2026.

Issue. Can she change insurers now, or does she have to wait?

Strategy. The first anniversary of the contract passed on March 10, 2026. Car insurance is mandatory: her new insurer will handle the cancellation with the old one. If she prefers to wait until the expiry date of March 10, 2027, she must give notice no later than January 10, 2027.

Result. The first anniversary has passed by 221 days. For the "at maturity" route, there remains 85 days between 17/10/2026 and the deadline of 10/01/2027. The insurer must remind you of this deadline no later than 26/12/2026.

This profile is fictitious. The dates and notice period illustrate the calculation. Your contract may calculate the notice period differently: read it.

What changes depending on your situation

• The type of contract : home, car or supplementary health insurance, with separate forms.
• Whether it is mandatory or not From the insurance company: it decides who sends the request.
• The written notice period in your contract : it is usually two months, but the contract is the determining factor.
• The subscription method : online, cancellation in three clicks must be available.
• Your personal situation : home, profession, retirement.

The rule depends on your situation. No results are guaranteed.