Insurance purchased online: the cancellation button has been available since June 19, 2026

Since June 19, 2026, for insurance contracts concluded remotely via an online interface, the provider must offer a free cancellation option. This takes the form of a button identified by a phrase such as "cancel contract here" (service-public.gouv.fr) and must remain accessible throughout the cancellation period. This period is 14 days for insurance purchased remotely, and 30 full calendar days for assurance-vie purchased remotely (DGCCRF fact sheet).

This page covers the cancellation button, deadlines, and form. It does not cover: the penalty incurred by a professional who fails to display the function, the status of contracts concluded before June 19, 2026, the button for contracts concluded by telephone, or the refund period for sums paid: see your contract for this last point.

What is in effect, and on what date?

These rules stem from Ordinance No. 2026-2 and Decree No. 2026-3, both dated January 5, 2026. The ordinance transposes a European directive from November 2023, according to service-public.gouv.fr. The news item cites Article D.222-2 of the Consumer Code regarding the online withdrawal process.

The button: what the official texts say

The website service-public.gouv.fr refers to a "feature" in the form of a "button" identified by a phrase such as "cancel contract here." The DGCCRF (French Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) information sheet describes the same function. Here is what they say.

• Free of charge. The professional must offer "a feature allowing them to send a withdrawal declaration online free of charge" (service-public.gouv.fr).
• Titled. It takes the form of a "button" identified by a formula such as "cancel contract here" (service-public.gouv.fr).
• Availability period. It must be accessible for the entire duration of the withdrawal period (service-public.gouv.fr).
• Visibility. The DGCCRF fact sheet states that it must be displayed on the website or application in a visible manner.
• Acknowledgement of receipt. The same information sheet indicates that the consumer will receive an acknowledgement of receipt mentioning the content of their declaration, its date and time of sending.
• Field. The function targets contracts concluded remotely via an online interface: website and application.

According to the DGCCRF (French Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) information sheet, this function allows users to exercise their right of withdrawal free of charge before the expiry of the prescribed periods. The right of withdrawal described in the information sheet applies to individuals who subscribe for non-professional purposes.

How many days to give up

No timeframe is given in the news item on service-public.gouv.fr regarding the button. The deadlines are listed in the DGCCRF fact sheet, written on October 2, 2026.

For assurance-vie, service-public.gouv.fr (information sheet F15268, verified on 08/10/2026) also specifies 30 calendar days, starting from the date you were informed of the contract's conclusion. For the exact starting point, refer to your contract.

If information about the right of withdrawal is lacking

In its general section on distance contracts, the DGCCRF (French Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) fact sheet states that if information on the right of withdrawal has not been provided, the withdrawal period is extended by twelve months from the expiry of the initial period. The fact sheet does not specify, in the excerpts provided, whether this rule applies to every type of insurance: this should be verified in your specific case.

How to exercise the right of waiver

For a contract concluded online, the function described above allows you to send the waiver declaration free of charge.

For assurance-vie, two official fact sheets describe how to send a letter:

• The DGCCRF fact sheet states that the waiver is made by registered letter (or electronic registered mail) with acknowledgement of receipt; ;
• The F15268 fact sheet from service-public.gouv.fr states that a letter of renunciation must be sent by registered mail with acknowledgement of receipt, or by electronic registered mail, to the address appearing on the contract.

The sources consulted do not specify how this submission relates to the online function. For assurance-vie, as with other types of insurance, please refer to the terms and conditions of your contract.

Keep the acknowledgement of receipt issued by the online function, or the acknowledgement of receipt of a registered letter.

Cases where the right of withdrawal may not exist

The DGCCRF (French Directorate General for Competition Policy, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control) guidelines cite, among the cases where the right of withdrawal for a contract concluded remotely and off-premises may be excluded or nonexistent, the provision of travel insurance or motor vehicle liability insurance. The conditions for this exclusion are not detailed here: if your contract is of this type, check what your contract stipulates.

Other rules governing remote subscription

The same new rules affect other moments in the sale.

• Before signing. The professional must provide free, legible and understandable information: the professional, the product, the terms of withdrawal, the contacts for complaints and the total price (service-public.gouv.fr).
• The total price includes all related commissions, charges, expenses and taxes (service-public.gouv.fr).
• The interfaces must not be designed in such a way as to deceive or manipulate consumers (service-public.gouv.fr).
• Telephone canvassing is prohibited in all sectors since 11/08/2026. Except for prior agreement or appeal concerning a current contract, specifies economie.gouv.fr.

Numerical example (fictitious profile)

Situation. Hélène, a self-employed professional in Lyon, takes out two contracts online in November 2026. The first is an insurance contract (excluding assurance-vie), signed on November 3rd. She receives the pre-contractual information on November 6th. The second is a assurance-vie contract; she is notified of its conclusion on November 10th. Assumptions: both contracts are taken out for personal, non-professional purposes; the information and contractual terms of the assurance-vie policy were received no later than November 10th (if they arrived later, the policy start date would be later).

Issue. To know how long the waiver function will be useful to him for each of the two contracts.

Strategy. Apply the starting points from the DGCCRF form. For the first contract, the information is received after signing: the starting date is November 6th. For the second, the starting date is the day the company is informed of the conclusion, November 10th, as the contractual information and conditions are received no later than that day. A reference date is obtained by adding the number of days to the starting date.

Result.

With the signing date of November 3rd as the starting point, the reference date for the first contract would have been November 17th, 2026: the starting point rule shifts the reference point by 3 days. The difference between the two contracts is 20 days.

This profile is fictitious. The dates and the status of personal subscriber are hypothetical. The calculation of the first and last day is not specified by the sources consulted: the reference date is indicative and does not replace the date indicated by your contract or the insurer.

What changes depending on your situation

• The subscriber's quality : the law described in the fact sheets applies to natural persons who act for non-professional purposes.
• The type of contract : assurance-vie, other insurance, purchase-related insurance, travel insurance or motor vehicle liability insurance.
• The method of conclusion : online, by phone, at your home.
• The date of signature, the date of receipt of pre-contractual information and, for assurance-vie, the date of receipt of contractual information and conditions, which determine the start of the time limit.
• The date your contract was concluded, compared to June 19, 2026.
• The terms of your contract, which specify the time limit and the method of cancellation.

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