There are many expats who have U.K. private medical insurance who, in some cases rather mistakenly, believe they can simply take the insurance with them when they decide to move to take up residency in France. Whether this is possible depends upon the nature of the policy you have and if your provider is able to transfer the current policy to an international plan. Some policies can be transferred, others cannot. It is best to contact your provider to establish which of these categories your policy falls into. We can advise you on compliant policies in France, be they full private medical or complimentary (‘top up) plans.
One important point here is that, if you are intent upon becoming permanently resident in France, whether, under current French Law, you are actually allowed to hold private medical insurance?
If you are not in possession of a valid ‘E’ form, then you will be required under French Law to hold private medical insurance. This will have to be maintained, as it currently stands, until you have either attained five years “legal and uninterrupted residency”, obtain “E” form status, through, for example, reaching U.K. State retirement age and being granted an subsequent “E121”, or suffer, what it termed, “An Accident of Life”.
If, on the other hand, you are in possession of such an “E” form, for example, an “E121” or “E106”, then to maintain compliance with current French Law, you will be required to enter the French Health system, and as this system is contributory, both through ‘cotisations’ (social taxes) and at the point of any claim, it would also be in your interest to consider taking out ‘top up’ medical insurance which compliments the State system.