France life and benefits market

One aspect of the continuing economic crisis that has affected the life insurance sector in France has been the public’s loss of confidence in long term assets in general

At the end of 2011, there were 434 insurance organisations regulated under the terms of the Insurance Code in France, including branches of other European Economic Area country insurers. Of these, 124 were life or composite and 310 were non-life. Composites in the usual sense are not allowed, having been separated into life and non-life companies in accordance with the EU directive, and the French composites that remain are in fact life and health insurers. In addition, mutuals and provident institutions play major roles in insurance provision and there are freedom-of-services providers.