Relais’Expat+,
international health insurance to top up your CFE benefits

In practice, CFE top-up insurance works like complementary coverage in France: it provides reimbursement in addition to the portion of costs covered by the CFE to reduce or remove out-of-pocket expenses.

Unlike 1^st euro insurance (which manages everything from start to finish), you must be enrolled with the CFE and pay the corresponding premiums to take out this type of plan.

To make your life easier, many private insurance companies (including MSH) have administration agreements with the CFE and act as its preferred partners. As a result, you won’t have to complete many administrative procedures, as information is shared directly between the two entities. You’ll receive reimbursements from the CFE and the complementary health insurance provider you’ve chosen.

With this system, you’re still entitled to the French pension scheme while benefiting from health insurance tailored to the cost of healthcare in your country of residence. It ensures optimal coverage and continuity with the French Social Security system.

In short, it’s the best solution for expatriates who wish to stay enrolled with the French system while being covered for expensive healthcare costs abroad.

First-euro insurance operates completely independently. It covers your medical expenses from the 1^st euro spent, without requiring prior enrollment with the CFE. You manage only one plan with a single point of contact.

With CFE top-up insurance (such as RelaisExpat+ from MSH), it’s slightly different. It tops up the reimbursements from the Caisse des Français de l’Étranger, the equivalent of the French Social Security abroad.  It works like your “mutuelle”, the complementary insurance in France. The CFE reimburses medical expenses according to its reimbursement scales and rates, which are based on the cost of healthcare in France. Then, your complementary expatriate insurance reimburses the remaining portion of costs.

With a first-euro plan, administrative procedures are simplified. With the CFE top-up insurance, you’re still entitled to the French pension scheme and maintain a link with the general scheme.  However, you have to deal with two organizations, two Members’ Areas, two claims to submit, etc. That’s another mental load!

Important: our Relais’Expat+ offering allows you to take out international health insurance as a top-up to the CFE, while having to complete administrative procedures only once. You just have to contact us to enroll and we’ll take care of the rest!

The choice of your insurance plan and its cost mainly depend on your traveler profile and destination. Although the CFE provides good basic insurance, it doesn’t cover all the risks relating to international mobility.

Here are the key factors to take into account:

• The duration of your stay: In general, the CFE continues to provide coverage for stays of less than 3 months. For longer stays, we recommend taking out comprehensive international health insurance such as Relais’Expat+, which provides the same level of coverage as in France for the entire duration of your stay abroad.
• The geographical zone: It’s a major criterion. In countries where medical expenses are very high (such as the USA or Canada), complementary insurance is essential to avoid paying significant out-of-pocket expenses for a consultation with your general practitioner or in the event of hospitalization.
• Essential benefits: Make sure your plan covers repatriation assistance and third-party liability as these benefits are not included in the standard Caisse des Français de l’Étranger offering. Depending on your needs, we also recommend that you check options offered by insurance companies such as MSH, as some may better suit your needs.

While the CFE provides comprehensive, strong basic coverage, it doesn’t always meet the specific needs of every expatriate, in particular in terms of benefits, routine care or family circumstances. You then have two alternatives.

The first one is to take out international health insurance from the first euro spent, which works completely independently from the CFE. From the first day of the month following your enrollment, the insurer covers all your medical expenses without excessive waiting periods, and without the need to coordinate with another organization. This solution is very popular among digital nomads and expatriates who don’t have any dependents to enroll.

The second one is to choose complementary international health insurance as a top-up to the CFE through partnerships such as the one MSH has had with the Caisse des Français de l’Étranger for nearly 50 years. Thus, you’re still entitled to an old-age pension while benefiting from more comprehensive benefits for routine care, medical transportation or daily allowances.

If you’re enrolled in an international health insurance plan and travel outside your country of expatriation, you’re covered in the event of an emergency. At MSH, countries are grouped into five pricing zones based on the local healthcare costs, enabling us to support our insured members worldwide. You’ll be able to select the zone at the time of enrollment.

If, after your departure, you travel to a country belonging to a lower coverage zone than the one you chose, you’ll benefit from the same coverage as in your country of expatriation. If you travel to a country belonging to a higher coverage zone, you’ll only be covered in the event of an emergency or an accident, for a limited duration.

To make your day-to-day life easier, we’ll reimburse you in the currency of your choice, from among 150 currencies. This flexibility allows you to receive your reimbursements directly in the currency of your country of residence. The only exception to this rule concerns restrictions related to international banking regulations: we can only process reimbursements in the chosen currency if this is authorized under applicable laws.

Relais’Expat+, our health insurance plan as a top-up to the CFE, has been designed to support expatriates in the long term and is specifically intended for individuals moving abroad for at least a year. The minimum period of coverage is 6 months, and the plan is automatically renewed each year on its anniversary date. This automatic renewal ensures continuous coverage, with no interruption of benefits. Should your circumstances change, you can still request to terminate the plan.

Absolutely! Distance is no obstacle when it comes to your health. Wherever you’re in the world, you can get a quote, compare prices based on the benefits and options selected, and complete your enrollment online on our website www.msh-intl.com.

If you live in the United States or are planning to move there, please contact us directly to get customized coverage tailored to the specific requirements of the American healthcare system.