I wrote this on a meetup message board today in response to a question from an Aussie moving to Paris with his family.
Buddha, it just brought me right back to the moment when I bought my own travel insurance back in December 2008, thinking “I’ll just get it for a year, because if I dont get a job in Paris then I’ll be back on the plane to Sydney“.
Oh my lordy. Isnt it just amazing how, once you let life take you on a journey, it bloody takes you all over the shop and around the corner to a secret door-behind-the-bookshelf that you didnt even know was there?
March 2010 was my “d-day” for success or pack up and go home. And here I am, in July, engaged to a Frenchman and about to move to London for 2 years for work. How did I get to this place in my life? I cant help but smile and say “well, you wanted the adventure….YOU GOT IT!”. lol.
Anyway, I wrote this response and I thought, bloody hell, if only someone had given me this information before I left Sydney, I would have had so much less drama. OK, yes, it was challenging (in a fun way) trying to weasel my way out of having to create more documents and come back to the prefecture again, but really, it was drama that wasnt really necessary. And this guy has a family to bring over with him – he DEFINITELY doesnt need more drama!
So, I have copied the response on my site in the hope that it is useful for someone, someday, who is also making the leap of faith to France.
Enjoy!
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Hi Ron
Congrats on making the decision to move to Paris! A decision that you and your family wont regret 
I have a long stay visa “visiteur”. I only really planned to be in Paris for a year and if I didnt find a job (that would provide me with healthcare), then I would head back to Sydney (and, whoops!, I found me a French fiance in the meantime and well, I’m still here…).
ANYWAY back to the point…..
I took out a one year travel insurance policy through my Travel Agent from Heaven (see below). This covered me for everything, including all health issues and expenses.
This worked fine with the consulate in Sydney, but wasnt so well received at the prefecture here in Paris. The biggest problem (and I know, this sounds dumb, but that’s France for you), was that the certificate of insurance (a) didnt say “health insurance” or “sickness insurance” and (b) didnt specifically list all the medical things it could cover me for.
The prefecture told me it wasnt sufficient, because it was “travel” insurance. I had to be quite forceful (in my most polite and smiling and charming way) that travel insurance by nature covers you for medical expenses, and that just because it didnt say “sickness” or “health” anywhere, didnt mean it wasnt sufficient to cover me if I have a problem here. I really pushed this point because (a) I didnt want to have to get MORE insurance (b) I didnt want to have to make ANOTHER appointment at the prefecture and (c) I didnt want to get ALL the terms and conditions of the policy translated into French because translation services, by “official” translators cost a bomb, and I’d already spent a fortune.
In the end, she spoke to her supervisor and then continued to process my carte de sejour without me needing to do anything more.
BUT if you want to have a more smooth transition at the prefecture, and you are planning to stay in Paris for longer than a year, then I would recommend getting some proper health insurance designed for ex-pats. I’ve been in contact with Steve McGrady, an English insurance broker, who was recommended to me by another Aussie. He can point you in the right direction and give you lots of options and different price ranges.
AND if you can ask your translator to make sure the words “Assurance Maladie” are in big bold letters at the top, then that would also help!
Good luck!
Kristie
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[b]Travel Agent from Heaven[/b]
Fabian Cannavo
fabianDOTcannavo AT flightcentre DOT com DOT au
Flight Centre Mosman
717 Military Road, Mosman, NSW 2088
Phone: (02) 9942 8988 Fax: (02) 9942 8999
[b]Nice Insurance Broker Man in London[/b]
Steven McCrady
International Sales Advisor
APRIL Medibroker Ltd
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)191 296 6140
Fax: +44 (0) 191 257 6272
Direct line +44 (0)191 270 3035
Skype: medibrokerstevenmc
E-mail: stevenDOTmccrady AT medibroker DOT com
Web: www.medibroker.com