Hamon Law Cancel Insurance Easily

Hamon Law in France: Your Right to Cancel Insurance After 12 Months (2026)

**Yes — under the Hamon Law (Loi n°2014-344 of March 17, 2014), you can cancel your car, home, or affinity insurance at any time after the first 12 months, with no penalties, no justification, and no direct paperwork with your old insurer. Your new insurer handles everything. This right is guaranteed by Article L.113-15-2 of the French Insurance Code.**

This guide explains which contracts are covered, how the cancellation process works in practice, what happens to your pro-rata refund, and how the related Loi Lemoine (2022) affects borrower insurance. For more on insurance rights in France, explore our complete guides.

L'essentiel — Key Takeaways

**Applies after 12 months** — you must wait one year before using the Hamon Law
**No fees, no justification** — cancellation is a legal right, not a negotiation
**New insurer handles paperwork** — you do not contact your old insurer directly
**Termination takes effect 1 month** after your old insurer receives notice
**Pro-rata refund** issued within 30 days for any unused premium already paid
**Bonus-malus transfers automatically** — your no-claims coefficient follows you
**Loi Lemoine (2022)** covers borrower insurance with no waiting period at all

What Is the Hamon Law?

The Loi Hamon was part of a broader package of consumer protection reforms introduced by the government of Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in 2014. Before its passage, switching insurance was cumbersome: most contracts renewed automatically each year (*tacite reconduction*), and cancellation required giving notice 2–3 months before the annual renewal date. Miss that window, and you were locked in for another year.

The Hamon Law changed this entirely for eligible insurance types. After the first year of a contract, you can request cancellation at any time, with the termination taking effect one month later. No penalty is applied, no reason is required.

The legal basis is **Article L.113-15-2 of the Code des assurances** (available on Legifrance).

Which Contracts Are Covered?

Eligible Insurance Types

**Car insurance (*assurance automobile*)**

This includes mandatory third-party liability (*responsabilité civile*) as well as comprehensive coverage. The contract must be in force for at least 12 months. This is the most common use of the Hamon Law. According to the ACPR (the French insurance and banking regulator), car insurance complaints represent a significant portion of consumer disputes each year.

**Motorcycle and scooter insurance**

Same rules as car insurance. The 12-month condition applies from the first premium payment date.

**Home insurance (*assurance habitation*)**

Both tenant insurance (*assurance locataire*) and homeowner insurance (*assurance propriétaire non-occupant*, *assurance copropriétaire*) qualify. The DGCCRF (consumer protection authority) reports that home insurance disputes often involve coverage disputes after incidents — worth checking your policy's exact terms before switching.

**Affinity insurance (*assurance affinitaire*)**

These are add-on policies sold with a product — mobile phone insurance, appliance breakdown cover, travel insurance sold as part of a bank package. These are covered by Hamon if they are annual contracts.

What Is NOT Covered by the Hamon Law

Contract Type	Why Not Covered	Alternative
Life insurance (assurance vie)	Governed by the Insurance Code Art. L.132	Specific partial surrender rules
Complementary health insurance (mutuelle)	1-year notice at renewal required	Check your policy's specific terms
Professional liability insurance	Business contract rules apply	Direct negotiation with insurer
Short-term travel insurance	Not annual contracts	No cancellation needed — fixed-term
Borrower insurance (assurance emprunteur)	Previously very restricted	Now governed by Loi Lemoine (see below)

The 12-Month Condition

The Hamon Law only applies **after the first 12 months** of a contract. This means:

If you signed your car insurance contract on April 15, 2025, you can cancel under Hamon from April 16, 2026 onwards
The 12-month period starts from the date the contract first came into force (not from the first renewal)
During the first year, you are bound by the standard cancellation terms (usually: cancellation only at renewal with 2-month notice)

Tip: Keep a note of your contract start date. Set a reminder for 12 months later to review whether you want to switch.

The Cancellation Process: Step by Step

Step 1: Find a New Insurer

For mandatory insurance (car, home for tenants under certain lease conditions), you must have replacement coverage lined up before cancelling. This is not a legal requirement for optional insurance, but it is strongly advisable.

Explore options through insurance brokers or directly from insurers. Many offer online quotes in minutes. The Service-Public.fr portal provides official guidance on insurance cancellation rights.

Step 2: Sign Up with the New Insurer

Provide the new insurer with:

Your personal details
Vehicle details (for car insurance) or property address (for home)
Your current insurer's name and policy number

Most insurers allow you to complete the entire process online in under 10 minutes.

Step 3: Your New Insurer Handles the Cancellation

This is the decisive advantage of the Hamon Law. Once you sign the new contract and provide the necessary details, **your new insurer sends the formal cancellation notice to your old insurer on your behalf**. You do not need to write any letter or deal with your old insurer directly.

The new insurer must:

Send the cancellation to the old insurer by registered letter
Ensure the new coverage begins on the day the old coverage ends (no gap, no double payment)

Step 4: Old Contract Ends, Refund Issued

The old contract terminates one month after the cancellation notice is received by the old insurer. If you paid in advance (annual premium), you are entitled to a **pro-rata refund** for the unused portion. The old insurer must issue this refund within 30 days under the Code des assurances.

Timeline Summary

Event	Timing
You sign with new insurer	Day 1
New insurer notifies old insurer	Within a few days
Old insurer receives notice	~Day 5–7
Old policy terminates	One month after notice receipt
New policy begins	Same day old policy ends
Pro-rata refund from old insurer	Within 30 days of termination

Cancelling Without Switching (Non-Mandatory Insurance)

For non-mandatory insurance (e.g., phone insurance, appliance cover), you can cancel without replacing the coverage. Options:

**Online**: Many insurers now offer a dedicated cancellation form in their customer area
**By registered letter**: Send a *lettre recommandée avec accusé de réception* to your insurer's registered office
**By email with delivery confirmation**: Accepted by some insurers

If sending a letter yourself, reference: *"Résiliation dans le cadre de la loi n°2014-344 du 17 mars 2014 (loi Hamon), article L.113-15-2 du Code des assurances."*

The cancellation takes effect one month after the insurer receives your notice.

Loi Lemoine: The Key Law for Borrower Insurance in 2026

If you have a home loan (*prêt immobilier*), your bank almost certainly sold you borrower insurance (*assurance emprunteur*). This used to be very difficult to switch.

Since **June 1, 2022**, the **Loi Lemoine** (Law n°2022-270) allows you to cancel and switch borrower insurance at any time, with **no waiting period**. You do not even need to wait 12 months. The new insurer's contract must offer at least equivalent guarantees to the bank's contract — assessed against a standardised equivalence grid.

According to the ACPR, switching borrower insurance can save between €5,000 and €15,000 over the life of a loan for some borrowers. If you have a loan originated in 2022 or later, this right applies immediately. If you have an older loan, you can still switch — the ACPR published detailed guidance in 2023 on how equivalence is assessed.

For disputes with your insurer, the **Médiateur de l'assurance** (Insurance Ombudsman) provides free mediation: mediation-assurance.org.

Practical Tips for 2026

**Review your car insurance every year at the 12-month mark.** Insurance is one of the few consumer purchases where loyalty is rarely rewarded — new customers often get better rates. Premiums have increased in 2025–2026 due to rising repair costs and climate-related claims.

**Check your bonus-malus (CRM coefficient) before switching.** Your no-claims bonus transfers to your new insurer automatically via the *Relevé d'Information* document. Your old insurer must provide this document within 15 days of a request. Without it, you cannot prove your driving history to the new insurer.

**For home insurance, check coverage levels, not just price.** A cheaper policy may exclude certain risks (flooding in flood-prone areas, theft without signs of forced entry, etc.). Read the *Conditions Générales* carefully.

**Bundle discounts may offset switching savings.** If you have car and home insurance with the same company and get a multi-policy discount, calculate whether switching one policy still makes financial sense overall.

**Do not cancel before new coverage is confirmed in writing.** For mandatory insurance especially, there must be no gap in coverage. Your new insurer's confirmation email or policy document is sufficient proof.

Frequently Asked Questions

**Do I need to give a reason for cancelling?**

No. The Hamon Law requires no justification. Simply notify your new insurer, and they handle the rest.

**Can my old insurer refuse the cancellation?**

No, provided the 12-month condition is met and the contract type is covered. The cancellation is a legal right under Article L.113-15-2 of the Code des assurances.

**What happens to my no-claims bonus?**

It transfers fully to your new insurer. Request your *Relevé d'Information* from your old insurer if the new insurer asks for documentation. The coefficient (*bonus-malus*) is guaranteed to follow you.

**Will there be any gap in coverage?**

No. The new insurer coordinates the start date of the new policy with the end date of the old one — no gap, no double payment.

**Are there any fees for cancelling?**

None. Free cancellation is guaranteed by Article L.113-15-2 of the Code des assurances.

**What if I already cancelled before the 12-month mark?**

Standard cancellation rules apply. Usually this means waiting for the annual renewal date and giving 2-month notice, or paying a penalty fee if specified in the contract.

**Is the Hamon Law different from the Loi Lemoine?**

Yes. Hamon covers car, home, and affinity insurance after 12 months. Loi Lemoine (2022) specifically covers borrower insurance (*assurance emprunteur*) and allows cancellation at any time with no waiting period.

**What can I do if my insurer refuses to refund the pro-rata amount?**

File a complaint with the Médiateur de l'assurance. If unresolved, you can also contact the DGCCRF to report a potential consumer rights violation.

Sources

This article was reviewed for accuracy and updated in April 2026. The information provided is for informational purposes only and does not constitute personal advice. We recommend consulting an insurance advisor for your specific situation.