There are various kinds of insurance, which are either essential or at least advisable for anyone moving to France. The following gives a brief overview of these:

Health Insurance

The most important type of insurance cover for people residing in France, there is a choice of either a full private health plan or "top-up" insurance (known as "complementaire" or "mutuelle"), the latter complements the cover provided by the French state.

French residents MUST affiliate to the healthcare system, but even state cover will only meet around 70% of the total cost of treatment. The French system relies on a certain level of personal contribution, which is why so many residents have some kind of "mutuelle" to cover the remaining costs.

Non-EU nationals will need to take out full private medical insurance for France, since they are not covered by the E111 form (as EU nationals are for emergencies only). To obtain a long-stay visa, you will need to submit proof of medical cover to the French embassy or consulate in your home country.

NOTE - if you are not fluent in French, the medical terminology used in health insurance policies can be extremely confusing. Consider choosing an insurer that offers fluent support in English for the full term of your health insurance plan. You may wish to consult other expats who have been in this situation to see which companies they selected for medical cover.