How to be covered if I am not working and I am a European citizen ?

If you have been living in France for less than 5 years, you do not have a paid activity, you are under retirement age and you do not benefit from any rights from a European country, you can apply for a PUMa health cover after 3 months of residency in France.

If your request is accepted, you will have to pay a contribution to the URSSAF (also known as the Organisations for the Collection of Social Security and Family Benefit Contributions, it is the main body involved in the collection and distribution of social security contributions from workers, employers, and self-employed workers/entrepreneurs in France).
If your request is rejected, you will have to find and pay for a private insurance.

If you are not eligible for the S1 form and have been living in France for less than 5 years, you cannot benefit from a PUMa health cover.

However if your situation has changed (change of income, divorce, long-term disease, etc.) you can apply for PUMa benefits.

In order to be covered by the French healthcare system and receive a French social security number, you need to submit the following documents to your local caisse primaire d’assurance maladie (CPAM) :

- A copy of the passport or identity card ;
- The S1106 form « Application for membership in the French health care system »  available on ameli.fr ;
- The certified and complete copy of your birth certificate, with the mention of your parents’ names ;
- A copy of your marriage certificate, if applicable ;
- A proof of residency for the past three months (utility bills, rental contract, etc.) ;
- Your French bank account details (copy of your official RIB - relevé d'identité bancaire/IBAN) ;
- A S1 refusal form, delivered by the healthcare system of your previous European country of residence ;
- Documents regarding your income for the past year (private pension, savings, etc.) ;
- A copy of your last tax return form (even if not issued by France) ;
- If you have children, a copy of their birth certificate and passport or ID with the form S3705 « Application to add minor children to one or both parents insurance accounts », available on ameli.fr ;
- Your CPAM will send you the « Recherche de droits ressortissants européens inactifs (710) » form for you to complete.

Your affiliation is finalised

The processing times to get a social security number can fluctuate between one CPAM to another.

Your CPAM will send you your social security number and an « attestation de droits » (certificate of rights), meaning you are covered by the French healthcare system and can be reimbursed for your medical expenses.

To claim your refund, you have to complete, sign and send your « feuille de soins » (brown paper), and the prescriptions if you have them, to your CPAM.

Please note that you cannot order a carte Vitale or open an ameli account directly after receiving your definitive social security number. This is due to the fact it may take some time for your social security number to be certified.

Once your social security number is certified, your CPAM will send you the carte Vitale form.

You can either order the card online by creating an ameli account or you can send the paper copy of the form by post, along with a recent identity photo and a copy of an identity document.

For better medical care and optimal reimbursements, register a « médecin traitant » (general practitioner) on your file.

You can find useful links according to your situation, by consulting this topic : « How to be covered : some useful links ».

Have a nice day.