Insurance for micro-enterprises in France 2026: liability, requirements and comparison

Why get insurance as a micro-entrepreneur?

As a micro-entrepreneur, you are personally liable for any damage you may cause in the course of your professional activity. Unlike companies (SARL, SAS), your personal assets are not separated from your business assets when it comes to professional debts linked to a fault.

Proper insurance protects you against client claims, worksite accidents, consulting errors, and damage to your premises.

Some insurance policies are mandatory depending on your activity, while others are strongly recommended. This guide covers everything you need to know for 2026.

Before choosing your insurance, make sure you know your APE code: it determines your legal insurance obligations.

Professional Liability Insurance (RC Pro)

What is RC Pro?

Professional Liability Insurance (Responsabilité Civile Professionnelle) covers damage caused to third parties (clients, suppliers, partners) in the course of your professional activity. It applies in cases of:

• Bodily harm: a client is injured on your premises
• Property damage: you damage a client's property
• Financial loss: a consulting error leads to financial harm
• Professional misconduct: defective delivery, harmful delays
• Negligence or omission: missing an important step in a service

Who must have it?

RC Pro is mandatory for the following regulated professions:

Strongly recommended for everyone else

Even if your activity is not listed above, RC Pro is strongly recommended. A simple accident or error can result in compensation claims of tens of thousands of euros.

How much does RC Pro cost?

Prices vary depending on your turnover, experience, and geographic area. Be sure to compare offers before subscribing.

Decennial Insurance (Garantie décennale)

Who needs it?

Decennial insurance is mandatory for all construction activities (BTP), whether structural or finishing work. It covers damage that may affect the structural integrity of the building or render it unfit for its intended use for 10 years after completion of works.

This includes:

• Masons, carpenters, roofers
• Electricians, plumbers, heating engineers
• Painters, tilers, plasterers
• Joiners, window installers
• Landscapers (for masonry landscaping works)
• Solar panel installers

What does it cover?

Decennial insurance covers defects that:

• Compromise the structural integrity of the building (structural cracks, collapse)
• Render the building unfit for use (water infiltration, insulation defects making the property uninhabitable)
• Affect an inseparable equipment element (embedded piping, integrated electrical installations)

How much does it cost?

The cost is significantly higher than other professional insurance:

Warning: working in construction without decennial insurance is a criminal offence punishable by a €75,000 fine and 6 months of imprisonment. Do not delay getting insured.

Mandatory mentions

You must include on every quote and invoice:

• The name and address of the insurer or guarantor
• The insurance policy number
• The geographic coverage of the contract

Failure to include these mentions is punishable by a fine of €1,500.

Multi-risk Professional Insurance

What is it for?

Multi-risk professional insurance (Multirisque Professionnelle, or MRP) is a comprehensive contract that bundles several guarantees to protect your daily operations:

• Premises protection: fire, water damage, theft, vandalism
• Equipment protection: computer, tools, machinery, professional vehicle
• Goods protection: stock, raw materials
• Business interruption: compensation if you cannot work following a claim
• Operating liability: damage caused in the course of business operations (outside of service delivery)

Is it mandatory?

Multi-risk insurance is not legally mandatory, but it is strongly recommended if you:

• Have professional premises (workshop, office, shop)
• Own expensive equipment (IT equipment, machine tools)
• Store goods of significant value
• Receive clients or the public on your premises

How much does it cost?

Expect to pay between €150 and €500 per year for multi-risk professional insurance as a micro-entrepreneur, depending on the size of your premises and the value of insured equipment.

Health Insurance (Mutuelle)

What you need to know

Unlike employees for whom company health insurance is mandatory, micro-entrepreneurs are not required to take out supplementary health insurance.

As a self-employed worker, you are covered by the Social Security for the Self-Employed (Sécurité Sociale des Indépendants, or SSI, formerly RSI), which covers basic care at the same rate as the general scheme:

• 70% of medical consultations
• 60 to 65% of medications
• 80% of hospitalisation costs

Why subscribe anyway?

Supplementary health insurance is strongly recommended for several reasons:

• Out-of-pocket costs can be high (specialist fees, dental care, optical)
• No daily allowances for the first 3 days of sick leave (waiting period)
• Daily allowances are calculated based on your income and are often very low
• The Madelin law allows you to deduct health insurance contributions from your taxable income (but only if you opt for the real tax regime, not the micro-fiscal regime)

How much does it cost?

To learn more about all the costs to anticipate, see our guide on micro-enterprise charges.

Income Protection Insurance (Prévoyance)

Why is it essential?

Income protection insurance covers major risks: extended sick leave, disability, and death. It is a protection often overlooked by micro-entrepreneurs, even though the basic coverage is very insufficient.

Basic coverage is minimal

Here is what the Social Security for the Self-Employed covers:

• Daily allowances: available only after 1 year of affiliation, with an amount based on your average income (often very low at the start of your activity)
• Waiting period: 3 days for illness, 0 days for hospitalisation
• Maximum amount: approximately €60.26/day in 2026
• Disability: partial pension based on the disability rate
• Death: lump-sum death benefit paid to beneficiaries (approximately €8,000 to €25,000 depending on the situation)

What does an income protection contract cover?

• Supplementary daily allowances in case of sick leave
• Disability pension to supplement the basic pension
• Enhanced death benefit to protect your family
• Education annuity for children in case of death

How much does it cost?

Expect to pay between €30 and €100 per month depending on your age, health status, and the level of coverage chosen.

Tip: if you do not have an emergency fund covering at least 3 months of fixed costs, income protection should be your number one priority when it comes to insurance.

Summary table by type of activity

Average price comparison table

Estimated total budget: between €600 and €2,500/year excluding construction for full coverage. For construction, add €1,500 to €5,000 for decennial insurance.

How to choose the right insurance

1. Identify your legal obligations

Start by checking whether your activity requires mandatory insurance. Your APE code and industry regulations will give you the answer.

2. Assess your real risks

Ask yourself the right questions:

• Do you receive clients at your premises?
• Do you handle expensive or fragile equipment?
• Could your errors cause significant financial harm?
• Do you have dependants to support?

3. Compare coverage, not just prices

Key points to compare:

• Indemnity limits: make sure they cover your actual risk exposure
• Deductibles: the amount you must pay out of pocket per claim
• Coverage exclusions: read carefully what is NOT covered
• Waiting periods: the period before coverage takes effect
• Geographic coverage: metropolitan France, overseas territories, international

4. Get multiple quotes

Compare at least 3 quotes from different insurers. Price differences can be threefold for equivalent coverage.

Use our comparison tool to find the best offers tailored to micro-entrepreneurs.

Mandatory mentions on your documents

If you are subject to mandatory insurance (regulated RC Pro or decennial), you must include on all your quotes and invoices:

• The name and contact details of your insurer
• Your insurance policy number
• The geographic coverage of your contract

Failure to include these mentions is punishable by a fine of up to €1,500.

To learn everything about setting up your business and administrative procedures, see our guide on creating a micro-enterprise.

FAQ

Is RC Pro mandatory for all micro-entrepreneurs?

No, RC Pro is only mandatory for certain regulated professions (construction, healthcare, financial consulting, real estate, transport). For other activities, it is strongly recommended but not legally required.

Can you work in construction without decennial insurance?

No, it is prohibited by law. Working without decennial insurance is a criminal offence punishable by a €75,000 fine and 6 months of imprisonment. Furthermore, in the event of a claim, you would have to compensate for damages from your own funds.

Are micro-entrepreneurs entitled to daily sick pay allowances?

Yes, but only after 1 year of affiliation with the Social Security for the Self-Employed and subject to minimum income conditions. The amount is low, which is why supplementary income protection insurance is so important.

How much does full insurance coverage cost for a micro-enterprise?

Excluding construction, expect between €600 and €2,500 per year for comprehensive coverage (RC Pro + multi-risk + health + income protection). For construction, decennial insurance adds €1,500 to €5,000 on top.

Are insurance contributions tax-deductible for micro-enterprises?

No, under the micro-fiscal regime, you benefit from a flat-rate deduction on your turnover. You cannot deduct your actual expenses, including insurance. Contributions are only deductible if you opt for the real tax regime (régime réel).