Barthélémy Philippe, edited by Loane Nader // photo credit: Riccardo Milani / Hans Lucas / Hans Lucas via AFP 09:05, 01 June 2023

It's no secret that complementary health insurance is becoming more and more expensive for the French. According to the barometer of the Lelynx.fr comparator, the average cost of a mutual health insurance has amounted to 954 euros in 2022. This represents an increase of just over 8% or the equivalent of 75 euros compared to the previous year.

Complementary health insurance is becoming more and more expensive and the French feel it, although not everyone is impacted in the same way. Enough to wonder what criteria play a role in these price differences. Age obviously has something to do with it: it is young people who do best. 18-24 year olds spend an average of (only) 409 euros per year on their complementary health.

It is then that the bill gets tougher. The average cost of health insurance exceeds 1,000 euros per year from the age of 45 and it explodes among the over 64s, who spend nearly 1,500 euros each year. Adeline Fortesa, the commercial director at the Lynx also explains it by the care needs caused by old age. "The older you are, the more you need optics, dental... We can have hospitalizations. As a result, we will spend more. As everywhere in insurance, rates are in line with expenses, so the more expenses, the higher the rates."

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On average, men pay more than women

More surprisingly, men spend on average a hundred euros more than women for their mutual, because there are potentially more diseases in men. So there is a question of life expectancy, since women live later and healthier. As a result, the risk of spending is lower for women and rates are lower.

Finally, the place of life also plays on the final note. For example, people pay more for their health insurance in Paris than in Brittany. This is due to a higher consumption of care, and more frequent fee overruns, on the part of practitioners.