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The government says there will be no increase in mutuelle premiums but consultants Mercer Conseil estimate the rise could be as high as 8.9%.

Insurance is not magic. If claims payments go up, premiums increase. Insurance firms have to make profit.

This begs the question: Is it not better to be your own insurer for recurring costs? If you must change glasses every two years and it costs, say €500, your insurer will ask for a premium from you to cover this plus overheads and profit. You may pay €600 for your glasses.

Better to put €20 into your piggy bank every month!

The problem is health insurance falls somewhere between two types of insurance: Life insurance, an inevitable pay-out upon death – and non-life insurance where the principle is that indemnification follows a sudden unforeseen event.

Geoffrey Auckland, Blois