Panorama of the French Insurance Industry

Insurance in France collects more than €200 billion of premiums each year and has a portfolio of investments of nearly €2 300 billion, equivalent to 103% of the GDP. These statistics reflect the peculiarity of this industry, which has a particularly high economic and social weight, as it accompanies all French, households and companies, at all stages of life or development. Indeed, insurance protects the French and their property (car, dwelling, etc) against all natures of risk. It also protects assets and activity of companies, more and more of a cyberattack’s consequences. It finances the economy massively, in part because of the life insurance success. Companies (59%) are the largest recipient in insurers’ investment portfolio, ahead of the States (33%). Bonds (71%) are the largest assets in insurers’ investment portfolio, ahead of the shares (17%). Lastly, French insurance is slowly internationalizing, with slightly higher revenues abroad, as well as sales by foreign insurers in France, a sign of a mature French insurance market.