The CFE for Companies

Did you know that the Caisse des Français de l'Étranger (CFE) offers cover for companies, so that you can protect your employees during their expatriation anywhere in the world?

The CFE offers 3 plans for companies:

• Health insurance

• Pension insurance

• Occupational risk insurance

Here we will focus on the health insurance plan.

The cover the CFE offers your employees

1. Healthcare costs covered

Of course, the main benefit of joining the CFE is the reimbursement of your employees' healthcare costs. The CFE covers hospitalisation, routine care, maternity, vaccines, pharmacy and optical costs, preventive care and medical appliances such as orthopaedic insoles, ocular and facial prostheses and orthopaedic footwear.

The CFE reimburses your healthcare costs anywhere in the world, including in France during temporary stays of less than 6 months.

2. The reimbursement rate

The Caisse des Français de l'Étranger works in the same way as French social security (Sécurité sociale). In other words, the reimbursements are identical.

For example, French social security sets a reimbursement rate of 70% for GP consultations, on a reimbursement base of 26.50 euros.

This means that the CFE reimburses 18.55 euros for a GP consultation, whatever the consultation costs in the country of expatriation. So if your employee pays 100 euros for a consultation in Hong Kong, they will have to pay the remaining 81.45 euros out of their own pocket. That is why taking out a top-up is often recommended.

3. Keeping your rights

Joining the CFE also allows your employees to keep their social protection rights for the whole of their expatriation. As a result, when they return to France, they automatically rejoin French social security without a waiting period.

4. Disability cover

The CFE also offers disability cover. If an illness or a non-work-related accident leads to a prolonged inability to work, your employee will receive a monthly pension to make up for the loss of salary.

How much does it cost a company to join the CFE?

The contribution varies according to the company's annual resources and the number of expat employees. Here are the scales showing the annual contribution amounts.

CFE cover for dependants

Your employees' dependants can also be covered by the CFE. Dependants are children under 20 and spouses or partners (marriage, PACS civil partnership or cohabitation included).

When should you apply to the CFE?

As an employer, you can apply at any time. The employee's cover will start immediately if membership is taken out within 3 months of the start of the expatriation.

As the CFE's local representative, we make joining easier. You can join directly through Alea, which gives you our personal support throughout the process.

To join the CFE, simply contact us at hello@alea.care!

Did you know? Alea is the advisor for French expats in Hong Kong. As the CFE's exclusive representative for Hong Kong, China, Taiwan and Singapore, Alea has unique expertise in every CFE plan and in the plans French insurers such as April, Henner, MSH and Assur-Travel offer alongside the CFE. We work with more than 25 international partners, such as AXA, Bupa and Cigna, to find you the best option!