Many parents wonder if school insurance is really mandatory for their child.
If it is not, it is still necessary for the optional activities offered at the school.
Back to school coming soon. Notebooks, binders, pens, everything is ready. But what about school insurance? “Parents ask themselves many questions to know if it is a commitment to take it“, explains to TF1info Abdelkrim Mesbahi, president of the National Federation of Parents’ Councils (FCPE).
Nothing mandatory to register in a company
School insurance protects the child against damage caused (civil liability) or suffered (personal accident guarantee) during activities and the journey from home to school, college or high school. But as the Ministry of Economy’s website points out: “School insurance is, regardless of the student’s age or level of education, not legally required for compulsory school activities.”
This means that for all activities that take place during school hours, even if they are carried out outside the company, for example physical education in the swimming pool or the gymnasium, insurance is not MANDATORY.
“However, it is common for ill-informed teachers in charge of classes to insistently demand it.“, for its part recognizes the consumer association UFC-Que Choisir.”In the documents that we have to hand over to the administration, we are asked for proof of school insurance“, confirms Abdelkrim Mesbahi.
Mandatory for optional activities and the canteen
School insurance is therefore generally not mandatory. But in some cases it does. For all optional activities organized by the school, i.e. beyond the usual teaching hours, the child must be included in participation or must be excused. It can be a museum visit, a walk or a discovery lesson.
Another scenario is lunch. “If your child eats his meals in the canteen, he must also be insured“, explains the Ministry of Economy’s website.
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Although it is legally correct that school insurance is not required for compulsory activities, it is strongly recommended by the Ministry of Education. Given the diversification of school activities and extracurricular activities, it is sometimes difficult to clearly distinguish compulsory activities from those that are optional.
Beware of duplicates
Please note that these rules only apply to elementary schools. Private companies set their own rules for insurance. In addition, you must be aware of duplicates: Before taking out school insurance, it is relevant to check that the comprehensive house insurance or life accident guarantee does not already include this type of insurance.
