The Senate votes for new borrower insurance contracts without "medical screening"

As part of the first reading examination of the draft budget for 2022, the High Assembly adopted an amendment to this effect by LR chairwoman of the Social Affairs Committee Catherine Deroche.

These "inclusive" contracts could be taken out as a guarantee for a professional loan or for the acquisition of a main residence. They would be accessible without "medical selection" and would benefit from a tax advantage with a reduced rate of tax on insurance agreements.

"Many loan applicants are subject to refusals, exclusions of guarantees and very significant surcharges for health reasons", underlined Laure Darcos (LR).

The amendment was adopted against the advice of the government. But the Minister in charge of Public Accounts Olivier Dussopt indicated that the government "supports" the bill of the deputy Patricia Lemoine (Agir ensemble) which will be examined Thursday in the National Assembly.

This bill "for fairer, simpler and more transparent access to the loan insurance market", already adopted in committee by the deputies, "is in line with this and will certainly allow us to move forward in the process. good direction, ”the minister said.

"It is an incredible injustice in our country that discrimination on grounds of health persists," said Emmanuel Capus (Independents).

"It is a real issue of access to the law and to equality," said Rémi Féraud (PS) on the left.

The general rapporteur LR Jean-François Husson for his part considered that "there is work to be done with the profession (...) and in transparency with the associations".

Loan insurance covers various risks such as death, illness or disability, protecting both borrowers and banks against possible default.

But in the event of a serious problem or history of health, it can become very complicated, if not impossible, to insure and therefore to take out a mortgage.