Landlord insurance in France: the PNO policy explained

France splits rental-property insurance in a way that surprises foreign landlords: the tenant carries the main policy. By law, tenants of unfurnished homes must insure the dwelling against fire, water damage and explosion, and hand you an attestation every year. That does not make your own cover optional — it just changes what it is for.

The PNO policy: what it is and why it is often mandatory

The landlord’s product is the assurance propriétaire non occupant (PNO — « non-occupying owner »). Since the 2014 ALUR law, it is legally required for any owner of a lot in a co-owned building (copropriété), which covers most French flats: you must at least carry liability for damage your property causes to the building, neighbours and third parties. Beyond the legal minimum, a decent PNO covers the dwelling itself when the tenant’s policy does not respond: vacancy between tenants, a leak starting in your pipes rather than the tenant’s negligence, a defect of the building, or a tenant who — despite the law — turns out to be uninsured. At roughly €8–25 per month for a typical flat, it is one of the cheapest policies in the French market relative to the risk it absorbs. Our French page on the assurance propriétaire non occupant goes deeper.

Unpaid rent: a separate insurance

The PNO does not cover unpaid rent. That is the job of GLI (garantie loyers impayés), a distinct policy costing roughly 2 to 4 % of the annual rent, which reimburses arrears, legal proceedings and often tenant damage. The catch: insurers only accept tenants who pass solvency criteria — typically rent at or under about a third of documented income on a stable contract — checked before signing the lease, and a GLI cannot be combined with a personal guarantor except for students and apprentices. Details on the French page assurance loyers impayés.

Furnished, seasonal, non-resident: pick the right frame

Furnished long-term rentals follow the same logic (the tenant’s insurance obligation applies there too since 2014). Short holiday lets are a different regime — the guest is not a tenant with an insurance duty, so the owner’s policy must be built for location saisonnière. And if you own from abroad, the PNO combines naturally with the constraints described in our guides on holiday homes and French home insurance generally: unoccupancy clauses, declared key-holders, SEPA payment from foreign accounts.

What to check before signing

Four lines decide the quality of a PNO: liability limits (the building-fire scenario is the one that matters); whether vacancy periods are covered without time limit; cover for tenant-caused damage the tenant’s insurer refuses; and legal-defence cover for disputes with tenants or the copropriété. Collect the tenant’s insurance attestation at every renewal — a formality French landlords themselves routinely forget, and the first thing an insurer asks for after a claim.

More expat guides: Business insurance in France: what is mandatory, what is wise · Tenant insurance in France: the policy your landlord will demand · Buying and insuring a car in France: the expat’s checklist · Motorhome and caravan insurance in France: the touring owner’s guide · all guides.