Is dommages-ouvrage insurance compulsory in France?

Yes. Under Article L.242-1 of the Code des assurances, the owner, developer or agent must take it out before the site opens. An individual building their own or family home is exempt from the criminal penalty only.

Do I need dommages-ouvrage if I build my own house in France?

As a self-builder for your own or family use, you are exempt from the €75 000 fine and six months' imprisonment. It is still advised: without it, selling within ten years is harder and you carry the defect risk.

How long does dommages-ouvrage last?

It mirrors the garantie décennale: cover runs ten years from acceptance of the works (réception). It starts after the one-year perfect-completion guarantee (garantie de parfait achèvement), giving about nine years of cover.

What is the difference between dommages-ouvrage and garantie décennale?

Garantie décennale is the builder's ten-year liability under Article 1792 of the Code civil. Dommages-ouvrage is the owner's policy: it pre-finances repairs first, then recovers from the builder's insurer.

Does dommages-ouvrage transfer when I buy a French property?

Yes. If cover was taken out, it follows the building, and after a sale the buyer becomes the beneficiary. Ask your notaire for the certificate (attestation) before signing a property under ten years old.

Can I cancel, and what if a dispute is not resolved?

For a distance sale you have a 14-day right of withdrawal from conclusion of the contract (Code des assurances L.112-2-1). If a complaint is unresolved after 60 days, you can refer it free to the Médiateur de l'Assurance (mediation-assurance.org).

Dommages-ouvrage (structural defects) insurance in France

DigiCare is an independent broker arranging dommages-ouvrage cover for English-speaking owners, self-builders and buyers in France, in English and euros.

Homeowner and architect reviewing building plans in front of a newly completed French home — DigiCare structural damage insurance

What is dommages-ouvrage insurance in France?

1978

Created by the Loi Spinetta (loi n°78-12, 4 January 1978)

legifrance.gouv.fr

L.242-1

Compulsory under the Code des assurances

service-public.fr F2032

Owner

Held by the project owner (maître d'ouvrage), not the builder

service-public.fr F2032

10 years

Runs from acceptance of the works (réception des travaux)

service-public.fr F2032

Dommages-ouvrage vs garantie décennale: what's the difference?

Two sides of the same 1978 regime. Garantie décennale is the builder's ten-year liability; dommages-ouvrage is held by you, the owner, and pays for repairs first, then recovers from the builder's insurer.

Dimension	Dommages-ouvrage (owner)	Garantie décennale (builder)
Who holds it	The owner (maître d'ouvrage)	The builder (constructeur)
When it is taken out	Before the site opens	Before the builder starts work
What it does	Pre-finances repairs, then recovers from the builder's insurer	Holds the builder liable for serious defects
Legal basis	Code des assurances L.242-1	Code civil art. 1792
Duration	Ten years from acceptance of the works	Ten years from acceptance of the works

Sources: legifrance.gouv.fr art. 1792 & L.242-1; service-public.fr F2032

Is dommages-ouvrage insurance mandatory? Who needs it?

Yes. It is compulsory under Article L.242-1 of the Code des assurances, taken out before the site opens (avant l'ouverture du chantier). The obligation falls on the owner (maître d'ouvrage), seller or agent.

Compulsory before the site opens

Any owner, seller or agent having construction, extension or major-renovation work done must hold it before the chantier opens. An SCI letting for profit is not exempt; on an off-plan sale the developer (promoteur) holds it (Article L.242-2).

Code des assurances L.242-1

Self-build exemption (penal only)

An individual building a home for themselves or a family member is exempt from the criminal penalty.

Penalty

Skipping compulsory dommages-ouvrage is punishable by up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to €75 000 (Article L.243-3). It does not apply to a self-builder of their own or family home.

Sources: service-public.fr F2032; legifrance.gouv.fr L.242-1 / L.243-3

How much does dommages-ouvrage insurance cost in France?

Updated: June 2026

The owner's premium is a percentage of the works, not a flat fee. As a 2026 guide, expect roughly 1.5%–3% of the total construction cost, paid once before the site opens (some widen this to 1%–5%). For €200 000 of works, that is of the order of €3 000–€6 000.

Value and nature of the works

A larger or more technical build raises the premium.

Project type

New build, extension or major renovation price differently.

Builder and claims history

The builders' record and your claims record both count.

Insurer and market

Every quote is bespoke; no government tariff exists.

Get a free EUR quote

Estimate: aggregated French market data; no official tariff exists

When and how to take out dommages-ouvrage cover

1
Arrange cover before the site opens
It cannot be taken out retroactively. Sort it before the chantier opens.
2
Gather your project documents
Have the building permit (permis de construire), plans and your builders' garantie décennale certificates.
3
Compare through an independent broker
Check the excess, exclusions and indexation clause. A broker compares the market, not one carrier.
4
Keep the certificate for resale
Store the attestation d'assurance (insurance certificate); you pass it to a buyer if you sell within ten years.
5
Use the backstop if cover is refused
If no insurer will quote, a backstop body, the Bureau Central de Tarification (BCT), can be asked to set the terms of cover.

Buying or selling property less than ten years old: why dommages-ouvrage matters at the notaire

When you buy a French property under ten years old, any dommages-ouvrage cover follows the building, and after the sale you become the beneficiary who brings any claim. Ask your notaire (French conveyancing solicitor) for the certificate (attestation) before signing the acte de vente.

Ask the notaire for the certificate

Request the attestation before signing; the simplest check that defects are still covered.

Cover transfers to you

It follows the building, not the seller; you bring any claim within the ten-year window.

Mind the gap if it is missing

If cover was never taken out, a seller who built without it can be held personally liable to you within ten years.

Buying off-plan (VEFA, vente en l'état futur d'achèvement)? The developer holds the cover (Article L.242-2); you take delivery as a beneficiary.

Source: service-public.fr F2032 (purchaser as beneficiary)

What dommages-ouvrage does and doesn't cover

Dommages-ouvrage covers serious defects threatening the building's solidity or making it unfit to live in. It is not a home-insurance substitute, and excludes first-year snagging, which sits with the builder's perfect-completion guarantee (garantie de parfait achèvement). A claim has no excess.

Couvert / Covered

Major cracks threatening solidity — Defects that compromise the structure
Roof or wall collapse — Structural failure of the building
Water infiltration — Through the facade, roof or embedded pipework
Floor subsidence — Ground movement affecting the structure
Defective inseparable equipment — Built-in items counting as part of the structure

Non couvert / Not covered

Cosmetic or minor defects — Not of a structural nature
Normal wear and lack of maintenance — Upkeep is the owner's responsibility
Force majeure — Exceptional events outside the build
Fire and natural-disaster damage — Sits with home and catastrophe-naturelle cover
Year-one snagging defects — Covered by the builder's garantie de parfait achèvement

Source: service-public.fr F2032

How to claim, and the penalty for having no cover

1
Open the claim by registered letter (LRAR)
Send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt (LRAR) to the insurer describing the defect.
2
The insurer has 60 days to decide
The insurer has 60 days to assess the damage and notify whether cover applies.
3
An offer follows within 90 days
If cover applies, an offer comes within 90 days (15 days if the loss is under €1 800).
4
Payment within 15 days
Once you accept, payment follows within 15 days. If you dispute it, you can demand an advance of at least three-quarters. A claim has no excess (aucune franchise).

Penalty for no cover

Skipping compulsory dommages-ouvrage is punishable by up to six months' imprisonment and a fine of up to €75 000.

Does not apply to an individual building their own or family home.

Code des assurances L.243-3

Get covered in English: request a dommages-ouvrage quote

DigiCare is an independent broker. We give you a free diagnostic and an English-language quote in euros across the French market, before the chantier opens.

Get my free English-language quote

Independent English-speaking broker, ACPR-supervised market, euro quotes.

DigiCare, registered insurance broker, ORIAS no. (pending) (verifiable on orias.fr), RCS (pending), registered office in France. Insurance distribution supervised by the ACPR, Banque de France (Code des assurances art. L. 511-1).

Chapter VI

Dommages-ouvrage FAQ (France)

Is dommages-ouvrage insurance compulsory in France?: Yes. Under Article L.242-1 of the Code des assurances, the owner, developer or agent must take it out before the site opens. An individual building their own or family home is exempt from the criminal penalty only.
Do I need dommages-ouvrage if I build my own house in France?: As a self-builder for your own or family use, you are exempt from the €75 000 fine and six months' imprisonment. It is still advised: without it, selling within ten years is harder and you carry the defect risk.
How long does dommages-ouvrage last?: It mirrors the garantie décennale: cover runs ten years from acceptance of the works (réception). It starts after the one-year perfect-completion guarantee (garantie de parfait achèvement), giving about nine years of cover.

What is the difference between dommages-ouvrage and garantie décennale?: Garantie décennale is the builder's ten-year liability under Article 1792 of the Code civil. Dommages-ouvrage is the owner's policy: it pre-finances repairs first, then recovers from the builder's insurer.
Does dommages-ouvrage transfer when I buy a French property?: Yes. If cover was taken out, it follows the building, and after a sale the buyer becomes the beneficiary. Ask your notaire for the certificate (attestation) before signing a property under ten years old.
Can I cancel, and what if a dispute is not resolved?: For a distance sale you have a 14-day right of withdrawal from conclusion of the contract (Code des assurances L.112-2-1). If a complaint is unresolved after 60 days, you can refer it free to the Médiateur de l'Assurance (mediation-assurance.org).