If anything happens to you, or you cause damage at the house you have rented, you are not covered by the home-owner's insurance. This can range from breaking a coffee-table to accidentally burning the house down.

It is a normal condition of renting in France that you have third party/personal liability insurance to cover these sorts of eventualities. This may also be referred to by its French name, assurance villegiature.

The owner's insurance covers eventualities like damage caused by river flooding or faulty wiring, but not any accidental damage caused by you as a renter.

If you are a French resident, no problem, your home insurance covers you when you rent in France. But if you are not French-resident you need adequate personal liability insurance to rent a house. The rental contract you sign should ask for this.

How to get personal liability insurance for a one-off rental

Adar is an insurance specifically for short-term rentals in France, and it covers personal liability for damage to the property or its contents, as well as trip cancellation and interruption, all in one insurance policy.

No details about the house are needed, the cost of the policy is simply a set percentage of the total rental rate you are paying. You do need to take the insurance within 10 days of booking your accommodation.

You do need to take out this insurance within 10 days of booking a rental. You can do this online here.