"Real estate credit" column published by Le Monde - 06 avril 2023

Eva pour la vie , with the support of Grandir sans cancer , convinced the leading French credit insurer, CNP Assurances , with La Banque Postale to take charge of the monthly mortgage payments for these parents who have to stop working to look after their seriously ill child. But more than 90% of contracts are still not affected by this progress.

With 85 member or friend associations of Grandir sans cancer, and 185 deputies from Renaissance, LIOT, Horizons, La France Insoumise, PS, GDR, Ecologistes, LR and MODEM, we are TOGETHER making the same request to banks, mutual insurance companies and borrower insurance companies: that they ALL cover the monthly mortgage payments for these parents forced to stop their professional activity, in order to allow them to support their child without having to suffer major financial difficulties, bailiffs, evictions.

Thanks to all the associations and parliamentarians, with a special mention to Béatrice Descamps, Paul Christophe, François Ruffin, Karine Lebon, Arthur Delaporte, Sébastien Peytavie, Michel Herbillon, Anne Bergantz and Servane Hugues who invited their comrades to sign this platform in a non-partisan manner.


Full list of co-signatories:
https://www.grandirsanscancer.com/client/document/tribune-credit-immo-evapourlavie-gsc-signataires-032023_62.pdf


Text of the column broadcast on Le Monde:
https://www.lemonde.fr/idees/

For the coverage of monthly mortgage payments by borrower insurance for families of children affected by cancer, a serious illness, an accident in life

For the attention of insurance companies and banks that are members of France Assureurs, the National Federation of French Mutual Insurance and the French Banking Federation

Every year in France, around 10,000 families have to reduce or abruptly stop their professional activity to support their child affected by cancer, a serious illness or an accident.

If the State supports them by granting certain aids such as the AJPP (daily parental presence allowance) or the AEEH (disabled child education allowance), the cessation of their activity combined with the low amount of these aids generally leads to a significant drop in income, even though the expenses do not decrease or worse, they increase. Some charitable associations, often supported by volunteers, intervene on an ad hoc basis.

This is how financial difficulties appear in all levels of society, from single-parent or modest families to the middle classes, impacting the sick child but also the siblings.

Among these families, nearly 1/3 have a mortgage. This generally represents the household's primary source of expenditure. In 2021, the ACPR* estimated the average amount of mortgage loans over a 20-year period at 193,000 euros, with a monthly payment of around 1,000 euros. This burden continues to increase.

While insurance can cover monthly mortgage payments in the event of a serious illness or disability of the borrower, nothing is provided for when it is an equivalent situation for their child. And this is true even if they have no choice but to stop their professional activity to accompany their child who is faced with serious and anxiety-provoking medical procedures. Nothing is provided either for parents accompanying children at the end of their life, particularly in the case of pediatric cancer, a pathology that takes 500 children in France each year, the equivalent of 20 school classes.

Faced with this situation, the association Eva pour la vie and the Grandir Sans Cancer federation have raised awareness among public authorities and insurers. We welcome the action of CNP Assurances and La Banque Postale ** who have decided to take action by systematically including in their new contracts a "Family Assistance" guarantee without increasing contributions. It ensures that part of the monthly payments of their mortgage are covered. It benefits parents receiving AJPP benefits who have to stop working to support their child suffering from a serious illness, disability or accident.

This unprecedented decision in France and painless for the insurer demonstrates that economic performance and humanity can be reconciled. But 95% of real estate credit insurance contracts do not yet include this assistance, mainly due to lack of knowledge of the subject.

We, elected officials and representatives of associations, hope that all French insurers, mutual insurance companies and banks will commit to quickly integrating this simple and fair provision into their credit insurance contracts.

Together, the efforts made by the police, associations and, in the future, these companies will enable these families to support their children with dignity, whose first dream is to be able to live and grow up.

* Prudential Control and Resolution Authority
https://acpr.banque-france.fr/sites/default/files/medias/documents/20220712_as137_le_financement_de_l_habitat_en_2021.pdf

** CNP Assurances
https://www.cnp.fr/le-groupe-cnp-assurances/newsroom/communiques-de-presse/2023/cnp-assurances-lance-une-nouvelle-garantie-aide-a-la-famille-en-assurance-plomb-immobilier