Private Supplementary Health Insurance: Retirees' Demand

In France, about 90 per cent of the population is covered by private health insurance that supplements public health insurance. More than half of policyholders obtain their coverage through their employer. Considering the financial benefits associated with group contracts compared to individual contracts, we assume that switching behaviours vary among different beneficiaries during the transition to retirement. The gap in premiums at retirement between group and individual contracts gives the opportunity to study the marginal price effect on switching behaviours. In this study, we consider the nature of the contract prior to retirement (compulsory or voluntary membership group contract and individual contract) as an indirect measure of the price effect. We show the significance of this price effect as policyholders formerly enrolled in group contracts switch much more frequently than those formerly covered by an individual contract. We also discuss other determinants of the decision to switch private supplementary health insurance.