Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

TECHNOLOGY

Why it’s now cheaper to call and text from France to EU countries

From Wednesday May 15th the cost of making a call from a landline or mobile phone and sending an SMS from France to another EU country will be capped.

Published: 15 May 2019 10:45 CEST

Why it's now cheaper to call and text from France to EU countries

Photo: Ariwasabi/Depositphotos

The four French mobile operators are required to drop their rates following a vote by the EU parliament back in November to cap the prices of calls and sending text messages from people in one member state to those in another.

From May 15th, a price cap will apply to all international calls and SMS messages within the EU.

“After abolishing roaming charges in 2017, the EU has now taken action against the excessive charges for cross-border calls that consumers make from their country,” said Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Digital Economy and Society.

READ ALSO:

Readers' tips: Which mobile phone provider is the best for foreigners living in rural France? Photo: AFP

So how much will prices be capped at?

From May 15th operators will no longer be able to bill a call from France to an EU country for more than 22.8 cents per minute and for an SMS, the price must not exceed 7.2 cents per message.

This represents a significant drop in prices compared to those applied by most of France's four operators, Free, Orange, Bouygues and SFR at the moment, according to French consumer group Que Choisir.

The European Commission used the example of a mother living in Italy who calls her daughter working in Belgium for an average of two hours a month.

Previously the call from the Italian landline would cost 0.89 euros per minute, which means she would spend about €105 a month on the calls. However with the new rules, she would pay a maximum of 0.23 euros (including VAT) per minute, which would mean a total cost of €27 euros for the same amount of time spent calling her daughter.

This represents a saving of €78 per month.

French mobile operators have introduced a system which means that consumers will automatically benefit from the new tariff as soon as it comes into effect on Wednesday.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

How to ensure your French property is insured for storm damage

In the wake of Storm Ciaran, thousands of property owners in France are preparing insurance claims – with initial estimates of the bill for damage between €370 million and €480 million.

Home insurance is compulsory in France, whether you own the property you live in or you rent – and it must include some level of storm damage cover.

Check also to see if your insurance provides cover in case of a declaration of a catastrophe naturelle.

The garantie tempête (storm guarantee) covers damage caused by violent winds. What constitutes a ‘violent wind’ varies from contract to contract, but there appears to be a widespread consensus of agreement on wind speeds over 100km/h.

In most insurance contracts, this covers damage caused by the storm and within the following 48 hours – so you’re covered if, for example, a tree weakened by the storm comes down within that period and damages your property.

Be aware that, while the storm guarantee automatically covers the main property, it generally only covers any secondary buildings and light constructions – such as a veranda, shed, solar panels, swimming pool or fence – if they are specifically mentioned in the contract.

The same is true of any cars damaged by debris. A basic insurance contract might not include storm damage, so it is always worth checking.

Damage must be reported to your insurer as quickly as possible. The deadline for making declarations is usually five days after any damage is noticed. This is especially important for second home owners, who may not be at the property when the damage occurs.

In some cases – such as in the aftermath of Storm Ciaran – insurers may extend the reporting period. But under normal circumstances, it’s five days after the damage has been discovered.

What happens next

To make a claim, the first thing to do is contact your insurer by phone or email. Your insurer will take you through the next steps, but usually you have to send in a declaration – which should include an estimate of any losses and for any repairs, with evidence where possible, such as photographs and any receipts for purchases.

Your insurer may also request proof of wind intensity, which can be provided for example by a nearby weather station.

The insurance company may appoint an expert to come and assess the damage, so make sure to keep damaged property safe until they arrive, as well as all invoices for any urgent repair work.

What if you’re a tenant?

If you rent your property, you must report any damage inside the accommodation to your insurer and also notify your landlord so that they can file their own claim.

In the case of a co-propriete, you must declare damage inside the accommodation to your insurer, while the trustee sends his own declaration to the collective insurance (which sometimes covers the private areas) .

How long does it take for claims to be settled?

Payment of the compensation provided for by the “storm guarantee” depends your home insurance contract. After the insurer has estimated the amount of damage, compensation is generally paid between 10 and 30 days following receipt of the insured’s agreement.

What if we got flooded?

In the case of flooding, you may have to wait for a natural disaster order to be issued.

Catastrophe naturelle

The ‘state of natural disaster’ is a special procedure that was set up in 1982 so victims of exceptional natural events, such as storms, heavy rain, mudslides and flooding, as well as drought, can be adequately compensated for damage to property.

The government evaluates each area and deems whether it qualifies for the status of catastrophe naturelle (natural disaster).

Essentially once a zone is declared a natural disaster, victims can claim from a pot of funds created by all insurers. If the zone is not declared a disaster, insurance companies are under no obligation to pay out.

Under a “state of natural disaster” residents are covered for all those goods and property that are directly damaged by the phenomenon, in this case storms.

It applies to residential or commercial buildings, furniture, vehicles and work equipment that are already covered by insurance policies.

Homes must be already covered by a multi-risk insurance policy for the status of natural disaster to count.

Url copied to clipboard!