Hamon law insurance cancellation: the clear guide (2026)

The Hamon law turned insurance cancellation into a simple, hassle-free process, provided one rule is met: the age of the contract. In many cases, gone is the obligation to wait for the anniversary date or to justify a reason. Here is how this scheme, also called intra-year cancellation, works in concrete terms.

What the Hamon law changes

Before, cancelling a contract mid-year was an obstacle course: you had to observe a notice period before the annual renewal, or invoke a specific reason. The Hamon law introduces an intra-year cancellation: once the contract is more than twelve months old, you can end it at any time, with no reason to give, no penalty and free of charge. The policyholder is back in control.

The contracts concerned

The scheme does not cover all insurance. It applies to contracts taken out by individuals for non-professional use:

• car insurance (and two-wheelers);
• home insurance (comprehensive);
• affinity contracts, that is, insurance linked to a purchase (phone, household appliances, etc.).

Note: complementary health policies have their own intra-year cancellation mechanism, from the law of 14 July 2019, with similar rules but a distinct legal basis.

The key condition: twelve months of age

This is the only real prerequisite. The contract must be more than one year old. The pivot date is calculated simply: if your contract started on 15 March 2024, you become eligible for intra-year cancellation from 16 March 2025. From that date, no reason or penalty can be held against you. Before this point, only cancellation for a legitimate reason (moving house, change of circumstances, retirement, etc.) or at the annual renewal remains possible.

Timeframes and refund

Once your request is sent, cancellation takes effect one month after its receipt by the insurer. This one-month period ensures an orderly transition, particularly useful for mandatory insurance. The insurer must then refund the share of premium corresponding to the uncovered period (the overpayment), in principle within 30 days. You therefore only pay for the cover actually used.

The Hamon law and mandatory insurance

For car insurance, which is mandatory, the law provides a safeguard against gaps in cover: when you change insurer, the new insurer can handle the cancellation of the old contract and synchronise the dates, to avoid any gap in cover. The principle is the same for two-wheelers: before switching, compare the offers, for example through our file on the best motorbike insurance, and check that the new contract takes over before the previous one stops.

How to benefit from it in practice

The process is straightforward: first check that your contract is indeed more than one year old, choose a replacement contract at equivalent cover, then notify the cancellation (through the online “3 clicks” feature when the contract could be taken out on the internet, or by another means provided). Always keep proof of your request. To weigh up the offers before deciding, rely on our insurance comparisons.

The Hamon law makes switching insurance simple, but the terms and exclusions depend on each contract: check your general terms and, for mandatory insurance, ensure continuity of your cover.