Health insurance: at 16 or 18, what steps?

Until you turn 16, you are attached to one or both of your parents. They insure your load and your health expenses are reimbursed to them. They say that the child is entitled to the parents.

From the age of 16, you can order your Vitale card. The primary health insurance fund (CPAM) sends you a form to obtain it.

At 16, remain attached to a parent or become a self-governing rights holder?

At age 16, you can also apply to cover your health costs as an individual. You can detach yourself from your parents and become an independent rights holder. You can then:

• receive your refund of fees directly into your own bank account;
• receive your refund statements;
• have your own Ameli account.

The request is made by mail, to the address of the primary health insurance fund affiliated to your parents.

At age 18, apply for personal expenses

The status of entitled person shall end by majority. You must then provide your primary health insurance fund a claim form for health expenses.

You can also create your Ameli account. It will allow you to:

• Check your refunds.
• upload a Letter of Rights;
• order a new Vital Card in case of loss or theft;
• order a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

You can find all the steps relating to the attachment of a rightholder on the dedicated information sheet of Service-Public.fr.