Blog
Practical articles for business leaders in road transport and construction insurance.
21 September 2026tr-adr
Since 24 June 2026, a harmonised EU checklist identifies which supply-chain actor - consignor, loader, carrier, or consignee - is liable for an ADR violation found during a roadside inspection. Transposed into French law in December 2025.
Read article14 September 2026btp-decennale
A construction insurance offer that looks official can still be fraudulent. This article explains, under French law, how to verify on the REGAFI and ORIAS registers whether an insurer or broker is genuinely authorised, following a 2026 FFB/ACPR fraud alert.
Read article7 September 2026tr-flotte
Under French law, a road fleet must be declared as TPM (transport public de marchandises, for-hire carriage) or TPPC (transport pour compte propre, own-account carriage). The status sets the licence required and the risk rated by the insurer; a false declaration can void the policy or reduce the indemnity, depending on intent (articles L. 113-8 and L. 113-9 of the Code des assurances).
Read article31 August 2026btp-soustraitance
Under French law, a construction subcontractor is not legally required to carry decennale insurance, since it has no direct contract with the project owner. Here is what that means for subcontractors and main contractors alike.
Read article29 August 2026btp-decennale
A cap on France's mandatory ten-year structural liability cover is assessed against the total cost of the whole construction project, not just the work package awarded to the insured contractor. The Cour de cassation confirmed on 2 July 2026 that if the cap is exceeded without a written extension of cover, the insurer owes nothing, even if the contractor's own package stays below the threshold.
Read article24 August 2026tr-flotte
After a claim, the insurer of a road haulage fleet cannot cancel the policy on just any grounds: French law tightly restricts this right, separately from the annual renewal cancellation, which requires no justification at all.
Read article22 August 2026btp-do
If a French dommages-ouvrage insurer refuses cover without an expert assessment or the required notice, is that left unpunished? No: the Cour de cassation confirmed on 28 May 2026 that only the sanctions of article L.242-1 of the French Insurance Code apply, never an ordinary breach-of-contract claim.
Read article17 August 2026btp-decennale
Under French law, building without garantie decennale (France's mandatory ten-year structural liability cover) is a criminal offence: up to six months' imprisonment and a 75,000 euro fine under article L.243-3. The obligation applies to builders and professional project owners alike; only owner-occupiers building their own home are exempt.
Read article14 August 2026tr-licence
From 1 July 2026, light commercial vehicles over 2.5 tonnes used internationally or in cabotage must carry a second-generation smart tachograph and fall under heavy-truck driving-time rules. This changes how a fleet insurer assesses the vehicle's risk.
Read article12 August 2026btp-decennale
When a French construction business is refused garantie décennale, it can file with the Bureau central de tarification (BCT), created by the 1978 loi Spinetta. The BCT sets the premium the designated insurer must charge (article L.243-4 du Code des assurances), provided the filing is made within 15 days of the refusal, with the correct documents.
Read article11 August 2026tr-marchandises
A road carrier never compensates the real value of lost cargo: French law caps liability at €20/kg domestically and the CMR Convention caps it at 8.33 SDR/kg internationally, unless a value was declared or the carrier committed a serious fault.
Read article11 August 2026btp-soustraitance
A valid *garantie décennale* certificate (France's mandatory ten-year structural liability cover for construction professionals) must state the insurer, contract number, validity period and covered scope of activity. A current-looking certificate is not enough if it does not cover the actual site start date.
Read articleQuestions about your transport or construction insurance program? Let’s talk.
