Insuring a mortgage: what are the death, disability, incapacity guarantee?

Verified 16 October 2026 - Public Service / (Prime Minister)

Guarantees for death, total and irreversible loss of autonomy, permanent invalidity, temporary incapacity for work make up the insurance borrower of a mortgage. This insurance covers the repayment of the mortgage in the event of the death of the borrower, loss of autonomy, permanent invalidity or temporary incapacity for work. The insurance contract defines the conditions for this coverage. We present you the information to know.

The death guarantee is always present in a borrower's insurance contract.

It occurs when your death occurs before an age limit.

The insurance pays the organization that granted you the loan the remaining principal due on the day of your death, according to the amount insured.

The insurance contract may provide for:

One waiting period
Of of warranty exclusions, i.e. situations where compensation is excluded. For example, in the case of a dangerous sport.

FYI

Death by suicide is only covered from the 2nd^e year of insurance contract. But, in case of contract group insurance, death by suicide shall be covered as soon as the contract is signed and for an amount which may not be less than €120,000, provided that the loan finances your principal residence.

The guarantee total or irreversible loss of autonomy (PTIA) intervenes when you are in the following situation:

Total and definitive inability to have any professional activity
And absolute and presumed definitive obligation to use the help of another person to wash, dress, move and eat.

Your insurance policy may have the following characteristics:

It covers the risk of PTIA up to an age limit, or for the duration of the loan.
The amount of compensation paid to you depends on your loss of income or monthly payment of your loan.
Often, to be compensated by your insurance contract, you must receive a disability pension from the Social Security.

Total Permanent Disability (TPD)

The guarantee total permanent disability (TPD) relates to incapacity permanent to resume your professional activity or any professional activity, following an accident or illness, and after consolidation your state of health.

The insurance contract shall set the rate at which the incapacity is to be regarded as total.

The compensation comes after a doctor, appointed by the insurer, has assessed your disability rate according to the medical scale mentioned in the insurance contract.

Your insurance policy may have the following characteristics:

The IPT guarantee is valid when you are unfit to have any professional activity, or only the professional activity that you had at the time of the accident or the occurrence of the disease
The warranty only applies until a certain age
The amount of compensation paid to you depends on your loss of income, or monthly payment of your loan
The allowance is paid from 1^er TPI day, or after a delay of deductible
Compensation is, or not, excluded in the event of illness due to alcohol or drug consumption, dangerous sports, voluntary injuries...

Partial Permanent Disability (PPI)

The guarantee partial permanent disability (PPI) relates to incapacity permanent to resume your professional activity or any professional activity, following an accident or illness, and after consolidation your state of health.

The insurance contract shall set the rate at which invalidity is to be regarded as partial.

The compensation comes after a doctor, appointed by the insurer, has assessed your disability rate, according to the medical scale mentioned in the insurance contract.

FYI

The PPI guarantee cannot be subscribed only in addition to an IPT guarantee. It is not offered by all insurance contracts.

Your insurance policy may have the following characteristics:

The PPI guarantee is valid when you are unfit to have any professional activity, or only the professional activity that you had at the time of the accident or the occurrence of the disease
The warranty only applies until a certain age
The amount of compensation paid to you depends on your loss of income, or monthly payment of your loan
The allowance is paid from 1^er day of permanent invalidity, or after a deductible
Compensation is, or not, excluded in the event of illness due to alcohol or drug consumption, dangerous sports, risky trades, voluntary injuries...

The guarantee temporary incapacity for work relates to incapacity temporary to engage in a professional activity as a result of an accident or illness giving rise to a stoppage of work. The incapacity must be total.

Depending on your contract, this may include inability to exercise:

Or any professional activity
The activity carried out at the time of the accident or the occurrence of the disease.

Please note

If you resume a professional activity, even partial, the insurance ceases to compensate you, unless a clause of the insurance contract provides for coverage in the case of a therapeutic half-time.

In general, the insurance contract provides for an age limit, and deductible during which no compensation is paid.

Warning

Often, the contract includes exclusions (for example, intentional injury of the insured, risky occupation, dangerous sports, illness caused by alcohol or drug use).

The insurance covers the reimbursement of monthly payments loan in accordance with the rules laid down in the contract. The compensation paid depends either on the amount insured or on the loss of income.