BPCE Assurances Barometer survey: living environments, health, savings, retirement, etc.

A French population characterized by cautiousness and measured aspirations

2025 got off to a shaky start in an unsettled national and international environment. In France, the economic situation and the ongoing debate about the future of retirement benefits have rekindled political tensions that had already been running high since the dissolution of the French National Assembly in 2024. In the international arena, the upending of decades-old conventions is shaking the balance of power and the perspectives of public opinion. After the hiatus of the Olympic games, will 2025 be an opportunity for the French to take a fresh look at their life aspirations and opinions?

A tempered desire for change

The desire for change has fallen slightly (now standing at 81%, down 4 percentage points). This shift masks a number of underlying disparities: while 52% of French people want to change “little in their lives” (up 4 percentage points), 20% of them want profound change (down 8 points), thereby giving expression to a probably more nuanced opinion, as underlined by the 5-point increase in the number of French people not wishing to change anything in their lives at all (15%). This desire for change is more pronounced among 35-39 year olds and members of the executive class (89%), people living in the Paris metropolitan area (86%) and university graduates (87%).

81% of French people express their desire for change (down 4 percentage points)

The priority ranking of these wished-for changes remains stable: the desire to devote more time to leisure activities still comes first (41%) although its overall score has experienced a sharp decline (-9 points). All the other indicators reveal a certain stability (+/- 3 points). Notably, in the hectic world in which we live, more than a third of French people (32%) want to slow down their pace of life still further and take more time for themselves. Where they live also remains a key aspect of their desired changes: 36% of French people want to change their accommodation (-1 point), while the desire to move to another city or another country is increasing (27%, +3 points and 12%, +2 points respectively).

Despite their aspiration to change their living environment, the fact of actually moving remains a project fraught with complexity: less than 40% of French people express a concrete desire to move in the next three years, a slight drop that can be explained by a decline in large-scale changes in the place of residence: those involving a change of city or geographical region (-3 points) or even moving to a different country (-3 points). But the logical consequence of all this is that among French people who do effectively want to move, we note a significant increase in the likelihood of their taking action (81%, +13 points).

Confidence in healthcare: contrasting trends

In 2025, the French continued to place their trust primarily in mutual insurance companies and supplementary health insurance, despite a 10-point decline compared to last year. The trust placed in the public authorities has stabilized after the downward trend observed in recent years: one out of two French people believes that the authorities provide the most effective protection against health problems. This figure is confirmed when it comes to identifying who to rely on in the event of health issues: 50% believe they should rely mainly on themselves (-7 points since 2024), while 43% say they can rely on the State and its services (+7 points), highlighting a major opposition between the lower income categories (34% trust the State) and the higher income categories (53%). The contrast between the individual and the public authorities remains a critical issue requiring close attention insofar as health remains a subject of concern for 56% of French people.

Savings: a low-risk approch

Savings strategies are dominated by caution with one out of two French people favoring a more low-risk, secure approach (+9 points, a sharp increase since 2024) vs. potential returns (28%, -6 points). The amounts allocated to savings remain stable overall: if 50% of French people plan to save no more and no less than before, a quarter are thinking about increasing their savings efforts.

As far as the reasons for saving are concerned, 39% of French people put money aside for a rainy day, showing a clear demarcation with other reasons for saving, such as holidays and leisure activities (13%) and investment in life insurance (4%).

The question of retirement benefits: concerns and expectations of the French

The future of retirement benefits is a cause for concern for 78% of French people, especially women (84% compared to 72% of men), the over-35s, and people belonging to less favored social categories (83%). With regard to the financing of the French pension system, 53% of the French are in favor of a “funded” model, whether paired or not with a “pay-as-you-go” system. It should be noted, however, that a third of French people prefer not to express an opinion on the subject. In addition to a focus on the pension funding system, the question of retirement savings is gaining considerable ground in people’s preoccupations: 56% of working people say they are putting money aside for their own retirement (+8 points compared to last year), a trend that is understandably more pronounced among the affluent socio-professional categories (69%) and people living in large urban areas. The ability to live comfortably (40% of the working population) and financial independence (32%) remain the two principal factors encouraging people to save more for retirement.

78% of French people say they are worried about the future of the pension system

A snapshot of the French today: concerns and vulnerabilities

In these early months of 2025, worries about the vagaries of life are also reflected in how people perceive societal issues: 53% of French people are worried about the cost of living and inflation, and almost half express fears related to insecurity and violence. The country’s political and social instability, access to healthcare, geopolitical tensions and climate change are also sources of concern for more than a third of the population. The question of being protected is the subject of mixed feelings: 49% of French people feel poorly protected, compared to 46% who feel well protected, with contrasts observed between geographical regions (North vs. Center-South) and a notable 10-point gap between those who feel “very well protected” (3%) and “very poorly protected” (13%). The main factors of vulnerability – which are very varied in nature – concern the economic and social situation of the country (62%), the international context (59%) and people’s individual situation, with a principle focus on physical health (51%).

The French and their future: concerns and fears

The conclusion is clear: only 12% of French people feel optimistic about the future while 84% look to the future with apprehension. In line with these findings, 47% of the people included in the survey consider that their personal situation will remain broadly unchanged in the long term, while more than a third expect it to deteriorate. More than seven out of ten French people consider that personal protection is an important issue, with even greater importance placed on dependency (77%), namely the loss of autonomy, which is even considered to be a priority issue in the eyes of 47% of French people.

The vagaries of life for the French, and their expectations in terms of insurance

To protect themselves against the vagaries of life, 48% of French people recommend individual solutions. More particularly, when it comes to their relationship with insurance, 76% consider that the priority mission of an insurer is to pay compensation in the event of a claim. The speed and efficiency of compensation is also the priority expectation of 49% of French people. Beyond compensation, 43% of French people also expect insurance companies to support their customers in risk prevention and management.

49% expect speedy and efficient compensation from an insurer