Natural disaster: a decree recognizes some municipalities and rejects other requests

The Ministry of the Interior published in the Official Journal of the French Republic on September 22, 2026, the decree of September 11, 2026, recognizing the state of natural disaster, referenced NOR INTE2623922A. The text sets out in Annex I the list of recognized municipalities and in Annex II the list of municipalities whose requests were rejected, for floods and mudslides, flooding due to groundwater rise, landslides, cyclonic winds, and differential ground movements resulting from drought and soil rehydration. This finding opens or closes the right to insurance coverage for policyholders and determines the adjustment of the deductible.

A framework established by the Insurance Code

The decree is issued in application of the Insurance Code. Each line of the annexes specifies the department, the municipality, the natural phenomenon, the start and end dates of the recognition period, the number of recognitions that occurred over the last five years excluding PPRN, and the grounds for the decision.

For drought, abnormal intensity is assessed according to the geotechnical and meteorological criteria detailed in circular no. IOME2322937C of April 29, 2024: the presence of sensitive clays over more than 3% of the municipal territory and a soil moisture index presenting a return period of more than 10 years, or an abnormal succession of episodes, or an abnormal situation in a neighboring municipality. Most recognitions for this phenomenon cover the period from January 1 to December 31, 2025.

Annex I: recognized municipalities

• Aisne: Attilly, Versigny (drought 2025).
• Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Moriez, Uvernet-Fours (floods and mudslides, June and August 2026).
• Alpes-Maritimes: Auribeau-sur-Siagne, Isola, Rigaud.
• Ariège: Bélesta, Foix, Nalzen.
• Tarn: Fiac, Puybegon (flooding due to groundwater rise, February 2026).
• Seine-Saint-Denis: Coubron, Tremblay-en-France (August 27 and 28, 2026).
• Val-d’Oise: Argenteuil, Boissy-l’Aillerie, Presles.
• Indre-et-Loire: Athée-sur-Cher, Chinon, Courçay, Fondettes.

The grounds cited include, notably, cumulative precipitation with a return period of more than 10 years, landslides of natural origin with abnormal intensity, or a rise in groundwater of natural origin with abnormal hydrogeological characteristics.

Annex II: rejected requests

• Finistère: Guimaëc, Plouezoc’h (cyclonic winds of June 25, 2026), as the phenomenon was not associated with a tropical cyclonic event and wind speeds remained below 145 km/h for 10-minute average wind and 215 km/h for instantaneous wind, the thresholds set by Article L. 122-7 of the Insurance Code.
• Ardennes: Charleville-Mézières (groundwater rise), as the damage was not caused by this phenomenon.
• Ain: Foissiat; Alpes-de-Haute-Provence: Châteauneuf-Val-Saint-Donat, Pierrevert, Volonne.
• Hautes-Alpes: Ceillac, Rosans; Alpes-Maritimes: Grasse.
• Gard: Nîmes, Bagnols-sur-Cèze; Eure-et-Loir: Lucé, Saint-Maur-sur-le-Loir, La Chapelle-Forainvilliers.
• Val-de-Marne: Ormesson-sur-Marne, Santeny, Villejuif; Val-d’Oise: Saint-Leu-la-Forêt; Martinique: Le Marigot.

The most frequent reason is the failure to meet the meteorological criterion, with the soil moisture index showing a return period of less than 10 years. Other rejections are due to poor characterization of the phenomenon, predominant anthropogenic factors, or non-abnormal intensity. No municipality is recognized under the category of cyclonic winds.

Appeals, deductibles, and access to documents

The deductible is adjusted according to the number of findings issued for the same risk during the five years preceding the signature, in application of Articles L. 125-2 and D. 125-5-9 of the Insurance Code; this number appears in Annex I and includes the present finding.

Municipalities that requested recognition may contest the decision before the administrative court within two months from the notification by the State representative; other interested parties have two months from the date of publication. Expert reports are available from the decentralized state service, and municipalities that submitted their request electronically can access them via the iCatNat application.

Scope

For the victims in the municipalities listed in Annex I, the decree constitutes the starting point for the claim declaration to their insurer, under the conditions provided for in the contract; for those in Annex II, it closes the path to compensation under the natural disaster guarantee for the requested phenomenon and period, subject to an appeal or a new request on another basis.

Source: Official Journal of the French Republic No. 0221 of September 22, 2026, decree of September 11, 2026, recognizing the state of natural disaster, NOR INTE2623922A.