France

AIDA-France

As part of AIDA World, the French Chapter AIDA-France was founded in 1960 by Professor André Besson, with the support of professional federations, such as the French Federation of Insurance Companies, the French Federation of Brokers, Associations of Risk Managers, etc.

Aims

The scientific aim of AIDA-France is the same as that of AIDA World; comparative insurance law studies, collaboration between national and continental chapters, organization of conferences and congresses at national, continental and international levels. 

Membership

AIDA-France is a legal entity: an association governed by the Law of 1901, which provides a high degree of flexibility to organize its structure and its activities.

Members are natural persons and legal entities as well. 

Individual members may have any occupation: in-house lawyers, academics, lawyers, judges, and even people who are not jurists. The only condition for membership is to be interested by Insurance Law matters. 

Legal entities can be Insurance and Reinsurance Companies, Intermediaries (brokers and agents), Large Risks companies and Consumers Associations.

Attention must also be focused on the recent development of an internal grouping of young members: Young AIDA-France, which is a part of AIDA-France, dedicated to members who are less than 40 years old. Within one year (2018), three hundred new members joined us.

The total number of members is around 600.

Main Activities 

Conferences

French Conferences

AIDA-France organizes annual full day Conferences and half day conferences according to the current news and event (new Law, new case-law, etc.). Attendance varies between 100 and 300 people. 

Speakers and attendees come from all kinds of professional communities. Besides presentations, an important place is always reserved for discussions, exchange of experience, knowledge and practices. 

As frequently as possible, works are published in a scientific journal, in particular the «Revue Générale de Droit des Assurances».

International Conferences

AIDA-France was responsible for hosting the 13th AIDA World Congress (May 2010). It has also organized Conferences on the occasion of meetings of the AIDA-World Presidential Council.

Legal watch

Since 2010, all French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation) decisions are published on the website of AIDA-France, with an abstract (between 300 and 500 decisions by year). This is a free service, open to everyone, and the only one of this kind in France.

Involvement in Arbitration Center: CEFAREA - ARIAS France

In 1995, AIDA-France decided to create an association dedicated to Arbitration and Mediation: CEFAREA, which became CEFAREA ARIAS-France, for joining the worldwide network «ARIAS» (AIDA Reinsurance and Insurance Arbitration Society).

This association has established Arbitration and Mediation Rules, with a list of agreed Arbitrators and Mediators. 

AIDA-France Prize

Since 1989, AIDA-France may award prizes to the author (student or professional) of a book or a thesis dedicated to insurance matters.

Governance

The General Assembly gathers all members (individual and legal entities). 

The Board (Bureau) is the executive committee, with the President of AIDA-France (Prof. André Besson: 1960-1984; Prof. Jean Bigot: 1984-2004; and currently, Prof. Jérôme Kullmann). Two vice-presidents represent the Insurance Companies and the French Supreme Court (Cour de cassation). 

Other Members of the Board are three professors (from Universities of Lyon, Marseille and Bordeaux); one representative of the French Risk Managers Association (AMRAE); two lawyers; three in-house lawyers (Life and Non-Life Insurance companies, and one broker); and one person from Young AIDA-France.