The law in France requires that all Builders and Building Supervisors musthave Insurance covering themselves and their employees for damage to property or possession on the worksite and potential injuries and death. Potential accident situations are frequent in the building industry and insurance needs to cover damage to your property, that may not have been forseen, and bodily injuries or death that has been caused as a result of any work on the worksite or building site. In addition all Building Contractors should hold Public Liability Insurance to cover any damage or injuries caused to the general public, including potential compensation and often legal expenses that may arise or be incurred by the other party(s) in the event of a claim. The amount covered by Public Liability Insurance is a matter for the Building company and will be subject to regional variations but should give consideration to the worst case scenario (e.g. for small building companies in the Charente the norm may generally be around 2-3 million euros).
Never be afraid to ask a potential Builder to show proof of Public Liability Insurance before you award them your contract. They should also be happy to display proof of their insurance on their advertising literature.