GLI or VISALE: which to choose?

VISALE is free but limited to eligible tenants; GLI is paid but broader (damage, costs) and open to more solvent profiles. The choice depends on the tenant’s application.

Can I combine GLI and a guarantor?

No, as a rule combining a GLI with a cautionnement (guarantor) is prohibited, except where the tenant is a student or apprentice.

Is GLI tax-deductible?

Yes, the GLI premium is deductible from property income under the actual regime, as a landlord management cost and expense.

Unpaid-rent insurance (GLI): cover, conditions and cost

Updated on July 6, 2026 · 6 min read

To guard against unpaid rent, a landlord can take out a garantie loyers impayés (GLI, rent-default insurance). It covers unpaid rent and often damage and legal costs too. It follows strict tenant-selection conditions and sits alongside alternatives such as a guarantor or VISALE.

What GLI covers

Rent-default insurance compensates the landlord when the tenant stops paying. Depending on the policy, it covers:

unpaid rent and charges, often with no excess and no strict duration cap;
rental damage beyond the security deposit;
litigation and procedure costs (commissaire de justice — judicial officer, lawyer);
rental vacancy under some plans.

The tenant’s eligibility conditions

The insurer requires a tenant deemed solvent: a reasonable effort ratio (often rent no higher than a third of income) and a stable situation (permanent contract past the trial period, evidenced income). An application outside these criteria can lead to a refusal to pay out: selection at move-in conditions the cover.

Cost and combining with a guarantor

GLI generally costs a small percentage of the rent including charges, and is deductible from property income under the actual regime. As a rule, a landlord cannot combine a GLI with a cautionnement (guarantor), except where the tenant is a student or apprentice.

The free VISALE alternative

VISALE, an Action Logement scheme, acts as guarantor free of charge for many eligible tenants and reimburses unpaid rent to the landlord within the set limits. It is a cost-free alternative to GLI, to be compared against the tenant’s profile. Do not confuse it with PNO (non-occupant owner insurance), which covers the owner’s liability rather than unpaid rent.

Frequently asked questions

GLI or VISALE: which to choose?: VISALE is free but limited to eligible tenants; GLI is paid but broader (damage, costs) and open to more solvent profiles. The choice depends on the tenant’s application.
Can I combine GLI and a guarantor?: No, as a rule combining a GLI with a cautionnement (guarantor) is prohibited, except where the tenant is a student or apprentice.
Is GLI tax-deductible?: Yes, the GLI premium is deductible from property income under the actual regime, as a landlord management cost and expense.