Europe
Unclaimed assets in France
Estimated unclaimed
€6.7 billion+
≈ $7B · EUR
Who holds it
One central body
Caisse des Dépôts, under the Eckert Act. France is one of the few countries with a single official register.
Where to search
Ciclade.fr — free
Results in real time. The only official service; no one else can search this register.
Overview
France is unusual: it has a single official register. Under the Eckert Act, dormant bank accounts, employee savings and unclaimed life-insurance policies are transferred by the institution to the Caisse des Dépôts, and searched free on Ciclade.fr. But unlike most countries, the right to claim is not permanent — after 30 years of total dormancy the money passes irreversibly to the State. Accounts and contracts that became inactive in 1996 reach their thirty-year forfeiture during 2026, with requests due by 31 December 2026.
How to search
- 1
Search Ciclade — the only official service
Ciclade is run by the Caisse des Dépôts, is non-commercial and free, and is the only service that can search sums transferred under the Eckert Act. No private company has access to this register.
- Go to ciclade.caissedesdepots.fr and use the search form. There is an English version of the site.
- Enter the surname, first name, and date of birth and/or date of death of the account holder or policy subscriber. Include any other first names — precision improves the match rate.
- You may add up to ten references if you have them — a bank account, Livret A, LDD or capitalisation bond.
- Results appear in real time. If there is a possible match, create a personal account to finalise the claim.
- 2
Complete the restitution request
A search result is not a claim. The request only exists once you have uploaded your documents and pressed submit.
- Upload proof of identity and proof of your rights — a birth or marriage certificate, or heir documents where you are claiming as a beneficiary.
- Enter the IBAN of an account you currently use, not the closed account. Payment is made by bank transfer.
- Press submit. Only applications formally submitted are examined — uploading documents alone does nothing.
- Caisse des Dépôts reviews the file. Payment can arrive within days, but two months is common.
- 3
Life insurance you may be named in — AGIRA
Ciclade only covers policies already transferred to the Caisse des Dépôts. If you believe a deceased relative named you as a beneficiary on a life policy that has not yet been transferred, that is a different search.
- Ask AGIRA to search whether any insurer holds a policy naming you as a beneficiary.
- You will need the death certificate and your own identity documents.
- AGIRA circulates the request to insurers, and any insurer holding such a policy contacts you.
Running both searches matters — they cover different stages of the same problem.
Asset types held
Documents you'll typically need
- Photo ID
- Proof of rights — a birth certificate, marriage certificate, or heir documents such as an acte de notoriété
- An IBAN for a current account, for the repayment
- Any references you have — account numbers, policy numbers or bond certificates
- A death certificate where you are claiming as an heir or beneficiary
Common mistakes
- • Searching only your own name and not those of deceased relatives
- • Uploading documents but never pressing submit — the claim is then never examined
- • Entering the closed account's IBAN instead of an account you currently use
- • Overlooking AGIRA when you may be a named life-insurance beneficiary
- • Assuming the right to claim never expires — in France it does, at 30 years
Success tips
- • Enter full civil-status details — every first name, and the preferred name used day to day
- • Search grandparents and parents as well as yourself; inheritance is the most common route
- • Check the current year's forfeiture list before assuming you have time
- • Run AGIRA in parallel for life policies naming you
- • Keep the reference of your submitted request; there is no need to chase for progress
Frequently asked questions
Keep your own assets findable
LifeWyn records what you own and who should inherit it — so your family never has to hunt through France's registries.