Neither better nor worse: 47% of French people say they are overdrawn at least once a year, according to the Poll & Roll survey for the Panorabanques bank rate comparator unveiled Tuesday October 10. This level has been stable for three years, despite the inflation peak in recent months. Have the French become experts in managing their bank accounts? “Not really, since 24% say they are overdrawn because they were not careful, underlines Basile Duval, the spokesperson for Panorabanques. They could therefore have avoided being in the red by monitoring their account on their banking application. »
A nonchalance with resounding consequences, because overdraft is very expensive. The bill remains moderate for customers who have negotiated an overdraft authorization and whose overflows do not exceed this amount. In this case, only the agios apply. Banks are not very transparent about the rate applied, with the exception of online establishments displaying between 7% and 8% for authorized overdrafts. “It’s usually double in networks, but it’s often possible to get a slightly lower personalized rate”adds Basile Duval.
An authorized overdraft of 200 euros over ten days in the month results in 0.88 euros in agios in a network charging a rate of 16%, or 10.52 euros if this happens every month for a year, according to Panorabanques calculations. A line of fees that it is certainly preferable to avoid, but which does not weigh much compared to the bill in the event of an unauthorized overdraft, or beyond the authorized amount.
Commissions without justification
In the event of exceeding the authorized overdraft, banks provide a litany of fees ranging from intervention commissions to premiums at higher rates, including information letters for unauthorized debit accounts. Intervention fees are invoiced as soon as a transaction takes the account beyond the authorized overdraft, or in the absence of authorization. They are capped by regulation at 8 euros per transaction, within the limit of 80 euros per month.
Most establishments are aligned with this ceiling, with the exception of online banks which do not practice one (BforBank, BoursoBank, Fortuneo, Hello Bank and Orange Bank), Crédit Coopératif (4 euros), La Banque Postale ( 6.90 euros) and Crédit Mutuel Maine-Anjou Basse-Normandie (7.75 euros). “Everything is now automated: the advisor no longer intervenes to authorize an expense on the account when it tips into the red. Intervention commissions really no longer have any justification, but they still cost customers a lot of money”notes Mr. Duval.
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