The Accessibility Challenge in Banking
Online banking services have become essential: account viewing, transfers, product subscriptions, insurance claims. For the 12 million French people with disabilities, autonomous access to these services is a major inclusion issue.
Banking faces multiple accessibility challenges: complex multi-step forms, strong authentication (PSD2), tabular data (account statements), interactive charts, and limited session timeouts for security reasons.
Legal Obligations for Banks and Insurance
Banks and insurance companies face several regulations: RGAA for public banking institutions, the European Accessibility Act since June 2025, PSD2 directive requiring accessible strong authentication, and French law applying to companies with revenues exceeding €250M.
Accessible Strong Authentication (PSD2)
PSD2 mandates strong customer authentication (SCA) for sensitive operations. Common problems include inaccessible random virtual keypads, SMS OTP requiring app switching, and biometrics not usable by all. Solutions include offering multiple authentication methods, standard text input fields, extended OTP timeouts (at least 2 minutes), and alternatives to random virtual keypads.
Banking and Insurance Forms
Subscription journeys (loans, insurance, savings) are often 5-10 step forms requiring progress indicators with aria-current="step", pre-validation summaries, numeric alternatives to sliders, and accessible contractual documents.
Statements and Financial Data
Account statements must use properly marked-up tables with <th scope="col">, descriptive captions, and negative amounts indicated beyond color alone. Financial charts must have text alternatives and complementary accessible tables.
Banking accessibility is not just a legal obligation — it is a competitive advantage. Accessible banks retain a broader clientele, including seniors and people with temporary disabilities.