Epidemiological data on asbestos victims primarily focus on the monitoring of individuals with mesothelioma or bronchopulmonary cancers and rarely include those with benign conditions. In this cohort study, the French Institute for Public Health Surveillance (InVS) analyzed the causes of death among asbestos victims known to the Asbestos Victims Compensation Fund (Fiva), with a particular focus on victims with pleural plaques, asbestosis, or pleural thickening. Their all-cause and cause-specific mortality was compared to that of the general French population between 2004 and 2008 using standardized mortality ratios (SMR). With a median follow-up of 4 years, 2,132 deaths were observed among victims with benign conditions. Compared to the general population, among men, there was a statistically significant excess of deaths from pleural tumors (SMRs of 12, 53, and 17, respectively, for victims of pleural plaques, pleural thickening, and asbestosis) and deaths from non-cancerous diseases of the respiratory system (SMRs of 2, 3, and 14, respectively). Furthermore, a significant excess of deaths from tumors of the trachea, bronchi, and lung is observed among victims of asbestosis (SMR=2) and pleural thickening (SMR=2). That said, all-cause mortality lower than that of the general population is observed among victims of pleural plaques. This finding suggests selection effects, which are discussed in this report. This study provides the first systematic assessment of mortality and the initial findings on the health outcomes of a large cohort of over 30,000 victims with benign asbestos-related conditions. These results show that this population is characterized by an impaired health outcome due to a marked risk of dying from asbestos-related cancers. The work initiated will continue with regular updates to the mortality analysis. (R.A.)