Skip to content
Ankyro
Find my plan

AnkyroCountriesIsrael

Health insurance in Israel.

In Israel, the public system is for residents. If your life is centred there, you join a health fund (kupat holim). If not, you need private cover.

The rules

What Israel asks of you.

Checked against official sources on 23 October 2026. Rules change, so the broker confirms them again before you apply.

Public healthcare

If you are a resident, you join a health fund and get the standard health basket set by law. You pay contributions to the National Insurance Institute. If you are not a resident, public health insurance does not cover you.

Source: btl.gov.il

Local or international

We compare both. You keep the one that fits.

Public cover depends on being a resident, not on your visa. Until that is clear, a private plan is how you stay covered.

What it costs

Published prices in Israel.

List prices from insurers and official schemes. Your quote depends on your age, health and the cover you pick.

What to look for

Choosing a plan in Israel.

Ankyro checks each of these on every plan, so you don’t have to read the fine print.

Step by step

Getting covered in Israel.

Common mistakes

3 we see all the time.

What will it cost?

Real published prices, and the 6 things that move yours.

Questions

People also ask.

Can foreigners join a kupat holim?

Residents can and must. A resident is a person whose life is centred in Israel. Non-residents are not covered by public health insurance.

How much is the Israeli health tax?

Residents pay 3.23% on income up to NIS 7,703 a month and 5.17% above it. With no income you pay NIS 123 a month. Some groups are exempt, including some new immigrants.

Do foreign workers need private insurance?

Yes. A foreign worker who is not a resident is not covered by the State Health Insurance Law. They have a private medical insurance framework instead.

Can I choose my health fund?

Yes. Residents choose which fund to join. Each fund must provide the standard health basket set by law.

Other countries

Going somewhere else?

01United Kingdom

Most UK visas don’t ask for private insurance. You pay a yearly surcharge instead, and it opens the NHS. Here is what the surcharge buys, and what you still pay for.

02Australia

Most visitors can’t use Medicare, and many visas carry condition 8501. Here is what each visa asks for, who gets Medicare, and what to check.

03Dubai and the UAE

In Dubai, no insurance means no visa. Your employer covers you, but not always your family. Here are the rules, and what the basic plan leaves out.

04Philippines

The retiree visa asks for a medical certificate, not a policy. The new nomad visa does ask for cover. Here is what each visa needs, and how PhilHealth works for foreigners.

05Netherlands

If you live or work in the Netherlands, Dutch basic insurance is the law. A few people are exempt. Here is who must sign up, by when, and what it costs in 2026.

06Canada

Each province runs its own health plan, and some make you wait. The super visa has strict insurance rules. Here is how Ontario and BC differ, and what the super visa needs.

07Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, no insurance means no iqama. Your employer pays for you and your family, and visitors need a policy too. Here is who pays, and what each policy covers.

08Japan

If you live in Japan, joining public insurance is the law. A private plan can only sit on top. Digital nomads are the exception.

09Germany

Everyone in Germany must be insured, and a residence permit needs cover equal to the public system. Here is how to choose, and what gets rejected.

10Singapore

The national plan is for citizens and PRs. Hospital bills for foreigners are high, and families are often left out. Here is what to check.

11Thailand

Retirement visas have hard minimums, the DTV has none, and public care is not free for foreigners. Here are the rules, and what to check.

12Spain

Spain has the strictest visa insurance rules in Europe: a Spanish-authorised insurer, no co-pays, no waiting periods. Here is what passes.

13Malaysia

Public hospitals charge foreigners full price, and work schemes only cover injuries at work. Here is what each pass asks for, and what to check.

14Qatar

Most visitors need a QAR 50 a month policy before Qatar issues a visa. The law covers expats too, but that part is still rolling out. Here are the rules.

15France

The public system is open to residents, but not on day 1 if you don’t work, and it only pays part of each bill. Here is how to cover the gaps.

16Portugal

The visa asks for travel medical cover. The public system opens once you are a resident. In between, and after, here is what to check.

17Mexico

No visa asks for it, so many expats skip it. Then a private hospital asks for payment first. Here is how cover really works in Mexico.

18Italy

Workers join the public system for free. Retirees and nomads need private cover for the visa, then pay at least €2,000 a year to join. Here are the rules.

19South Korea

Stay more than 6 months and you must join the national plan. Before that, and for your share of each bill, you need your own cover.

20Vietnam

Only long local contracts come with public cover, and most expats use private hospitals anyway. Here is what the rules say, and what to check.

21Bali and Indonesia

Most Indonesian visas don’t ask for insurance. But hospitals ask for payment first, and serious cases fly to Singapore. Here is what to check.

22Greece

The consulate takes travel cover for the visa. The residence permit then asks for full health cover. If you don’t work for a Greek employer, that means a private plan.

23Colombia

Nomads and retirees need a private policy with exact wording. Residents who work must join the public EPS system. Here are the rules.

24Costa Rica

Residents must pay into the Caja, whatever private plan they have. Nomads need their own cover for the visa. Here is how it fits together.

25USA

The US has no public plan you can simply join. Some visas set minimum cover. Others leave it to you. Here is what a J-1 needs, who can use the Marketplace, and what plans cost.

26Switzerland

Basic health insurance is compulsory for everyone who lives in Switzerland. You have 3 months to sign up. Here is how it works, and what to check.

27Ireland

Non-EEA students must hold private medical insurance. Everyone else gets public care once they count as living in Ireland for 1 year. Here is what to check.

28Dominican Republic

The residence visas for retirees and rentistas ask for a medical certificate, not an insurance policy. Public care is limited. Private care is good but costly.

29New Zealand

Student visas require insurance. A work visa of 2 years or more may open public health care. ACC covers accident injuries. Here is what to check.

31Hong Kong

Public hospitals in Hong Kong are cheap for eligible persons. Many foreigners are not on that list. Here is who is, what the rest pay, and what to check in a plan.

32China

If you work in China on an employment permit, your employer must enrol you in social insurance. That includes basic medical cover. Here is how it works, and what to check on top.

33Argentina

Emergency care is open to everyone. For other care at national hospitals, foreigners without permanent residence must show insurance or pay first. The rules are new, so check them.

34India

We found no official rule that ties health insurance to an Indian work visa. We also could not confirm a public scheme for foreign residents. So the plan is yours to choose. Here is what to check.

35Turkey

A residence permit application needs valid health insurance for the whole permit. Most new expats buy a private policy. The public SGK system opens later, after 1 year of residence.

36Brazil

The digital nomad visa needs health insurance valid in Brazil. The public system is open to migrants by law. Many expats add a private plan for speed.

37Panama

The Pensionado visa asks for a health certificate, not an insurance policy. The public system is tied to the Caja. Private care is the main option for most expats.

38South Africa

Study and exchange visas ask for proof of cover from a registered medical scheme. Public clinics offer free primary care. Here is what to check.

39Kenya

Kenya’s public fund is run by the Social Health Authority (SHA). A foreigner who lives in Kenya for more than 12 months pays into it. Shorter stays need travel health insurance instead.

40Taiwan

Taiwan has one national health insurance. Foreigners with a residence certificate can join. If you have a job, you join through your employer. If not, there is a wait.