The Capital Market Authority's Health Insurance Comparison Calculator: How to Use It

Before choosing private health insurance, or when comparing a new offer against your existing policy, there is one free official tool worth knowing about: the comparison calculator run by Israel's Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority, at briut.cma.gov.il. It does not replace reading the policy documents themselves, but it gives a quick starting point for comparing estimated premiums across insurers and for checking how each company actually performs toward its customers. Here is a short guide to what the tool shows, how to use it correctly, and what it cannot tell you.

What is the Capital Market Authority's health insurance calculator

briut.cma.gov.il is an official website operated by the Capital Market, Insurance and Savings Authority — the government body that supervises Israel's insurance industry. The calculator was set up to increase transparency in the private health insurance market, and to let the public compare companies without depending on a particular agent or advisor. Using it is free, and typically does not require registration beyond entering a few basic details. It is part of a broader family of similar tools the Authority runs in other areas, such as a life insurance calculator and Pension Net, so the general design and logic are similar across the tools.

Keep in mind that the tool's interface, exact fields, and definitions are updated from time to time, so it is always worth following the instructions displayed on the page itself while you use it.

What the calculator actually compares

The calculator mainly compares two things. The first is an estimated monthly premium, based on the age you enter and the coverage modules or track you select — for example surgeries in Israel or abroad, medications not included in the health basket, transplants, or ambulatory cover. The screen displays a range of companies side by side, so you can see at a glance where the estimated premium is relatively low or high.

The second is a service index that the Authority publishes each year, which typically factors in data such as the share of claims received, approved and paid, the speed of handling customer inquiries, and public complaints filed against each company. An index like this gives an indication of how a company actually behaves toward its customers, beyond price alone — but it reflects average behavior at the company level, not a promise about how your own specific claim will be handled.

How to use it step by step

In practice, using the calculator is fairly simple: you enter the age of the insured person or people you want to check coverage for, and then select the coverage modules you want — for example surgeries and transplants in Israel and abroad, medications outside the basket, or ambulatory cover. The calculator then displays a comparison table with the estimated monthly premium at each of the companies operating in the sector, usually alongside a score or ranking from the service index. It is worth trying a few different combinations of modules to see how each added cover affects the estimated price, and noting that the exact screen and fields may look slightly different depending on updates to the site — it is best to follow the instructions displayed there at the time.

The limitations worth knowing

The calculator gives general parameters only, not a binding insurance offer. It typically does not show the full wording of the policy, its exclusions and limitations, and it cannot reflect the actual underwriting outcome you will get after completing a health declaration — your personal health status can change the final premium significantly. The service index too, although based on real data reported to the Authority, reflects the company's average behavior toward all of its customers rather than a guarantee of how your specific claim will be handled. So before deciding based on the calculator's results, it is advisable to read the actual policy being offered, and if you already have an existing policy, to check it thoroughly — for example by sending it to Ravit for a quick review.

When it is most useful

The calculator is especially useful in two common situations. The first is for self-employed people comparing options on their own, without an agent regularly guiding them — for them, the calculator gives a quick starting point for understanding the market's price range. The second is when someone is considering switching insurer: before starting a process with a new company, you can use the calculator to get an initial indication of the expected premium difference and the relative service level, and only then check the exact terms with a representative or agent.

What to do with the result before deciding

After getting a general picture from the calculator, the next step is to check the details in practice: ask the company for an exact quote that takes your medical situation into account, read the full policy terms including exclusions and qualifying periods, and make sure the coverage modules you checked in the calculator actually appear in the offer you received under the same framework. If you already have a policy and are only checking whether it is worthwhile, it is also worth comparing it against itself — that is, making sure you really understand what it includes today, not just how much it costs.

How Ravit can help

Ravit reads your own policy documents — the ones you send her on WhatsApp — and answers in free language based on what is written specifically in your policy, with a pointer to the relevant clause so you can verify it yourself. When the information is partial or unclear, she says so honestly instead of guessing, so you know when it is worth checking directly with the insurer.

The information in this article is general only and does not constitute medical, insurance, legal, or pension advice, and is not a substitute for reading your policy terms or consulting a licensed professional. Coverage, amounts, and conditions vary between policies and change over time — always verify against your own specific policy and an authorized professional.