05/05/2026
Dear Client,
I’ve been working with you on your insurance since approximately September 2016—nearly 10 years now.
You recently received an SMS notifying you of a price increase on the attached policy. I wanted to give you a comprehensive answer regarding this rather than just a quick WhatsApp reply.
Here is the situation:
In 2014, insurance companies in Israel stopped selling surgery policies that included compensation for surgeries performed within the public healthcare system. This means that policies (which date from 2013 or earlier) still retain these superior conditions.
In February 2016, insurance companies changed things even further. They removed the ability to choose any surgeon you want, limiting the choice to a specific list provided by the five largest insurance companies (including Phoenix). Additionally, they introduced a clause allowing them to raise prices by 20% every two years in new policies. Later, even that restriction was removed, giving insurance companies the freedom to raise prices as much as they choose.
I remember traveling to Jerusalem to meet with MK Itzik Shmuli, who held a committee meeting on this very issue (I was quite naive back then! 🙂). Since then, they managed to raise prices by 100% in 2023, it honestly feels like a conspiracy to raise prices in every aspect of life.
Most recently, at the end of January 2026, Phoenix requested to hike the prices of pre-2016 policies by dozens of percent (since they don't need permission for the newer ones). Fortunately, the Capital Markets, Insurance, and Savings Commissioner rejected their request.
You can read more about it in the comment.
In short, there is a clear and deliberate trend of worsening terms and increasing costs. This makes older policies "rare gems" with excellent conditions that are much harder for insurance companies to change compared to the new ones.
Therefore, my recommendation is not to touch on or change your existing policies for as long as your financial situation allows. If your financial circumstances change in the future, we can investigate other options.
Off course that these written words are not to come as a substitute for a meeting with a licensed professional to advise on your specific situation including health, financial and needs.