Who is Insured?

The following categories are covered by work injury insurance:

• Salaried employees - even if they are not Israeli residents.
  
• Self-employed workers, provided that they are registered with the National Insurance at the time of the injury.
• People undergoing vocational training or vocational rehabilitation (in a workplace approved in the National Insurance regulations).
• People who are being examined according to the Apprenticeship Law or the Employment Service Law (only during the examination).
• People who are in training, according to the Emergency Labor Service Law.
• Prisoners, detainees or persons residing in an institution under the Youth Law, who are working in jobs that are not among the regular services at the place in which they are located.
• People whose salaries are determined by law, such as Members of Knesset. 

Residents of Israel working abroad

Salaried employees who are residents of Israel but are working abroad are covered by work injury insurance if their employers are Israeli residents and the employment contract was signed in Israel (if the employment contract was not signed in Israel, the employee is only covered if his workplace abroad is not obligated to have insurance against work accidents). If an employing is living abroad for more than 5 consecutive years, his employer must contact the manager of the Work Injury Department at the National Insurance Institute to extend his insurance.

Self-employed workers who are residents of Israel who were injured while working abroad are entitled - under certain circumstance - to work injury benefits.

Payment insurance contributions

• Employees – The employer is the one who is obligated to pay insurance contributions for his employee, and therefore the employee's right to benefit is not affected by his employer's debt in payment of national insurance contributions. If a person works for several employers, each employer must pay insurance contributions for this person as if he is the person's only employer.
• Self-employed workers as well as hourly workers and workers in Israel whose employer is not an Israeli residentA person whose life is centered in Israel. Criteria for determining this include: Israel is your permanent place of residence, where your family resides, where your children go to school, your primary place of work, or where you are studying. – The worker is the one obligated to pay insurance contributions. If he has a debt in insurance contributions, the NII may withhold a benefit from him or pay him a reduced benefit (in accordance with the amount of the debt and the period of delay in payment).