26 USC 832 - Insurance company taxable income

U.S Code last checked for updates: Apr 29, 2024

§ 832.

Insurance company taxable income

(a)

Definition of taxable income

(b)

Definitions

In the case of an insurance company subject to the tax imposed by section 831—

(1)

Gross income

The term “gross income” means the sum of—

(A)

the combined gross amount earned during the taxable year, from investment income and from underwriting income as provided in this subsection, computed on the basis of the underwriting and investment exhibit of the annual statement approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners,

(B)

gain during the taxable year from the sale or other disposition of property,

(C)

all other items constituting gross income under subchapter B, except that, in the case of a mutual fire insurance company exclusively issuing perpetual policies, the amount of single deposit premiums paid to such company shall not be included in gross income,

(D)

in the case of a mutual fire or flood insurance company whose principal business is the issuance of policies—

(i)

for which the premium deposits are the same (regardless of the length of the term for which the policies are written), and

(ii)

under which the unabsorbed portion of such premium deposits not required for losses, expenses, or establishment of reserves is returned or credited to the policyholder on cancellation or expiration of the policy,

an amount equal to 2 percent of the premiums earned on insurance contracts during the taxable year with respect to such policies after deduction of premium deposits returned or credited during the same taxable year, and

(E)

in the case of a company which writes mortgage guaranty insurance, the amount required by subsection (e)(5) to be subtracted from the mortgage guaranty account.

(2)

Investment income

(3)

Underwriting income

(4)

Premiums earned

The term “premiums earned on insurance contracts during the taxable year” means an amount computed as follows:

(A)

From the amount of gross premiums written on insurance contracts during the taxable year, deduct return premiums and premiums paid for reinsurance.

(B)

To the result so obtained, add 80 percent of the unearned premiums on outstanding business at the end of the preceding taxable year and deduct 80 percent of the unearned premiums on outstanding business at the end of the taxable year.

(C)

To the result so obtained, in the case of a taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, and before January 1, 1993, add an amount equal to 3⅓ percent of unearned premiums on outstanding business at the end of the most recent taxable year beginning before January 1, 1987.

For purposes of this subsection, unearned premiums shall include life insurance reserves, as defined in section 816(b) but determined as provided in section 807. For purposes of this subsection, unearned premiums of mutual fire or flood insurance companies described in paragraph (1)(D) means (with respect to the policies described in paragraph (1)(D)) the amount of unabsorbed premium deposits which the company would be obligated to return to its policyholders at the close of the taxable year if all of its policies were terminated at such time; and the determination of such amount shall be based on the schedule of unabsorbed premium deposit returns for each such company then in effect. Premiums paid by the subscriber of a mutual flood insurance company described in paragraph (1)(D) or issuing exclusively perpetual policies shall be treated, for purposes of computing the taxable income of such subscriber, in the same manner as premiums paid by a policyholder to a mutual fire insurance company described in subparagraph (C) or (D) of paragraph (1).

(5)

Losses incurred

(A)

In general

The term “losses incurred” means losses incurred during the taxable year on insurance contracts computed as follows:

(i)

To losses paid during the taxable year, deduct salvage and reinsurance recovered during the taxable year.

(ii)

To the result so obtained, add all unpaid losses on life insurance contracts plus all discounted unpaid losses (as defined in section 846) outstanding at the end of the taxable year and deduct all unpaid losses on life insurance contracts plus all discounted unpaid losses outstanding at the end of the preceding taxable year.

(iii)

To the results so obtained, add estimated salvage and reinsurance recoverable as of the end of the preceding taxable year and deduct estimated salvage and reinsurance recoverable as of the end of the taxable year.

The amount of estimated salvage recoverable shall be determined on a discounted basis in accordance with procedures established by the Secretary.

(B)

Reduction of deduction

The amount which would (but for this subparagraph) be taken into account under subparagraph (A) shall be reduced by an amount equal to the applicable percentage of the sum of—

(i)

tax-exempt interest received or accrued during such taxable year,

(ii)

the aggregate amount of deductions provided by sections 243 and 245 for—

(I)

dividends (other than 100 percent dividends) received during the taxable year, and

(II)

100 percent dividends received during the taxable year to the extent attributable (directly or indirectly) to prorated amounts, and

(iii)

the increase for the taxable year in policy cash values (within the meaning of section 805(a)(4)(F)) of life insurance policies and annuity and endowment contracts to which section 264(f) applies.

In the case of a 100 percent dividend paid by an insurance company, the portion attributable to prorated amounts shall be determined under subparagraph (E)(ii). For purposes of this subparagraph, the applicable percentage is 5.25 percent divided by the highest rate in effect under section 11(b).

(C)

Exception for investments made before August 8, 1986

(i)

In general

(ii)

Special rule for 100 percent dividends

For purposes of clause (i), the portion of any 100 percent dividend which is attributable to prorated amounts shall be treated as received with respect to stock acquired on the later of—

(I)

the date the payor acquired the stock or obligation to which the prorated amounts are attributable, or

(II)

the 1st day on which the payor and payee were members of the same affiliated group (as defined in section 243(b)(2)).

(D)

Definitions

For purposes of this paragraph—

(i)

Prorated amounts

(ii)

100 percent dividend

(I)

In general

(II)

Certain dividends received by foreign corporations

(E)

Special rules for dividends subject to proration at subsidiary level

(i)

In general

(ii)

Portion of dividend attributable to prorated amounts

For purposes of this subparagraph, in determining the portion of any dividend attributable to prorated amounts—

(I)

any dividend by the paying corporation shall be treated as paid first out of earnings and profits attributable to prorated amounts (to the extent thereof), and

(II)

by determining the portion of earnings and profits so attributable without any reduction for the tax imposed by this chapter.

(6)

Expenses incurred

(7)

Special rules for applying paragraph (4)

(A)

Reduction not to apply to life insurance reserves

(B)

Special treatment of premiums attributable to insuring certain securities

In the case of premiums attributable to insurance against default in the payment of principal or interest on securities described in section 165(g)(2)(C) with maturities of more than 5 years—

(i)

subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) shall be applied by substituting “90 percent” for “80 percent” each place it appears, and

(ii)

subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) shall be applied by substituting “1⅔ percent” for “3⅓ percent”.

(C)

Termination as insurance company taxable under section 831(a)

(D)

Treatment of companies which become taxable under section 831(a)

(i)

Exception to phase-in for companies which were not taxable, etc., before 1987

Subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) shall not apply to any insurance company which, for each taxable year beginning before January 1, 1987, was not subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a) 1

 See References in Text note below.

or 831(a) (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986) by reason of being—

(I)

subject to tax under section 821(c) ¹ (as so in effect), or

(II)

described in section 501(c) (as so in effect) and exempt from tax under section 501(a).

(ii)

Phase-in beginning at later date for companies not 1st taxable under section 831(a) in 1987

In the case of an insurance company—

(I)

which was not subject to the tax imposed by section 831(a) for its 1st taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, by reason of being subject to tax under section 831(b), or described in section 501(c) and exempt from tax under section 501(a), and

(II)

which, for any taxable year beginning before January 1, 1987, was subject to the tax imposed by section 821(a) ¹ or 831(a) (as in effect on the day before the date of the enactment of the Tax Reform Act of 1986),

subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) shall apply beginning with the 1st taxable year beginning after December 31, 1986, for which such company is subject to the tax imposed by section 831(a) and shall be applied by substituting the last day of the preceding taxable year for “December 31, 1986” and the 1st day of the 7th succeeding taxable year for “January 1, 1993”.

(E)

Treatment of certain reciprocal insurers

In the case of a reciprocal (within the meaning of section 835(a)) which reports (as required by State law) on its annual statement reserves on unearned premiums net of premium acquisition expenses—

(i)

subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) shall be applied by treating unearned premiums as including an amount equal to such expenses, and

(ii)

appropriate adjustments shall be made under subparagraph (c) of paragraph (4) to reflect the amount by which—

(I)

such reserves at the close of the most recent taxable year beginning before January 1, 1987, are greater or less than,

(II)

80 percent of the sum of the amount under subclause (I) plus such premium acquisition expenses.

(8)

Special rules for applying paragraph (4) to title insurance premiums

(A)

In general

In the case of premiums attributable to title insurance—

(i)

subparagraph (B) of paragraph (4) shall be applied by substituting “the discounted unearned premiums” for “80 percent of the unearned premiums” each place it appears, and

(ii)

subparagraph (C) of paragraph (4) shall not apply.

(B)

Method of discounting

For purposes of subparagraph (A), the amount of the discounted unearned premiums as of the end of any taxable year shall be the present value of such premiums (as of such time and separately with respect to premiums received in each calendar year) determined by using—

(i)

the amount of the undiscounted unearned premiums at such time,

(ii)

the applicable interest rate, and

(iii)

the applicable statutory premium recognition pattern.

(C)

Determination of applicable factors

In determining the amount of the discounted unearned premiums as of the end of any taxable year—

(i)

Undiscounted unearned premiums

(ii)

Applicable interest rate

(iii)

Applicable statutory premium recognition pattern

The term “applicable statutory premium recognition pattern” means the statutory premium recognition pattern—

(I)

which is in effect for the calendar year in which the premiums are received, and

(II)

which is based on the statutory premium recognition pattern which applies to premiums received by the taxpayer in such calendar year.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, premiums received during any calendar year shall be treated as received in the middle of such year.

(c)

Deductions allowed

In computing the taxable income of an insurance company subject to the tax imposed by section 831, there shall be allowed as deductions:

(1)

all ordinary and necessary expenses incurred, as provided in section 162 (relating to trade or business expenses);

(2)

all interest, as provided in section 163;

(3)

taxes, as provided in section 164;

(4)

losses incurred, as defined in subsection (b)(5) of this section;

(5)

capital losses to the extent provided in subchapter P (relating to capital gains and losses) plus losses from capital assets sold or exchanged in order to obtain funds to meet abnormal insurance losses and to provide for the payment of dividends and similar distributions to policyholders. Capital assets shall be considered as sold or exchanged in order to obtain funds to meet abnormal insurance losses and to provide for the payment of dividends and similar distributions to policyholders to the extent that the gross receipts from their sale or exchange are not greater than the excess, if any, for the taxable year of the sum of dividends and similar distributions paid to policyholders in their capacity as such, losses paid, and expenses paid over the sum of the items described in section 834(b) (other than paragraph (1)(D) thereof) and net premiums received. In the application of section 1212 for purposes of this section, the net capital loss for the taxable year shall be the amount by which losses for such year from sales or exchanges of capital assets exceeds the sum of the gains from such sales or exchanges and whichever of the following amounts is the lesser:

(A)

the taxable income (computed without regard to gains or losses from sales or exchanges of capital assets); or

(B)

losses from the sale or exchange of capital assets sold or exchanged to obtain funds to meet abnormal insurance losses and to provide for the payment of dividends and similar distributions to policyholders;

(6)

debts in the nature of agency balances and bills receivable which become worthless within the taxable year;

(7)

the amount of interest earned during the taxable year which under section 103 is excluded from gross income;

(8)

the depreciation deduction allowed by section 167 and the deduction allowed by section 611 (relating to depletion);

(9)

charitable, etc., contributions, as provided in section 170;

(10)

deductions (other than those specified in this subsection) as provided in part VI of subchapter B (sec. 161 and following, relating to itemized deductions for individuals and corporations) and in part I of subchapter D (sec. 401 and following, relating to pension, profit-sharing, stock bonus plans, etc.);

(11)

dividends and similar distributions paid or declared to policyholders in their capacity as such, except in the case of a mutual fire insurance company described in subsection (b)(1)(C). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “dividends and similar distributions” includes amounts returned or credited

to policyholders on cancellation or expiration of policies described in subsection (b)(1)(D). For purposes of this paragraph, the term “paid or declared” shall be construed according to the method of accounting regularly employed in keeping the books of the insurance company;

(12)

the special deductions allowed by part VIII of subchapter B (sec. 241 and following, relating to dividends received); and

(13)

in the case of a company which writes mortgage guaranty insurance, the deduction allowed by subsection (e).

(d)

Double deductions

(e)

Special deduction and income account

In the case of a company which writes mortgage guaranty insurance—

(1)

Additional deduction

There shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year, if bonds are purchased as required by paragraph (2), the sum of—

(A)

an amount representing the amount required by State law or regulation to be set aside in a reserve for mortgage guaranty insurance losses resulting from adverse economic cycles; and

(B)

an amount representing the aggregate of amounts so set aside in such reserve for the 8 preceding taxable years to the extent such amounts were not deducted under this paragraph in such preceding taxable years,

except that the deduction allowable for the taxable year under this paragraph shall not exceed the taxable income for the taxable year computed without regard to this paragraph or to any carryback of a net operating loss. For purposes of this paragraph, the amount required by State law or regulation to be so set aside in any taxable year shall not exceed 50 percent of premiums earned on insurance contracts (as defined in subsection (b)(4)) with respect to mortgage guaranty insurance for such year. For purposes of this subsection, all amounts shall be taken into account on a first-in-time basis. The computation and deduction under this section of losses incurred (including losses resulting from adverse economic cycles) shall not be affected by the provisions of this subsection. For purposes of this subsection, the terms “preceding taxable years” and “preceding taxable year” shall not include taxable years which began before January 1, 1967.

(2)

Purchase of bonds

(3)

Mortgage guaranty account

(4)

Additions to account

(5)

Subtractions from account and inclusion in gross income

After applying paragraph (4), there shall be subtracted for the taxable year from the mortgage guaranty account and included in gross income—

(A)

the amount (if any) remaining which was added to the account for the tenth preceding taxable year,

(B)

the excess (if any) of the aggregate amount in the mortgage guaranty account over the aggregate amount in the reserve referred to in paragraph (1)(A). For purposes of determining such excess, the aggregate amount in the mortgage guaranty account shall be determined after applying subparagraph (A), and the aggregate amount in the reserve referred to in paragraph (1)(A) shall be determined by disregarding any amounts remaining in such reserve added for taxable years beginning before January 1, 1967,

(C)

an amount (if any) equal to the net operating loss for the taxable year computed without regard to this subparagraph, and

(D)

any amount improperly subtracted from the account under subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) to the extent that tax and loss bonds were redeemed with respect to such amount.

If a company liquidates or otherwise terminates its mortgage guaranty insurance business and does not transfer or distribute such business in an acquisition of assets referred to in section 381(a), the entire amount remaining in such account shall be subtracted. Except in the case where a company transfers or distributes its mortgage guaranty insurance in an acquisition of assets referred to in section 381(a), if the company is not subject to the tax imposed by section 831 for any taxable year, the entire amount in the account at the close of the preceding taxable year shall be subtracted from the account in such preceding taxable year.

(6)

Lease guaranty insurance; insurance of State and local obligations

(f)

Interinsurers

In the case of a mutual insurance company which is an interinsurer or reciprocal underwriter—

(1)

there shall be allowed as a deduction the increase for the taxable year in savings credited to subscriber accounts, or

(2)

there shall be included as an item of gross income the decrease for the taxable year in savings credited to subscriber accounts.

For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “savings credited to subscriber accounts” means such portion of the surplus as is credited to the individual accounts of subscribers before the 16th day of the 3rd month following the close of the taxable year, but only if the company would be obligated to pay such amount promptly to such subscriber if he terminated his contract at the close of the company’s taxable year. For purposes of determining his taxable income, the subscriber shall treat any such savings credited to his account as a dividend paid or declared.

(g)

Dividends within group

(Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, 68A Stat. 264; Mar. 13, 1956, ch. 83, § 3(b), 70 Stat. 48; Pub. L. 87–834, § 8(e)(2)–(5), Oct. 16, 1962, 76 Stat. 997, 998; Pub. L. 88–272, title II, § 228(c), Feb. 26, 1964, 78 Stat. 99; Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(i)(7), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1562; Pub. L. 90–240, § 5(a)–(c), Jan. 2, 1968, 81 Stat. 776, 777; Pub. L. 93–483, § 5, Oct. 26, 1974, 88 Stat. 1458; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, §§ 1901(a)(108), (b)(1)(T), (U), 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1782, 1792, 1834; Pub. L. 97–248, title II, § 234(b)(2)(A), Sept. 3, 1982, 96 Stat. 503; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(b)(9), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 755; Pub. L. 99–514, title X, §§ 1021(a), (b), 1022(a), 1023(a), 1024(c)(1)–(6), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2395, 2397, 2399, 2406, 2407; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1010(c), (d)(1), (2), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3451–3453; Pub. L. 101–508, title XI, §§ 11303(a), (b), 11305(a), Nov. 5, 1990, 104 Stat. 1388–450, 1388–451; Pub. L. 104–188, title I, §§ 1702(h)(3), 1704(t)(45), Aug. 20, 1996, 110 Stat. 1873, 1889; Pub. L. 105–34, title X, § 1084(b)(4), Aug. 5, 1997, 111 Stat. 955; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title II, § 221(a)(41)(G), (69), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4044, 4048; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 13001(b)(2)(I), 13515(a), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2096, 2144; Pub. L. 115–141, div. U, title IV, § 401(a)(143), Mar. 23, 2018, 132 Stat. 1191.)

cite as: 26 USC 832