26 USC 953 - Insurance income

U.S Code last checked for updates: Jan 18, 2025

§ 953.

Insurance income

(a)

Insurance income

(1)

In general

For purposes of section 952(a)(1), the term “insurance income” means any income which—

(A)

is attributable to the issuing (or reinsuring) of an insurance or annuity contract, and

(B)

would (subject to the modifications provided by subsection (b)) be taxed under subchapter L of this chapter if such income were the income of a domestic insurance company.

(2)

Exception

(b)

Special rules

For purposes of subsection (a)—

(1)

The following provisions of subchapter L shall not apply:

(A)

So much of section 805(a)(8) as relates to the deduction allowed under section 172.

(B)

Section 832(c)(5) (relating to certain capital losses).

(2)

The items referred to in—

(A)

section 803(a)(1) (relating to gross amount of premiums and other considerations),

(B)

section 803(a)(2) (relating to net decrease in reserves),

(C)

section 805(a)(2) (relating to net increase in reserves), and

(D)

section 832(b)(4) (relating to premiums earned on insurance contracts),

shall be taken into account only to the extent they are in respect of any reinsurance or the issuing of any insurance or annuity contract described in subsection (a)(1).

(3)

Reserves for any insurance or annuity contract shall be determined in the same manner as under section 954(i).

(4)

All items of income, expenses, losses, and deductions shall be properly allocated or apportioned under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(c)

Special rule for certain captive insurance companies

(1)

In general

For purposes only of taking into account related person insurance income—

(A)

the term “United States shareholder” means, with respect to any foreign corporation, a United States person (as defined in section 957(c)) who owns (within the meaning of section 958(a)) any stock of the foreign corporation,

(B)

the term “controlled foreign corporation” has the meaning given to such term by section 957(a) determined by substituting “25 percent or more” for “more than 50 percent”, and

(C)

the pro rata share referred to in section 951(a)(1)(A) shall be determined under paragraph (5) of this subsection.

(2)

Related person insurance income

(3)

Exceptions

(A)

Corporations not held by insureds

Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any foreign corporation if at all times during the taxable year of such foreign corporation—

(i)

less than 20 percent of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of such corporation entitled to vote, and

(ii)

less than 20 percent of the total value of such corporation,

is owned (directly or indirectly under the principles of section 883(c)(4)) by persons who are (directly or indirectly) insured under any policy of insurance or reinsurance issued by such corporation or who are related persons to any such person.

(B)

De minimis exception

(C)

Election to treat income as effectively connected

Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any foreign corporation for any taxable year if—

(i)

such corporation elects (at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe)—

(I)

to treat its related person insurance income for such taxable year as income effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business in the United States, and

(II)

to waive all benefits (other than with respect to section 884) with respect to related person insurance income granted by the United States under any treaty between the United States and any foreign country, and

(ii)

such corporation meets such requirements as the Secretary shall prescribe to ensure that the tax imposed by this chapter on such income is paid.

An election under this subparagraph made for any taxable year shall not be effective if the corporation (or any predecessor thereof) was a disqualified corporation for the taxable year for which the election was made or for any prior taxable year beginning after 1986.

(D)

Special rules for subparagraph (C)

(i)

Period during which election in effect

(I)

In general

(II)

Termination

(ii)

Exemption from tax imposed by section 4371

(E)

Disqualified corporation

(4)

Treatment of mutual insurance companies

In the case of a mutual insurance company—

(A)

this subsection shall apply,

(B)

policyholders of such company shall be treated as shareholders, and

(C)

appropriate adjustments in the application of this subpart shall be made under regulations prescribed by the Secretary.

(5)

Determination of pro rata share

(A)

In general

The pro rata share determined under this paragraph for any United States shareholder is the lesser of—

(i)

the amount which would be determined under paragraph (2) of section 951(a) if—

(I)

only related person insurance income were taken into account,

(II)

stock owned (within the meaning of section 958(a)) by United States shareholders on the last day of the taxable year were the only stock in the foreign corporation, and

(III)

only distributions received by United States shareholders were taken into account under subparagraph (B) of such paragraph (2), or

(ii)

the amount which would be determined under paragraph (2) of section 951(a) if the entire earnings and profits of the foreign corporation for the taxable year were subpart F income.

(B)

Coordination with other provisions

(6)

Related person

For purposes of this subsection—

(A)

In general

(B)

Treatment of certain liability insurance policies

(7)

Coordination with section 1248

For purposes of section 1248, if any person is (or would be but for paragraph (3)) treated under paragraph (1) as a United States shareholder with respect to any foreign corporation which would be taxed under subchapter L if it were a domestic corporation and which is (or would be but for paragraph (3)) treated under paragraph (1) as a controlled foreign corporation—

(A)

such person shall be treated as meeting the stock ownership requirements of section 1248(a)(2) with respect to such foreign corporation, and

(B)

such foreign corporation shall be treated as a controlled foreign corporation.

(8)

Regulations

The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including—

(A)

regulations preventing the avoidance of this subsection through cross insurance arrangements or otherwise, and

(B)

regulations which may provide that a person will not be treated as a United States shareholder under paragraph (1) with respect to any foreign corporation if neither such person (nor any related person to such person) is (directly or indirectly) insured under any policy of insurance or reinsurance issued by such foreign corporation.

(d)

Election by foreign insurance company to be treated as domestic corporation

(1)

In general

If—

(A)

a foreign corporation is a controlled foreign corporation (as defined in section 957(a) by substituting “25 percent or more” for “more than 50 percent” and by using the definition of United States shareholder under 953(c)(1)(A)),

(B)

such foreign corporation would qualify under part I or II of subchapter L for the taxable year if it were a domestic corporation,

(C)

such foreign corporation meets such requirements as the Secretary shall prescribe to ensure that the taxes imposed by this chapter on such foreign corporation are paid, and

(D)

such foreign corporation makes an election to have this paragraph apply and waives all benefits to such corporation granted by the United States under any treaty,

for purposes of this title, such corporation shall be treated as a domestic corporation.

(2)

Period during which election is in effect

(A)

In general

(B)

Termination

(3)

Treatment of losses

(4)

Effect of election

(A)

In general

(B)

Exception for pre-1988 earnings and profit

(i)

In general

(ii)

Treatment of distributions

(iii)

Certain rules to continue to apply to pre-1988 earnings

(iv)

Specified provisions

The provisions specified in this clause are:

(I)

Section 1248 (relating to gain from certain sales or exchanges of stock in certain foreign corporations).

(II)

Subpart F of part III of subchapter N to the extent such subpart relates to earnings invested in United States property.

(III)

Section 884 to the extent the foreign corporation reinvested 1987 earnings and profits in United States assets.

(5)

Effect of termination

For purposes of section 367, if—

(A)

an election is made by a corporation under paragraph (1) for any taxable year, and

(B)

such election ceases to apply for any subsequent taxable year,

such corporation shall be treated as a domestic corporation transferring (as of the 1st day of such subsequent taxable year) all of its property to a foreign corporation in connection with an exchange to which section 354 applies.

(6)

Additional tax on corporation making election

(A)

In general

(B)

Amount of tax

The amount of tax determined under this paragraph shall be equal to the lesser of—

(i)

¾ of 1 percent of the aggregate amount of capital and accumulated surplus of the corporation as of December 31, 1987, or

(ii)

$1,500,000.

(e)

Exempt insurance income

For purposes of this section—

(1)

Exempt insurance income defined

(A)

In general

The term “exempt insurance income” means income derived by a qualifying insurance company which—

(i)

is attributable to the issuing (or reinsuring) of an exempt contract by such company or a qualifying insurance company branch of such company, and

(ii)

is treated as earned by such company or branch in its home country for purposes of such country’s tax laws.

(B)

Exception for certain arrangements

(C)

Determinations made separately

For purposes of this subsection and section 954(i), the exempt insurance income and exempt contracts of a qualifying insurance company or any qualifying insurance company branch of such company shall be determined separately for such company and each such branch by taking into account—

(i)

in the case of the qualifying insurance company, only items of income, deduction, gain, or loss, and activities of such company not properly allocable or attributable to any qualifying insurance company branch of such company, and

(ii)

in the case of a qualifying insurance company branch, only items of income, deduction, gain, or loss and activities properly allocable or attributable to such branch.

(2)

Exempt contract

(A)

In general

(B)

Minimum home country income required

(i)

In general

No contract of a qualifying insurance company or of a qualifying insurance company branch shall be treated as an exempt contract unless such company or branch derives more than 30 percent of its net written premiums from exempt contracts (determined without regard to this subparagraph)—

(I)

which cover applicable home country risks, and

(II)

with respect to which no policyholder, insured, annuitant, or beneficiary is a related person (as defined in section 954(d)(3)).

(ii)

Applicable home country risks

(C)

Substantial activity requirements for cross border risks

A contract issued by a qualifying insurance company or qualifying insurance company branch which covers risks other than applicable home country risks (as defined in subparagraph (B)(ii)) shall not be treated as an exempt contract unless such company or branch, as the case may be—

(i)

conducts substantial activity with respect to an insurance business in its home country, and

(ii)

performs in its home country substantially all of the activities necessary to give rise to the income generated by such contract.

(3)

Qualifying insurance company

The term “qualifying insurance company” means any controlled foreign corporation which—

(A)

is subject to regulation as an insurance (or reinsurance) company by its home country, and is licensed, authorized, or regulated by the applicable insurance regulatory body for its home country to sell insurance, reinsurance, or annuity contracts to persons other than related persons (within the meaning of section 954(d)(3)) in such home country,

(B)

derives more than 50 percent of its aggregate net written premiums from the issuance or reinsurance by such controlled foreign corporation and each of its qualifying insurance company branches of contracts—

(i)

covering applicable home country risks (as defined in paragraph (2)) of such corporation or branch, as the case may be, and

(ii)

with respect to which no policyholder, insured, annuitant, or beneficiary is a related person (as defined in section 954(d)(3)),

except that in the case of a branch, such premiums shall only be taken into account to the extent such premiums are treated as earned by such branch in its home country for purposes of such country’s tax laws, and

(C)

is engaged in the insurance business and would be subject to tax under subchapter L if it were a domestic corporation.

(4)

Qualifying insurance company branch

The term “qualifying insurance company branch” means a qualified business unit (within the meaning of section 989(a)) of a controlled foreign corporation if—

(A)

such unit is licensed, authorized, or regulated by the applicable insurance regulatory body for its home country to sell insurance, reinsurance, or annuity contracts to persons other than related persons (within the meaning of section 954(d)(3)) in such home country, and

(B)

such controlled foreign corporation is a qualifying insurance company, determined under paragraph (3) as if such unit were a qualifying insurance company branch.

(5)

Life insurance or annuity contract

For purposes of this section and section 954, the determination of whether a contract issued by a controlled foreign corporation or a qualified business unit (within the meaning of section 989(a)) is a life insurance contract or an annuity contract shall be made without regard to sections 72(s), 101(f), 817(h), and 7702 if—

(A)

such contract is regulated as a life insurance or annuity contract by the corporation’s or unit’s home country, and

(B)

no policyholder, insured, annuitant, or beneficiary with respect to the contract is a United States person.

(6)

Home country

For purposes of this subsection, except as provided in regulations—

(A)

Controlled foreign corporation

(B)

Qualified business unit

(7)

Anti-abuse rules

For purposes of applying this subsection and section 954(i)—

(A)

the rules of section 954(h)(7) (other than subparagraph (B) thereof) shall apply,

(B)

there shall be disregarded any item of income, gain, loss, or deduction of, or derived from, an entity which is not engaged in regular and continuous transactions with persons which are not related persons,

(C)

there shall be disregarded any change in the method of computing reserves a principal purpose of which is the acceleration or deferral of any item in order to claim the benefits of this subsection or section 954(i),

(D)

a contract of insurance or reinsurance shall not be treated as an exempt contract (and premiums from such contract shall not be taken into account for purposes of paragraph (2)(B) or (3)) if—

(i)

any policyholder, insured, annuitant, or beneficiary is a resident of the United States and such contract was marketed to such resident and was written to cover a risk outside the United States, or

(ii)

the contract covers risks located within and without the United States and the qualifying insurance company or qualifying insurance company branch does not maintain such contemporaneous records, and file such reports, with respect to such contract as the Secretary may require,

(E)

the Secretary may prescribe rules for the allocation of contracts (and income from contracts) among 2 or more qualifying insurance company branches of a qualifying insurance company in order to clearly reflect the income of such branches, and

(F)

premiums from a contract shall not be taken into account for purposes of paragraph (2)(B) or (3) if such contract reinsures a contract issued or reinsured by a related person (as defined in section 954(d)(3)).

For purposes of subparagraph (D), the determination of where risks are located shall be made under the principles of section 953.

(8)

Coordination with subsection (c)

(9)

Regulations

(10)

Cross reference

(Added Pub. L. 87–834, § 12(a), Oct. 16, 1962, 76 Stat. 1008; amended Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(m)(2), Nov. 13, 1966, 80 Stat. 1563; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), Oct. 4, 1976, 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(b)(13), July 18, 1984, 98 Stat. 755; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1221(b)(1), (2), (3)(D), Oct. 22, 1986, 100 Stat. 2551, 2553; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(i)(1)–(3)(B), (4), (5), (7)–(9), (21), title VI, § 6135(a), Nov. 10, 1988, 102 Stat. 3507–3509, 3511, 3721; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7816(p), Dec. 19, 1989, 103 Stat. 2423; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title I, § 1005(b)(1), (3), Oct. 21, 1998, 112 Stat. 2681–893, 2681–899; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 503(a), (b), Dec. 17, 1999, 113 Stat. 1921; Pub. L. 107–147, title VI, § 614(a)(1), Mar. 9, 2002, 116 Stat. 61; Pub. L. 109–222, title I, § 103(a)(1), May 17, 2006, 120 Stat. 346; Pub. L. 110–343, div. C, title III, § 303(a), Oct. 3, 2008, 122 Stat. 3866; Pub. L. 111–312, title VII, § 750(a), (b), Dec. 17, 2010, 124 Stat. 3320; Pub. L. 112–240, title III, § 322(a), Jan. 2, 2013, 126 Stat. 2332; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title I, § 134(a), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 4019; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title I, § 128(a), Dec. 18, 2015, 129 Stat. 3054; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 13511(b)(7), 13512(b)(8), 14212(b)(1)(D), (3), Dec. 22, 2017, 131 Stat. 2142, 2143, 2217.)

cite as: 26 USC 953

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