26 U.S.C. § 816 | Life insurance company defined

(a)

Life insurance company defined

For purposes of this subtitle, the term “life insurance company” means an insurance company which is engaged in the business of issuing life insurance and annuity contracts (either separately or combined with accident and health insurance), or noncancellable contracts of health and accident insurance, if—

(1)

its life insurance reserves (as defined in subsection (b)), plus

(2)

unearned premiums, and unpaid losses (whether or not ascertained), on noncancellable life, accident, or health policies not included in life insurance reserves,

comprise more than 50 percent of its total reserves (as defined in subsection (c)). For purposes of the preceding sentence, the term “insurance company” means any company more than half of the business of which during the taxable year is the issuing of insurance or annuity contracts or the reinsuring of risks underwritten by insurance companies.

(b)

Life insurance reserves defined

(1)

In general

For purposes of this part, the term “life insurance reserves” means amounts—

(A)

which are computed or estimated on the basis of recognized mortality or morbidity tables and assumed rates of interest, and

(B)

which are set aside to mature or liquidate, either by payment or reinsurance, future unaccrued claims arising from life insurance, annuity, and noncancellable accident and health insurance contracts (including life insurance or annuity contracts combined with noncancellable accident and health insurance) involving, at the time with respect to which the reserve is computed, life, accident, or health contingencies.

(2)

Reserves must be required by law

Except—

(A)

in the case of policies covering life, accident, and health insurance combined in one policy issued on the weekly premium payment plan, continuing for life and not subject to cancellation, and

(B)

as provided in paragraph (3),

in addition to the requirements set forth in paragraph (1), life insurance reserves must be required by law.

(3)

Assessment companies

In the case of an assessment life insurance company or association, the term “life insurance reserves” includes—

(A)

sums actually deposited by such company or association with State officers pursuant to law as guaranty or reserve funds, and

(B)

any funds maintained, under the charter or articles of incorporation or association (or bylaws approved by a State insurance commissioner) of such company or association, exclusively for the payment of claims arising under certificates of membership or policies issued on the assessment plan and not subject to any other use.

(4)

Amount of reserves

For purposes of this subsection, subsection (a), and subsection (c), the amount of any reserve (or portion thereof) for any taxable year shall be the mean of such reserve (or portion thereof) at the beginning and end of the taxable year.

(c)

Total reserves defined

For purposes of subsection (a), the term “total reserves” means—

(1)

life insurance reserves,

(2)

unearned premiums, and unpaid losses (whether or not ascertained), not included in life insurance reserves, and

(3)

all other insurance reserves required by law.

(d)

Adjustments in reserves for policy loans

For purposes only of determining under subsection (a) whether or not an insurance company is a life insurance company, the life insurance reserves, and the total reserves, shall each be reduced by an amount equal to the mean of the aggregates, at the beginning and end of the taxable year, of the policy loans outstanding with respect to contracts for which life insurance reserves are maintained.

(e)

Guaranteed renewable contracts

For purposes of this part, guaranteed renewable life, accident, and health insurance shall be treated in the same manner as noncancellable life, accident, and health insurance.

(f)

Amounts not involving life, accident, or health contingencies

For purposes only of determining under subsection (a) whether or not an insurance company is a life insurance company, amounts set aside and held at interest to satisfy obligations under contracts which do not contain permanent guarantees with respect to life, accident, or health contingencies shall not be included in reserves described in paragraph (1) or (3) of subsection (c).

(g)

Burial and funeral benefit insurance companies

A burial or funeral benefit insurance company engaged directly in the manufacture of funeral supplies or the performance of funeral services shall not be taxable under this part but shall be taxable under section 831.

(h)

Treatment of deficiency reserves

For purposes of this section and section 842(b)(2)(B)(i), the terms “life insurance reserves” and “total reserves” shall not include deficiency reserves.

Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(a)July 18, 198498 Stat. 748 Pub. L. 99–514, title XVIII, § 1821lOct. 22, 1986100 Stat. 2841 Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10242(c)(2)Dec. 22, 1987101 Stat. 1330–423 Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1010(f)(6)Nov. 10, 1988102 Stat. 3454(Added , , ; amended (), , ; , , ; , title II, § 2004(q)(1), , , 3608.)

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

act Aug. 16, 1954, ch. 736, § 816 Mar. 13, 1956, ch. 83, § 2 70 Stat. 46 Pub. L. 86–69, § 2(a)A prior section 816, , as added , , related to taxation of foreign life insurance companies, prior to the general revision of this part by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 100–647, § 1010(f)(6)1988—Subsec. (g). , substituted “section 831” for “section 821 or section 831”.

Pub. L. 100–647, § 2004(q)(1)Subsec. (h). , substituted “section 842(b)(2)(B)(i)” for “section 842(c)(1)(A)”.

Pub. L. 100–2031987—Subsec. (h). substituted “section 842(c)(1)(A)” for “section 813(a)(4)(B)”.

Pub. L. 99–5141986—Subsec. (h). added subsec. (h).

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 1988 Amendment

section 1010(f)(6) of Pub. L. 100–647 Pub. L. 99–514 section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647 section 1 of this titleAmendment by effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, , to which such amendment relates, see , set out as a note under .

section 2004(q)(1) of Pub. L. 100–647 Pub. L. 100–203, title X section 2004(u) of Pub. L. 100–647 section 56 of this titleAmendment by effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Revenue Act of 1987, , to which such amendment relates, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date of 1987 Amendment

Pub. L. 100–203, title X, § 10242(d)Dec. 22, 1987101 Stat. 1330–423

section 813 of this titleDecember 31, 1987“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and sections 842, 864, and 4371 of this title and repealing ] shall apply to taxable years beginning after .”

, , , provided that:

Effective Date of 1986 Amendment

Pub. L. 99–514 Pub. L. 98–369, div. A section 1881 of Pub. L. 99–514 section 48 of this titleAmendment by effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provisions of the Tax Reform Act of 1984, , to which such amendment relates, see , set out as a note under .

Effective Date

Dec. 31, 1983section 215 of Pub. L. 98–369 section 801 of this titleSection applicable to taxable years beginning after , see , set out as a note under .

Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989

Pub. L. 99–514Jan. 1, 1989section 1140 of Pub. L. 99–514 section 401 of this titleFor provisions directing that if any amendments made by subtitle A or subtitle C of title XI [§§ 1101–1147 and 1171–1177] or title XVIII [§§ 1800–1899A] of require an amendment to any plan, such plan amendment shall not be required to be made before the first plan year beginning on or after , see , as amended, set out as a note under .

Special Election To Treat Individual Noncancellable Accident and Health Contracts as Cancellable

Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 217(i)July 18, 198498 Stat. 764 Pub. L. 99–514, § 2Oct. 22, 1986100 Stat. 2095 Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1010(h)(1)Nov. 10, 1988102 Stat. 3455

“(1)

In general .—

A mutual life insurance company may elect to treat all individual noncancellable (or guaranteed renewable) accident and health insurance contracts as though they were cancellable for purposes of section 816 of subchapter L of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954].

“(2)

Effect of election on subsidiaries of electing parent .—

For purposes of determining the amount of the small life insurance company deduction of any controlled group which includes a mutual company which made an election under paragraph (1), the taxable income of such electing company shall be taken into account under [former] section 806(b)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to phaseout of small life insurance company deduction).

“(3)

Election .—

December 31, 1983An election under paragraph (1) shall apply to the company’s first taxable year beginning after , and all taxable years thereafter.

“(4)

Time and manner .—

An election under paragraph (1) shall be made—

“(A)

December 31, 1983 on the return of the taxpayer for its first taxable year beginning after , and

“(B)

in such manner as the Secretary of the Treasury or his delegate may prescribe.”

, , , as amended by , , ; , , , provided that:

Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1010(h)(2)Nov. 10, 1988102 Stat. 3455[, (3), , , provided that:

Effective datesection 217(i) of Pub. L. 98–369December 31, 1986January 1, 1992[“(2) .—The amendment made by this subsection [amending , set out above] shall apply to taxable years beginning after , and before .

Revenue loss limited[“(3) .—The decrease in the amount of Federal revenue by reason of the amendment made by this subsection shall not exceed $300,000 per taxable year.”]