Rules for certain reserves
Decrease treated as gross income
If for any taxable year—
the opening balance for the items described in subsection (c), exceeds
the closing balance for such items, reduced by
the amount of the policyholders’ share of tax-exempt interest and the amount of the policyholder’s share of 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,
such excess shall be included in gross income under section 803(a)(2).
Increase treated as deduction
If for any taxable year—
the closing balance for the items described in subsection (c), reduced by
the amount of the policyholders’ share of tax-exempt interest and the amount of the policyholder’s share of 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, exceeds
the opening balance for such items,
such excess shall be taken into account as a deduction under section 805(a)(2).
Items taken into account
The items referred to in subsections (a) and (b) are as follows:
The life insurance reserves (as defined in section 816(b)).
The unearned premiums and unpaid losses included in total reserves under section 816(c)(2).
The amounts (discounted at the appropriate rate of interest) necessary to satisfy the obligations under insurance and annuity contracts, but only if such obligations do not involve (at the time with respect to which the computation is made under this paragraph) life, accident, or health contingencies.
Dividend accumulations, and other amounts, held at interest in connection with insurance and annuity contracts.
Premiums received in advance, and liabilities for premium deposit funds.
Reasonable special contingency reserves under contracts of group term life insurance or group accident and health insurance which are established and maintained for the provision of insurance on retired lives, for premium stabilization, or for a combination thereof.
For purposes of paragraph (3), the appropriate rate of interest for any obligation is whichever of the following rates is the highest as of the time such obligation first did not involve life, accident, or health contingencies: the applicable Federal interest rate under subsection (d)(2)(B)(i), the prevailing State assumed interest rate under subsection (d)(2)(B)(ii), or the rate of interest assumed by the company in determining the guaranteed benefit. In no case shall the amount determined under paragraph (3) for any contract be less than the net surrender value of such contract. For purposes of paragraph (2) and section 805(a)(1), the amount of the unpaid losses (other than losses on life insurance contracts) shall be the amount of the discounted unpaid losses as defined in section 846.
Method of computing reserves for purposes of determining income
In general
For purposes of this part (other than section 816), the amount of the life insurance reserves for any contract shall be the greater of—
the net surrender value of such contract, or
the reserve determined under paragraph (2).
In no event shall the reserve determined under the preceding sentence for any contract as of any time exceed the amount which would be taken into account with respect to such contract as of such time in determining statutory reserves (as defined in paragraph (6)).
Amount of reserve
The amount of the reserve determined under this paragraph with respect to any contract shall be determined by using—
the tax reserve method applicable to such contract,
the greater of—
the applicable Federal interest rate, or
the prevailing State assumed interest rate, and
the prevailing commissioners’ standard tables for mortality and morbidity adjusted as appropriate to reflect the risks (such as substandard risks) incurred under the contract which are not otherwise taken into account.
Tax reserve method
For purposes of this subsection—
In general
The term “tax reserve method” means—
Life insurance contracts
Annuity contracts
Noncancellable accident and health insurance contracts
Other contracts
In the case of any contract not described in clause (i), (ii), or (iii)—
the reserve method prescribed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners which covers such contract (as of the date of issuance), or
if no reserve method has been prescribed by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners which covers such contract, a reserve method which is consistent with the reserve method required under clause (i), (ii), or (iii) or under subclause (I) of this clause as of the date of the issuance of such contract (whichever is most appropriate).
Definition of CRVM and CARVM
For purposes of this paragraph—
CRVM
CARVM
No additional reserve deduction allowed for deficiency reserves
Applicable Federal interest rate; prevailing State assumed interest rate
For purposes of this subsection—
Applicable Federal interest rate
In general
Election to recompute Federal interest rate every 5 years
In general
Recomputation period
Election
Spread not available
Prevailing State assumed interest rate
In general
When rate determined
Prevailing commissioners’ standard tables
For purposes of this subsection—
In general
Insurer may use old tables for 3 years when tables change
Special rule for contracts for which there are no commissioners’ standard tables
Special rule for contracts issued before 1948
If—
a contract was issued before 1948, and
there were no commissioners’ standard tables applicable to such contract when it was issued,
the mortality and morbidity tables used in computing statutory reserves for such contracts shall be used for purposes of paragraph (2)(C).
Special rule where more than 1 table or option applicable
Statutory reserves
Special rules for computing reserves
Net surrender value
For purposes of this section—
In general
The net surrender value of any contract shall be determined—
with regard to any penalty or charge which would be imposed on surrender, but
without regard to any market value adjustment on surrender.
Special rule for pension plan contracts
Issuance date in case of group contracts
Supplemental benefits
Qualified supplemental benefits treated separately
For purposes of this part, the amount of the life insurance reserve for any qualified supplemental benefit—
shall be computed separately as though such benefit were under a separate contract, and
shall, except to the extent otherwise provided in regulations, be the reserve taken into account for purposes of the annual statement approved by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.
Supplemental benefits which are not qualified supplemental benefits
Qualified supplemental benefit
For purposes of this paragraph, the term “qualified supplemental benefit” means any supplemental benefit described in subparagraph (D) if—
there is a separately identified premium or charge for such benefit, and
any net surrender value under the contract attributable to any other benefit is not available to fund such benefit.
Supplemental benefits
For purposes of this paragraph, the supplemental benefits described in this subparagraph are any—
guaranteed insurability,
accidental death or disability benefit,
convertibility,
disability waiver benefit, or
other benefit prescribed by regulations,
which is supplemental to a contract for which there is a reserve described in subsection (c).
Certain contracts issued by foreign branches of domestic life insurance companies
In general
Qualified foreign contract
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “qualified foreign contract” means any contract issued by a foreign life insurance branch (which has its principal place of business in a foreign country) of a domestic life insurance company if—
such contract is issued on the life or health of a resident of such country,
such domestic life insurance company was required by such foreign country (as of the time it began operations in such country) to operate in such country through a branch, and
such foreign country is not contiguous to the United States.
Treatment of substandard risks
Separate computation
Qualified substandard risk
For purposes of subparagraph (A), the term “qualified substandard risk” means any substandard risk if—
the insurance company maintains a separate reserve for such risk,
there is a separately identified premium or charge for such risk,
the amount of the net surrender value under the contract is not increased or decreased by reason of such risk, and
the net surrender value under the contract is not regularly used to pay premium charges for such risk.
Limitation on amount of life insurance reserve
Limitation on amount of contracts to which paragraph applies
Special rules for contracts issued before January 1, 1989, under existing plans of insurance, with term insurance or annuity benefits
For purposes of this part—
In general
Benefits to which this paragraph applies
Existing plan of insurance
Special rules for treatment of certain nonlife reserves
In general
The amount taken into account for purposes of subsections (a) and (b) as—
the opening balance of the items referred to in subparagraph (C), and
the closing balance of such items,
shall be 80 percent of the amount which (without regard to this subparagraph) would have been taken into account as such opening or closing balance, as the case may be.
Transitional rule
In general
Termination as life insurance company
Description of items
Adjustment for change in computing reserves
10-year spread
In general
For purposes of this part, if the basis for determining any item referred to in subsection (c) as of the close of any taxable year differs from the basis for such determination as of the close of the preceding taxable year, then so much of the difference between—
the amount of the item at the close of the taxable year, computed on the new basis, and
the amount of the item at the close of the taxable year, computed on the old basis,
as is attributable to contracts issued before the taxable year shall be taken into account under the method provided in subparagraph (B).
Method
The method provided in this subparagraph is as follows:
if the amount determined under subparagraph (A)(i) exceeds the amount determined under subparagraph (A)(ii), ⅒ of such excess shall be taken into account, for each of the succeeding 10 taxable years, as a deduction under section 805(a)(2); or
if the amount determined under subparagraph (A)(ii) exceeds the amount determined under subparagraph (A)(i), ⅒ of such excess shall be included in gross income, for each of the 10 succeeding taxable years, under section 803(a)(2).
Termination as life insurance company
Source
(Added Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(a),Notes
Codification
Prior Provisions
Amendments
Effective Date of 2004 Amendment
Effective Date of 1997 Amendment
Effective Date of 1996 Amendment
Effective Date of 1990 Amendment
Effective Date of 1987 Amendment
Effective Date of 1986 Amendment
Effective Date
Plan Amendments Not Required Until January 1, 1989
Treatment of Certain Assessment Life Insurance Companies
Mortality and morbidity tables.—
In the case of a contract issued by an assessment life insurance company, the mortality and morbidity tables used in computing statutory reserves for such contract shall be used for purposes of paragraph (2)(C) of section 807(d) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 [formerly I.R.C. 1954] (as amended by this subtitle [subtitle A (§§ 211–219) of title II of div. A of Pub. L. 98–369]) if such tables were—
in use since 1965, and
developed on the basis of the experience of assessment life insurance companies in the State in which such assessment life insurance company is domiciled.
Treatment of certain mutual assessment life insurance companies.—
In the case of any contract issued by a mutual assessment life insurance company which—
has been in existence since 1965, and
operates under chapter 13 or 14 of the Texas Insurance Code,
for purposes of part I of subchapter L of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, the amount of the life insurance reserves for such contract shall be equal to the amount taken into account with respect to such contract in determining statutory reserves.
Statutory reserves.—
For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘statutory reserves’ has the meaning given to such term by [former] section 809(b)(4)(B) of such Code.”
Special Rule for Companies Using Net Level Reserve Method for Noncancellable Accident and Health Insurance Contracts
such company—
was using the net level reserve method to compute at least 99 percent of its statutory reserves on such contracts as of
received more than half its total direct premiums in 1982 from directly-written noncancellable accident and health insurance,
after
for any such contract for which the company does not use the net level reserve method, such company uses the same method for computing tax reserves as such company uses for computing its statutory reserves.”