26 U.S.C. § 953
(a) Insurance income
(1) In general For purposes of section 952(a)(1), the term “insurance income” means any income which—
(b) Special rules For purposes of subsection (a)—
(1) The following provisions of subchapter L shall not apply:
(2) The items referred to in—
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).
(c) Special rule for certain captive insurance companies
(1) In general For purposes only of taking into account 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—
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.
(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)—
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
(4) Treatment of mutual insurance companies In the case of a mutual insurance company—
(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—
(6) Related person For purposes of this subsection—
(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—
(8) Regulations The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including—
(d) Election by foreign insurance company to be treated as domestic corporation
(1) In general If—
for purposes of this title, such corporation shall be treated as a domestic corporation.
(2) Period during which election is in effect
(4) Effect of election
(B) Exception for pre-1988 earnings and profit
(iv) Specified provisions The provisions specified in this clause are:
(5) Effect of termination For purposes of section 367, if—
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
(B) Amount of tax The amount of tax determined under this paragraph shall be equal to the lesser of—
(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—
(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—
(2) Exempt contract
(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)—
(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—
(3) Qualifying insurance company The term “qualifying insurance company” means any controlled foreign corporation which—
(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—
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
(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—
(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—
(6) Home country For purposes of this subsection, except as provided in regulations—
(7) Anti-abuse rules For purposes of applying this subsection and 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—
For purposes of subparagraph (D), the determination of where risks are located shall be made under the principles of section 953.
(Added Pub. L. 87–834, § 12(a), , 76 Stat. 1008; amended Pub. L. 89–809, title I, § 104(m)(2), , 80 Stat. 1563; Pub. L. 94–455, title XIX, § 1906(b)(13)(A), , 90 Stat. 1834; Pub. L. 98–369, div. A, title II, § 211(b)(13), , 98 Stat. 755; Pub. L. 99–514, title XII, § 1221(b)(1), (2), (3)(D), , 100 Stat. 2551, 2553; Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(i)(1)–(3)(B), (4), (5), (7)–(9), (21), title VI, § 6135(a), , 102 Stat. 3507–3509, 3511, 3721; Pub. L. 101–239, title VII, § 7816(p), , 103 Stat. 2423; Pub. L. 105–277, div. J, title I, § 1005(b)(1), (3), , 112 Stat. 2681–893, 2681–899; Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 503(a), (b), , 113 Stat. 1921; Pub. L. 107–147, title VI, § 614(a)(1), , 116 Stat. 61; Pub. L. 109–222, title I, § 103(a)(1), , 120 Stat. 346; Pub. L. 110–343, div. C, title III, § 303(a), , 122 Stat. 3866; Pub. L. 111–312, title VII, § 750(a), (b), , 124 Stat. 3320; Pub. L. 112–240, title III, § 322(a), , 126 Stat. 2332; Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title I, § 134(a), , 128 Stat. 4019; Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title I, § 128(a), , 129 Stat. 3054; Pub. L. 115–97, title I, §§ 13511(b)(7), 13512(b)(8), 14212(b)(1)(D), (3), , 131 Stat. 2142, 2143, 2217.)
2017—Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 115–97, § 13512(b)(8), redesignated subpar. (B) as (A) and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “The small life insurance company deduction.”
Subsec. (b)(1)(B). Pub. L. 115–97, § 13512(b)(8), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B). Former subpar. (B) redesignated (A).
Pub. L. 115–97, § 13511(b)(7), amended subpar. (B) generally. Prior to amendment, subpar. (B) read as follows: “Section 805(a)(5) (relating to operations loss deduction).”
Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–97, § 13512(b)(8), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B).
Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–97, § 14212(b)(1)(D), substituted “section 951(a)(1)(A)” for “section 951(a)(1)(A)(i)”.
Subsec. (d)(4)(B)(iv)(II). Pub. L. 115–97, § 14212(b)(3), struck out before period at end “or amounts referred to in clause (ii) or (iii) of section 951(a)(1)(A)”.
2015—Subsec. (e)(10), (11). Pub. L. 114–113 redesignated par. (11) as (10) and struck out former par. (10). Prior to amendment, text of par. (10) read as follows: “This subsection and section 954(i) shall apply only to taxable years of a foreign corporation beginning after , and before , and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which any such taxable year of such foreign corporation ends. If this subsection does not apply to a taxable year of a foreign corporation beginning after (and taxable years of United States shareholders ending with or within such taxable year), then, notwithstanding the preceding sentence, subsection (a) shall be applied to such taxable years in the same manner as it would if the taxable year of the foreign corporation began in 1998.”
2014—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 113–295 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
2013—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 112–240 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
2010—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 111–312 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
2008—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 110–343 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
2006—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 109–222 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
2002—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 107–147 substituted “” for “” and “” for “”.
1999—Subsec. (e)(10). Pub. L. 106–170 substituted “taxable years” for “the first taxable year”, “” for “”, and “within which any such” for “within which such”, and inserted at end “If this subsection does not apply to a taxable year of a foreign corporation beginning after (and taxable years of United States shareholders ending with or within such taxable year), then, notwithstanding the preceding sentence, subsection (a) shall be applied to such taxable years in the same manner as it would if the taxable year of the foreign corporation began in 1998.”
1998—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1005(b)(1)(A), amended heading and text of subsec. (a) generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “For purposes of section 952(a)(1), the term ‘insurance income’ means any income which—
“(1) is attributable to the issuing (or reinsuring) of any insurance or annuity contract—
“(A) in connection with property in, liability arising out of activity in, or in connection with the lives or health of residents of, a country other than the country under the laws of which the controlled foreign corporation is created or organized, or
“(B) in connection with risks not described in subparagraph (A) as the result of any arrangement whereby another corporation receives a substantially equal amount of premiums or other consideration in respect of issuing (or reinsuring) a contract described in subparagraph (A), and
“(2) would (subject to the modifications provided by paragraphs (1) and (2) of subsection (b)) be taxed under subchapter L of this chapter if such income were the income of a domestic insurance company.”
Subsec. (b)(3), (4). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1005(b)(3), added par. (3) and redesignated former par. (3) as (4).
Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 105–277, § 1005(b)(1)(B), added subsec. (e).
1989—Subsec. (d)(3). Pub. L. 101–239 substituted “for purposes of section 1503(d) without regard to paragraph (2)(B) thereof” for “(as defined in section 1503(d))”.
1988—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(7)(A), redesignated par. (2) as (1) and struck out former par. (1) which read as follows: “A corporation which would, if it were a domestic insurance corporation, be taxable under part II of subchapter L shall apply subsection (a) as if it were taxable under part III of subchapter L.”
Subsec. (b)(1)(A). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(7)(B), added subpar. (A) and struck out former subpar. (A) which read as follows: “The special life insurance company deduction and the small life insurance company deduction.”
Subsec. (b)(2) to (4). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(7)(A), (C), redesignated pars. (3) and (4) as (2) and (3), respectively, and struck out “(other than those taken into account under paragraph (3))” after “and deductions” in par. (3). Former par. (2) redesignated (1).
Subsec. (c)(1)(C). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(2)(A), added subpar. (C).
Subsec. (c)(2). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(3)(A), (4)(B), (5), substituted “insurance income (within the meaning of subsection (a)) attributable” for “insurance income attributable”, “with respect to which the person (directly or indirectly) insured is” for “with respect to which the primary insured is”, and “related person” for “related person (within the meaning of section 954(d)(3))”.
Subsec. (c)(3)(A). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(3)(B), (4)(B), substituted “persons who are (directly or indirectly) insured” for “persons who are the primary insured” and “to any such person” for “(within the meaning of section 954(d)(3)) to any such primary insured”.
Subsec. (c)(3)(B). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(8), substituted “related person insurance income (determined on a gross basis)” for “related person insurance income” and “its insurance income (as so determined)” for “its insurance income”.
Subsec. (c)(3)(C). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(1)(A), (9), substituted “all benefits (other than with respect to section 884)” for “all benefits” and “granted by the United States under any treaty” for “under any income tax treaty” in cl. (i)(II) and inserted at end “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.”
Subsec. (c)(3)(D)(i). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(1)(B), substituted “Period during which election in effect” for “Election irrevocable” in heading and amended text generally. Prior to amendment, text read as follows: “Any election under subparagraph (C) shall apply to the taxable year for which made and all subsequent taxable years unless revoked with the consent of the Secretary.”
Subsec. (c)(3)(E). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(1)(C), added subpar. (E).
Subsec. (c)(5). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(2)(B), added par. (5) and redesignated former par. (5) as (6).
Subsec. (c)(6). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(4)(A), added par. (6) and redesignated former par. (6) as (7).
Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(2)(B), redesignated former par. (5) as (6).
Subsec. (c)(7). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(21), added par. (7) and struck out former par. (7) “Regulations”, which read as follows: “The Secretary shall prescribe such regulations as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this subsection, including regulations preventing the avoidance of this subsection through cross insurance arrangements or otherwise.”
Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(4)(A), redesignated former par. (6) as (7).
Subsec. (c)(8). Pub. L. 100–647, § 1012(i)(21), added par. (8).
Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 100–647, § 6135(a), added subsec. (d).
1986—Pub. L. 99–514, § 1221(b)(3)(D), substituted “Insurance income” for “Income from insurance of United States risks” in section catchline.
Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1221(b)(1), amended subsec. (a) generally, substituting provisions defining “insurance income” for former provisions defining “income derived from the insurance of United States risks”.
Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 99–514, § 1221(b)(2), added subsec. (c).
1984—Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(D), substituted “and (2)” for “, (2), and (3)”.
Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(A), redesignated par. (2) as (1). Former par. (1), which provided that the application of part I of subchapter L of this chapter, life insurance company taxable income was the gain from operations as defined in section 809(b), was struck out.
Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(B), in amending par. (2) generally, substituted
“(A) The special life insurance company deduction and the small life insurance company deduction.
“(B) Section 805(a)(5) (relating to operations loss deduction).
“(C) Section 832(c)(5) (relating to certain capital losses).”
for
“(A) Section 809(d)(4) (operations loss deduction).
“(B) Section 809(d)(5) (certain nonparticipating contracts).
“(C) Section 809(d)(6) (group life, accident, and health insurance).”
and struck out
“(D) Section 809(d)(10) (small business deduction).
“(E) Section 817(b) (gain on property held on , and certain substituted property acquired after 1958).
“(F) Section 832(c)(5) (certain capital losses).”
Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(A), redesignated par. (3) as (2). Former par. (2) redesignated (1).
Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(A), redesignated par. (4) as (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (2).
Subsec. (b)(3)(A). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(C)(i), substituted “section 803(a)(1)” for “section 809(c)(1)”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(B). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(C)(ii), substituted “section 803(a)(2)” for “section 809(c)(2)”.
Subsec. (b)(3)(C). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(C)(iii), substituted “section 805(a)(2)” for “section 809(d)(2)”.
Subsec. (b)(4), (5). Pub. L. 98–369, § 211(b)(13)(A), (E), redesignated par. (5) as (4) and substituted “paragraph (3)” for “paragraph (4)”. Former par. (4) redesignated (3).
1976—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 94–455 struck out “or his delegate” after “Secretary”.
1966—Subsec. (b)(3)(F). Pub. L. 89–809 substituted “832(c)(5)” for “832(b)(5)”.
Amendment by section 13511(b)(7) of Pub. L. 115–97 applicable to losses arising in taxable years beginning after , see section 13511(c) of Pub. L. 115–97, set out as a note under section 381 of this title.
Amendment by section 13512(b)(8) of Pub. L. 115–97 applicable to taxable years beginning after , see section 13512(c) of Pub. L. 115–97, set out as a note under section 453B of this title.
Amendment by section 14212(b)(1)(D), (3) of Pub. L. 115–97 applicable to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after , and to taxable years of United States shareholders in which or with which such taxable years of foreign corporations end, see section 14212(c) of Pub. L. 115–97, set out as a note under section 851 of this title.
Pub. L. 114–113, div. Q, title I, § 128(c), , 129 Stat. 3054, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after
December 31, 2014, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which any such taxable year of such foreign corporation ends.”
Pub. L. 113–295, div. A, title I, § 134(c), , 128 Stat. 4019, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after
December 31, 2013, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which any such taxable year of such foreign corporation ends.”
Pub. L. 112–240, title III, § 322(c), , 126 Stat. 2332, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after
December 31, 2011, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which any such taxable year of such foreign corporation ends.”
Pub. L. 111–312, title VII, § 750(c), , 124 Stat. 3320, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after
December 31, 2009, and to taxable years of United States shareholders with or within which any such taxable year of such foreign corporation ends.”
Pub. L. 107–147, title VI, § 614(c), , 116 Stat. 62, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 2001.”
Pub. L. 106–170, title V, § 503(c), , 113 Stat. 1921, provided that:
“The amendments made by this section [amending this section and
section 954 of this title] shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 1999.”
Amendment by Pub. L. 101–239 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Technical and Miscellaneous Revenue Act of 1988, Pub. L. 100–647, to which such amendment relates, see section 7817 of Pub. L. 101–239, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Pub. L. 100–647, title I, § 1012(i)(3)(C), , 102 Stat. 3508, provided that:
“The amendments made by this paragraph [amending this section] to the extent such amendments add the phrase ‘(directly or indirectly)’ shall apply only to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 1987.”
Amendment by section 1012(i)(1), (2), (4), (5), (7)–(9), (21) of Pub. L. 100–647 effective, except as otherwise provided, as if included in the provision of the Tax Reform Act of 1986, Pub. L. 99–514, to which such amendment relates, see section 1019(a) of Pub. L. 100–647, set out as a note under section 1 of this title.
Pub. L. 100–647, title VI, § 6135(b), , 102 Stat. 3723, provided that:
“The amendment made by subsection (a) [amending this section] shall apply to taxable years beginning after
December 31, 1987.”
Amendment by Pub. L. 99–514 applicable to taxable years of foreign corporations beginning after , except as otherwise provided, see section 1221(g) of Pub. L. 99–514, set out as a note under section 954 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 98–369 applicable to taxable years beginning after , see section 215 of Pub. L. 98–369, set out as an Effective Date note under section 801 of this title.
Amendment by Pub. L. 89–809 applicable with respect to taxable years beginning after , see section 104(n) of Pub. L. 89–809, set out as a note under section 11 of this title.