[Federal Register Volume 65, Number 4 (Thursday, January 6, 2000)]
[Rules and Regulations]
[Pages 701-710]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 00-13]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY

Internal Revenue Service

26 CFR Part 1

[TD 8857]
RIN 1545-AU60


Determination of Underwriting Income

AGENCY: Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Treasury.

ACTION: Final regulations.

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SUMMARY: This document contains final regulations relating to the 
determination of underwriting income by insurance companies other than 
life insurance companies. In computing underwriting income, non-life 
insurance companies are required to reduce by 20 percent their 
deductions for increases in unearned premiums. This requirement was 
enacted as part of the Tax Reform Act of 1986. These regulations 
provide guidance to non-life insurance companies for purposes of 
determining the amount of unearned premiums that are subject to the 20 
percent reduction rule.

DATES: The regulations are effective January 5, 2000.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Gary Geisler, (202) 622-3970 (not a 
toll-free number).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

[[Page 702]]

Background

    On January 2, 1997, the IRS published in the Federal Register a 
notice of proposed rulemaking (REG-209839-96, 1997-1 C.B. 780 [62 FR 
72]) proposing amendments to the Income Tax Regulations (26 CFR part 1) 
under section 832(b) of the Internal Revenue Code. The IRS received a 
number of written comments on the proposed regulations. On April 30, 
1997, the IRS held a public hearing on the proposed regulations. After 
consideration of all written and oral comments regarding the proposed 
regulations, those regulations are adopted as revised by this Treasury 
decision.

Explanation of Revisions and Summary of Comments Underwriting 
Income

    A non-life insurance company's underwriting income equals its 
premiums earned on insurance contracts during the taxable year less its 
losses incurred on insurance contracts and its expenses incurred.\1\ 
See section 832(b)(3). To compute premiums earned, the company starts 
with the gross premiums written on insurance contracts during the 
taxable year, subtracts return premiums and premiums paid for 
reinsurance, and makes an adjustment to reflect the change in its 
unearned premiums over the course of the taxable year. See section 
832(b)(4). This computation results in premiums being recognized in 
underwriting income over the term of the insurance contract, rather 
than in the taxable year in which the premiums are billed or received 
from the policyholder.
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    \1\ For this purpose, expenses incurred generally refers to the 
expenses reported on the company's annual statement approved by the 
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and filed for 
state insurance regulatory purposes, less expenses incurred which 
are not allowed as deductions under section 832(c). See section 
832(b)(6). Expenses incurred generally include premium acquisition 
expenses attributable to unearned premiums on insurance contracts.

    Prior to 1987, 100 percent of the change in unearned premiums 
during the taxable year was taken into account as an increase or 
decrease to written premiums in computing premiums earned. This 
treatment ``generally reflect[ed]'' the accounting conventions (often 
referred to as ``statutory accounting principles'') used to prepare a 
non-life insurance company's annual statement for state insurance 
regulatory purposes. See 2 H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 841, 99th Cong., 2d 
Sess. II-354 (1986), 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 4) 354; S. Rep. No. 313, 99th 
Cong., 2d Sess. 495 (1986), 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 3) 495, H.R. Rep. No. 
426, 99th Cong., 1st Sess. 668 (1985), 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 2) 668. 
Because unearned premiums are computed on the basis of the gross 
premiums for an insurance contract, the amount of unearned premiums 
reflects not only the portion of the gross premium allocable to future 
insurance claims but also the portion allocable to the insurance 
company's expenses and profit on the insurance contract.
    In 1986, Congress determined that deferring unearned premium income 
and currently deducting premium acquisition expenses attributable to 
unearned premiums resulted in a mismatch of an insurance company's net 
income and expense. Congress decided to require a better measurement of 
net income for Federal income tax purposes. See H.R. Rep. No. 426, 
1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 2) at 669; S. Rep. No. 313, 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 3) at 
496. Rather than defer the deduction for premium acquisition expenses 
attributable to unearned premiums, Congress reduced by 20 percent the 
adjustment for unearned premiums. For taxable years beginning on or 
after January 1, 1993, a non-life insurance company's premiums earned 
is an amount equal to: (1) its gross premiums written, less both return 
premiums and premiums paid for reinsurance; plus (2) 80 percent of 
unearned premiums at the end of the prior taxable year, less 80 percent 
of unearned premiums at the end of the current taxable year. Section 
832(b)(4). The acceleration of income that is typically generated by 
the 20 percent reduction of unearned premiums is intended to be roughly 
equivalent to denying current deductibility for the portion of the 
insurance company's premium acquisition expenses allocable to the 
unearned premiums. See 2 H.R. Conf. Rep. No. 841, 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 4) 
at 354-55; S. Rep. No. 313, 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 3) at 495-98; H.R. Rep. 
No. 426, 1986-3 C.B. (Vol. 2) at 668-70.

Role of the Annual Statement

    The proposed regulations provide definitions of the items used to 
determine premiums earned under section 832(b)(4) and timing rules for 
taking these items into account for Federal income tax purposes. The 
treatment provided in the proposed regulations would apply regardless 
of the classification or method of reporting the items used on an 
insurance company's annual statement.

    Several comments questioned whether there is legal authority to 
require an insurance company to use a method to calculate premiums 
earned for Federal income tax purposes that differs from the method 
that the company is permitted to use to calculate premiums earned on 
its annual statement. As noted in the preamble to the proposed 
regulations, the existing regulations under Sec. 1.832-4(a)(2) state 
that the annual statement ``* * * insofar as it is not inconsistent 
with the provisions of the Code * * *'' will be recognized and used as 
a basis for computing the net income of a non-life insurance company. 
Also, if statutory accounting principles permit alternative practices, 
one or more of which do not clearly reflect income as defined by the 
Code, the company is required for Federal income tax purposes to use a 
method that clearly reflects income. Section 446(b) and Sec. 1.446-
1(a)(2).

Gross Premiums Written

    The proposed regulations generally define gross premiums written as 
the total amounts payable for insurance coverage under insurance or 
reinsurance contracts issued or renewed during the taxable year. The 
proposed regulations, however, do not address situations where the 
amounts charged for insurance coverage may change due to increases or 
decreases in coverage limits, additions or deletions in property or 
risks covered, changes in location or status of insureds, or other 
similar factors.

    The final regulations define an insurance company's ``gross 
premiums written'' on insurance contracts (which includes premiums 
attributable to reinsurance contracts) as amounts payable for insurance 
coverage for the effective periods of the contracts. The label placed 
on a payment in a contract does not determine whether an amount is a 
gross premiums written. The effective period of a contract is the 
period over which one or more rates for insurance coverage are 
guaranteed in the contract. If a new rate for insurance coverage is 
guaranteed after the effective date of an insurance contract, the 
making of the guarantee generally is treated as the issuance of a new 
insurance contract with an effective period equal to the duration of 
the new guaranteed rate for insurance coverage.

    Under the final regulations, gross premiums written include: (1) 
Additional premiums resulting from increases in risk exposure during 
the effective period of an insurance contract; (2) amounts subtracted 
from a premium stabilization reserve that are used to pay premiums; and 
(3) consideration for assuming insurance liabilities under contracts 
not issued by the insurance company (that is, a payment or transfer of 
property in an assumption reinsurance transaction).

[[Page 703]]

Gross premiums written, however, do not include other items of gross 
income described in section 832(b)(1)(C). To the extent that amounts 
paid or payable to an insurance company with respect to an arrangement 
are not gross premiums written, the insurance company may not treat 
amounts payable to customers with respect to the applicable portion of 
such arrangements as losses incurred described in section 832(b)(5).

Method of Reporting Gross Premiums Written

    The proposed regulations provide that a non-life insurance company 
reports the full amount of gross premiums written for an insurance 
contract for the earlier of the taxable year which includes the 
effective date of the contract or the year in which all or a portion of 
the premium for the contract is received. A variety of comments were 
received with respect to the application of this timing rule to 
insurance contracts with installment premiums. In response to comments, 
the final regulations provide a number of exceptions from the general 
rule with respect to when an insurance company reports gross premiums 
written.

Advance Premiums

    Under the proposed regulations, a non-life insurance company that 
receives a portion of the premium for an insurance contract prior to 
the effective date of the contract includes the full amount of the 
premium in gross premiums written for the taxable year during which the 
portion of the premium was received.

    Several comments addressed the treatment of advance premiums in the 
proposed regulations. One comment endorsed the proposed treatment of 
advance premiums, noting that it is proper under statutory accounting 
principles to record the full amount of gross premiums written and 
expenses incurred with respect to a casualty insurance policy for the 
year in which an advance premium is received.\2\ Other comments argued 
that since the policyholder may demand a refund of an advance premium 
prior to the policy's effective date, the company should be permitted 
to treat an advance premium as a nontaxable deposit until such time as 
coverage begins under the contract. Alternatively, these comments urged 
that the company be permitted to report only the advance premium 
(rather than the entire gross premium for the contract) in gross 
premiums written for the taxable year of receipt, and to report the 
remainder of the gross premium for the taxable year that includes the 
contract's effective date. These comments also indicated that companies 
generally do not deduct the full amount of premium acquisition expenses 
for the contract in the taxable year in which they receive advance 
premiums.
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    \2\ Prior to 1989, advance premiums were required to be reported 
in written premiums and unearned premiums on a non-life insurance 
company's annual statement. However, statutory accounting principles 
were later modified to permit advance premiums to be accumulated in 
a suspense account and reported as a write-in liability on the 
annual statement. A company electing to use this alternative 
treatment would not report advance premiums in either written 
premiums or unearned premiums on its annual statement until the 
effective date of the underlying coverage.

    In response to comments, the final regulations permit an insurance 
company that receives part of the gross premium for an insurance 
contract prior to the effective date of the contract to report only the 
advance premium (rather than the full amount of the gross premium 
written for the contract) in gross premiums written for the taxable 
year of receipt. The remainder of the gross premium for the insurance 
contract is included in gross premiums written for the taxable year 
which includes the effective date of the contract. This method of 
reporting gross premiums written is available only if the company's 
deduction for premium acquisition expenses attributable to the contract 
does not exceed a limitation specified in the regulations, which is 
intended to ensure that a company does not deduct premium acquisition 
expenses attributable to an insurance contract more rapidly than the 
company includes premiums for the insurance contract in its gross 
premiums written. Companies that adopt this method of reporting gross 
premiums written must use this method for all insurance contracts with 
advance premiums.

Accident and Health Insurance Contracts

    The proposed regulations have no special rules for determining 
gross premiums written with respect to accident and health insurance 
contracts. Several comments indicated that the longstanding practice of 
insurance companies that issue accident and health insurance contracts 
with installment premiums is to include amounts in gross premiums 
written for the taxable year in which the installment premiums become 
due under the contracts. These comments also stated that companies 
generally do not deduct premium acquisition expenses allocable to 
installment premiums not yet due or received with respect to accident 
and health insurance contracts.

    In response to comments, the final regulations permit a non-life 
insurance company that either issues or proportionally reinsures 
cancellable accident and health insurance contracts with installment 
premiums to report the installment premiums in gross premiums written 
for the earlier of the taxable year in which the installment premiums 
become due under the terms of the contract or the taxable year in which 
the installment premiums are received. This method of reporting gross 
premiums written for cancellable accident and health insurance 
contracts with installment premiums is available only if the company's 
deduction for premium acquisition expenses attributable to those 
contracts does not exceed the matching limitation specified in the 
regulations. Companies that adopt this method of reporting gross 
premiums written must use it for all cancellable accident and health 
insurance contracts with installment premiums.

Multi-year Contracts With Installment Premiums

    The final regulations also provide an exception with respect to the 
reporting of gross premiums written for a multi-year insurance contract 
for which the gross premium is payable in installments over the 
effective period of the contract. Under the final regulations, a 
company may treat this type of multi-year insurance contract as a 
series of separate insurance contracts. The first insurance contract in 
the series will be treated as having an effective period of 12 months. 
Subsequent insurance contracts in the series will be treated as having 
an effective period equal to the lesser of 12 months or the remainder 
of the period for which the rates for insurance coverage are guaranteed 
in the multi-year insurance contract. This method of reporting gross 
premium written for a multi-year insurance contract with installment 
premiums is available only if the company's deduction for premium 
acquisition expenses attributable to the contract does not exceed the 
matching limitation specified in the regulations. Companies that adopt 
this method of reporting gross premiums written for a multi-year 
insurance contract must use it for all multi-year contracts with 
installment premiums.

Contracts That Give Rise to Life Insurance Reserves

    Some insurance companies that are taxable under Part II of 
Subchapter L

[[Page 704]]

issue or reinsure risks relating to guaranteed renewable accident and 
health insurance contracts or other contracts that give rise to ``life 
insurance reserves'' (as defined in section 816(b)). For these 
companies, section 832(b)(4) provides that unearned premiums includes 
the amount of the company's life insurance reserves, as determined 
under section 807. However, under section 832(b)(7), the unearned 
premiums for contracts giving rise to life insurance reserves are not 
reduced by 20 percent. Instead, an amount of otherwise deductible 
expenses equal to a percentage of the net premiums for the contracts 
must be capitalized and amortized as specified policy acquisition 
expenses under section 848.\3\ For purposes of determining the amount 
of specified policy acquisition expenses under section 848, a non-life 
insurance company computes net premiums for the contracts in accordance 
with section 811(a). See section 848(d)(2). Thus, with respect to 
contracts described in section 832(b)(7), a non-life insurance company 
does not take into account unpaid premiums attributable to insurance 
coverage not yet provided (such as deferred and uncollected premium 
installments) in determining the amount of specified policy acquisition 
expenses required to be amortized under section 848.
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    \3\ Under section 848(e)(5), a contract that reinsures a 
contract subject to section 848 is treated in the same manner as the 
reinsured contract.

    The proposed regulations do not provide special rules for 
determining gross premiums written with respect to contracts described 
in section 832(b)(7). Under the final regulations, a non-life insurance 
company that issues or reinsures the risks related to a contract 
described in section 832(b)(7) may report gross premiums written for 
the contract in the manner required for life insurance companies under 
sections 803 and 811. This method of reporting gross premiums written 
for contracts described in section 832(b)(7) is available only if the 
company also determines its deduction for premium acquisition expenses 
for the contracts in accordance with section 811(a), as adjusted by the 
amount required to be amortized under section 848 based on the net 
premiums of the contracts. Thus, the final regulations ensure that the 
rules for determining premium income and amortizing premium acquisition 
expenses for contracts described in section 832(b)(7) operate 
consistently, whether the issuing company is a non-life insurance 
company or a life insurance company.

Fluctuating Risk Contracts

    The method of reporting gross premiums written for certain 
insurance contracts covering fluctuating risks is reserved in the 
proposed regulations. Some comments requested that the final 
regulations not address the method of reporting gross premiums written 
for insurance contracts covering fluctuating risks, noting that the 
method of recording gross written premiums for these policies for 
annual statement reporting purposes was being considered by the NAIC as 
part of its project to codify statutory accounting principles. 
Subsequently, the NAIC issued guidance permitting an insurance company 
for annual statement purposes to report written premiums on workers' 
compensation policies (but not on other casualty contracts involving 
``fluctuating risks,'' such as commercial automobile liability and 
product liability policies) either on the effective date of the 
insurance contract or based on installment billings to the 
policyholder. By contrast, with respect to other types of casualty 
insurance policies, the NAIC reaffirmed the general rule that gross 
premiums with respect to these policies must be recorded on the annual 
statement on the effective date of the insurance contract.

    The final regulations do not permit a non-life insurance company to 
report gross premiums written for a fluctuating risk contract based on 
installment billings to the policyholder. Rather, the final regulations 
require a company generally to report the gross premiums written for 
the contract for the earlier of the taxable year which includes the 
effective date of the contract or the year in which all or a portion of 
the premium for the contract is received, with special rules for 
advance premiums, cancellable accident and health contracts, multi-year 
insurance contracts, and contracts described in section 832(b)(7). The 
company reports any additional premiums resulting from an increase in 
risk exposure in gross premiums written for the taxable year in which 
the change in risk exposure occurs. Unless the increase in risk 
exposure is of temporary duration, the company determines the 
additional premium resulting from a change in risk exposure based on 
the remainder of the effective period of the contract.

Return Premiums

    The proposed regulations define return premiums as amounts (other 
than policyholder dividends or claims and benefit payments) paid or 
credited to the policyholder in accordance with the terms of an 
insurance contract. Under the final regulations, return premiums are 
amounts previously included in an insurance company's gross premiums 
written, which are refundable to the policyholder (or the ceding 
company with respect of a reinsurance agreement) if the amounts are 
fixed by the insurance contract and do not depend on the experience of 
the insurance company or the discretion of its management. This rule 
incorporates a specific definition of policyholder dividends.

    The final regulations list a number of items which are included in 
return premiums, to the extent they have previously been included in 
gross premiums written. These items include: (1) amounts that are 
refundable due to policy cancellations or decreases in risk exposure 
during the effective period of an insurance contract; (2) the unearned 
portion of unpaid premiums for an insurance contract that is canceled 
or for which there is a decrease in risk exposure during its effective 
period; and (3) amounts that are either refundable or that reflect the 
unearned portion of unpaid premiums for an insurance contract, arising 
from the redetermination of the premium due to correction of posting or 
other similar errors.

    In addition, the final regulation provides timing rules for the 
deduction of return premiums. If a contract is canceled, the return 
premium arising from that cancellation is deducted in the taxable year 
in which the contract is canceled. If there is a reduction in risk 
exposure under an insurance contract that gives rise to a return 
premium, such return premium is deductible in the taxable year in which 
the reduction in risk exposure occurs.

Retrospectively Rated Insurance Contracts

    The proposed regulations provide that gross written premiums 
include an insurance company's estimate of additional premiums (retro 
debits) to be received with regard to the expired portion of a 
retrospectively rated insurance or reinsurance contract. The proposed 
regulations also provide that return premiums include an insurance 
company's estimate of amounts to be refunded to policyholders (retro 
credits) with regard to the expired portion of a retrospectively rated 
insurance or reinsurance contract. The proposed regulations, therefore, 
would modify the treatment of retro credits under Sec. 1.832-
4(a)(3)(ii) of the existing regulations, which treat retro credits as 
unearned premiums. At the option of the taxpayer, however, the proposed

[[Page 705]]

regulations permit a company to continue to include gross retro credits 
(but not gross retro debits) in the amount of unearned premiums subject 
to the 20 percent reduction under section 832(b)(4)(B).

    A variety of comments were received with respect to the treatment 
of retro debits and retro credits in the proposed regulations. Most 
comments approved of the proposed rule to modify the treatment of retro 
credits in Sec. 1.832-4(a)(3)(ii) and, instead, to permit retro credits 
to be accounted for as part of return premiums. Some comments 
contended, however, that the method of netting retro debits and retro 
credits as an adjustment to unearned premiums was required under NAIC 
accounting rules, prior case law, and the Service's published rulings 
interpreting Sec. 1.832-4(a)(3)(ii). These comments argued that the 
enactment of the 20 percent reduction rule in 1986 did not authorize 
the Service to change the items included in unearned premiums, 
including the historical treatment of retro debits and retro credits as 
part of unearned premiums. Other comments contended that retro debits 
(but not retro credits) should be discounted using the applicable 
discount factors for unpaid losses under section 846. These comments 
argued that there is a direct correlation between amounts reported by 
an insurance company as retro debits and the company's related 
liabilities for unpaid losses and unpaid loss adjustment expenses. 
Therefore, the comments urged that, to achieve proper matching of these 
items, a non-life insurance company should be permitted either to 
report retro debits as a subtraction from unearned premiums or to 
discount the retro debits using the applicable discount factors under 
section 846 for the related line of business.

    The treatment of retro debits and retro credits in the proposed 
regulations was premised on the assumptions that retrospectively rated 
arrangements could qualify as insurance contracts for tax purposes, and 
that all amounts payable under such arrangements could be considered to 
have been paid for insurance coverage. The final regulations provide 
that gross premiums are amounts paid for insurance coverage. Similarly, 
unearned premiums and return premiums only include amounts included in 
gross written premiums. The final regulations also provide that retro 
credits are not included in unearned premiums, and retro debits cannot 
be subtracted from unearned premiums. The final regulations do not 
permit amounts includable in gross premiums written to be discounted, 
regardless of when such amounts are paid to the insurance company.

    The final regulations do not provide any inference as to whether 
some or all of a retrospective arrangement can qualify as an insurance 
contract, or as to whether or the extent to which amounts paid or 
payable to an insurance company with respect to a retrospective 
arrangement are for insurance coverage.

Premium Stabilization Reserves

    Several comments asked for clarification of the treatment of 
premium stabilization reserves.\4\ As noted below, the final 
regulations provide that retro credits are not unearned premiums for 
Federal income tax purposes. Thus, retro credits added to premium 
stabilization reserves are not unearned premiums for Federal income tax 
purposes. The final regulations also provide that amounts withdrawn 
from a premium stabilization reserve to pay premiums are included in 
gross premiums written for the taxable year in which these amounts are 
withdrawn from the stabilization reserve for that purpose.
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    \4\ In Rev. Rul. 97-5, 1997-1 C.B. 136, the Service revoked Rev. 
Rul. 70-480, 1970-2 C.B. 142, which had held that amounts held by a 
non-life insurance company in a premium stabilization reserve funded 
by retro credits are not unearned premiums under section 832(b)(4). 
Rev. Rul. 97-5 reasoned that the assumption in Rev. Rul. 70-480 that 
stabilization reserves are part of the insurance company's surplus 
was erroneous.
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Unearned Premiums

    The proposed regulations define unearned premiums as the portion of 
the gross premiums written that is attributable to future insurance 
coverage to be provided under an insurance or reinsurance contract. The 
final regulations generally retain the rules relating to unearned 
premiums. Consistent with the existing regulations under Sec. 1.801-
4(a), the final regulations provide that an insurance company must 
exclude from unearned premiums amounts attributable to the net value of 
risks reinsured with, or retroceded to, another insurance company. The 
final regulations also provide that unearned premiums do not include a 
liability established by an insurance company on its annual statement 
to cover premium deficiencies.

    The proposed regulations provide that an insurance company may 
consider the incidence or pattern of the insured risks in determining 
the portion of the gross premium written that is attributable to the 
unexpired portion of the insurance coverage. The final regulations 
clarify that, if the risk of loss under an insurance contract does not 
vary significantly over the effective period of the contract, the 
unearned premium attributable to the unexpired portion of the effective 
period of the contract is determined on a pro rata basis. However, if 
the risk of loss under an insurance contract varies significantly over 
the effective period of the contract, the insurance company may 
consider the pattern and incidence of the risk in determining the 
portion of gross premium which are attributable to the unexpired 
portion of the effective period of the contract, provided that the 
company maintains sufficient information to demonstrate that its method 
of computing unearned premiums accurately reflects the pattern and 
incidence of the risk for the insurance contract.

Effective Date and Transition Rules

    Under the proposed regulations, the new rules apply to the 
determination of premiums earned for insurance contracts issued or 
renewed during taxable years beginning after the date on which final 
regulations are published in the Federal Register. Several comments 
requested that the regulations permit an insurance company to adopt the 
new rules for determining premiums earned as a change in method of 
accounting deemed made with the Commissioners' consent, with audit 
protection for prior years. These comments also urged that the 
insurance company be given the option of either implementing the change 
in method of accounting on a cut-off basis or spreading the section 
481(a) adjustments resulting from the change over a number of years 
consistent with the Commissioner's general administrative procedures 
when a taxpayer files a request to change a method of accounting under 
section 446(e).

    In response to these comments, the final regulations permit 
taxpayers to change their method of accounting for determining premiums 
earned to comply with the final regulations under the automatic change 
in method of accounting provisions of Rev. Proc. 99-49, 1999-52 I.R.B. 
725, subject to certain limitations. A taxpayer makes the automatic 
change in method of accounting on its Federal income tax return for the 
first taxable year beginning after December 31, 1999. The scope 
limitations in section 4.02 of Rev. Proc. 99-49 do not apply to a 
taxpayer's automatic change in method of accounting pursuant to this 
regulation. The timely duplicate filing requirement in section 6.02 of 
Rev. Proc. 99-49 also

[[Page 706]]

does not apply to this change. If the taxpayer's method of computing 
earned premiums was an issue under consideration (within the meaning of 
section 3.09 of Rev. Proc. 99-49) on January 5, 2000, however, then the 
audit protection rule in section 7.01 of Rev. Proc. 99-49 does not 
apply to the taxpayer's change in method of accounting.

Special Analyses

    It has been determined that this Treasury Decision is not a 
significant regulatory action as defined in Executive Order 12866. 
Therefore, a regulatory assessment is not required. It also has been 
determined that section 553(b) of the Administrative Procedure Act (5 
U.S.C. chapter 5) does not apply to these regulations, and, because 
these regulations do not impose on small entities a collection of 
information requirement, the Regulatory Flexibility Act (5 U.S.C. 
chapter 6) does not apply. Therefore, a Regulatory Flexibility Analysis 
is not required. Pursuant to section 7805(f) of the Internal Revenue 
Code, the notice of proposed rulemaking preceding these regulations was 
submitted to the Chief Counsel for Advocacy of the Small Business 
Administration for comment on its impact on small business.

    Drafting Information. The principal author of these regulations is 
Gary Geisler, Office of the Assistant Chief Counsel (Financial 
Institutions and Products), IRS. However, other personnel from the IRS 
and Treasury Department participated in their development.

Adoption of Amendments to the Regulations

    Accordingly, 26 CFR part 1 is amended as follows:

PART 1--INCOME TAXES

    Paragraph 1. The authority citation for part 1 continues to read in 
part as follows:

    Authority: 26 U.S.C. 7805 * * *


    Par. 2. Section 1.832-4 is amended as follows:

    1. Paragraph (a)(3) is revised.

    2. Paragraphs (a)(4) and (a)(5) are redesignated as paragraphs 
(a)(13) and (a)(14).

    3. New paragraphs (a)(4) through (a)(12) are added.

    The additions and revisions read as follows:


Sec. 1.832-4  Gross income.

    (a) * * *

    (3) Premiums earned. The determination of premiums earned on 
insurance contracts during the taxable year begins with the insurance 
company's gross premiums written on insurance contracts during the 
taxable year, reduced by return premiums and premiums paid for 
reinsurance. Subject to the exceptions in sections 832(b)(7), 
832(b)(8), and 833(a)(3), this amount is increased by 80 percent of the 
unearned premiums on insurance contracts at the end of the preceding 
taxable year, and is decreased by 80 percent of the unearned premiums 
on insurance contracts at the end of the current taxable year.

    (4) Gross premiums written--(i) In general. Gross premiums written 
are amounts payable for insurance coverage. The label placed on a 
payment in a contract does not determine whether an amount is a gross 
premium written. Gross premiums written do not include other items of 
income described in section 832(b)(1)(C) (for example, charges for 
providing loss adjustment or claims processing services under 
administrative services or cost-plus arrangements). Gross premiums 
written on an insurance contract include all amounts payable for the 
effective period of the insurance contract. To the extent that amounts 
paid or payable with respect to an arrangement are not gross premiums 
written, the insurance company may not treat amounts payable to 
customers under the applicable portion of such arrangements as losses 
incurred described in section 832(b)(5).

    (ii) Items included. Gross premiums written include--

    (A) Any additional premiums resulting from increases in risk 
exposure during the effective period of an insurance contract;

    (B) Amounts subtracted from a premium stabilization reserve to pay 
for insurance coverage; and

    (C) Consideration in respect of assuming insurance liabilities 
under insurance contracts not issued by the taxpayer (such as a payment 
or transfer of property in an assumption reinsurance transaction).

    (5) Method of reporting gross premiums written--(i) In general. 
Except as otherwise provided under this paragraph (a)(5), an insurance 
company reports gross premiums written for the earlier of the taxable 
year that includes the effective date of the insurance contract or the 
year in which the company receives all or a portion of the gross 
premium for the insurance contract. The effective date of the insurance 
contract is the date on which the insurance coverage provided by the 
contract commences. The effective period of an insurance contract is 
the period over which one or more rates for insurance coverage are 
guaranteed in the contract. If a new rate for insurance coverage is 
guaranteed after the effective date of an insurance contract, the 
making of such a guarantee generally is treated as the issuance of a 
new insurance contract with an effective period equal to the duration 
of the new guaranteed rate for insurance coverage.

    (ii) Special rule for additional premiums resulting from an 
increase in risk exposure. An insurance company reports additional 
premiums that result from an increase in risk exposure during the 
effective period of an insurance contract in gross premiums written for 
the taxable year in which the change in risk exposure occurs. Unless 
the increase in risk exposure is of temporary duration (for example, an 
increase in risk exposure under a workers' compensation policy due to 
seasonal variations in the policyholder's payroll), the company reports 
additional premiums resulting from an increase in risk exposure based 
on the remainder of the effective period of the insurance contract.

    (iii) Exception for certain advance premiums. If an insurance 
company receives a portion of the gross premium for an insurance 
contract prior to the first day of the taxable year that includes the 
effective date of the contract, the company may report the advance 
premium (rather than the full amount of the gross premium for the 
contract) in gross premiums written for the taxable year in which the 
advance premium is received. An insurance company may adopt this method 
of reporting advance premiums only if the company's deduction for 
premium acquisition expenses for the taxable year in which the company 
receives the advance premium does not exceed the limitation of 
paragraph (a)(5)(vii) of this section. A company that reports an 
advance premium in gross premiums written under this paragraph 
(a)(5)(iii) takes into account the remainder of the gross premium 
written and premium acquisition expenses for the contract in the 
taxable year that includes the effective date of the contract. A 
company that adopts this method of reporting advance premiums must use 
the method for all contracts with advance premiums.

    (iv) Exception for certain cancellable accident and health 
insurance contracts with installment premiums. If an insurance company 
issues or proportionally reinsures a cancellable accident and health 
insurance contract

[[Page 707]]

(other than a contract with an effective period that exceeds 12 months) 
for which the gross premium is payable in installments over the 
effective period of the contract, the company may report the 
installment premiums (rather than the total gross premium for the 
contract) in gross premiums written for the earlier of the taxable year 
in which the installment premiums are due under the terms of the 
contract or the year in which the installment premiums are received. An 
insurance company may adopt this method of reporting installment 
premiums for a cancellable accident and health insurance contract only 
if the company's deduction for premium acquisition expenses for the 
first taxable year in which an installment premium is due or received 
under the contract does not exceed the limitation of paragraph 
(a)(5)(vii) of this section. A company that adopts this method of 
reporting installment premiums for a cancellable accident and health 
contract must use the method for all of its cancellable accident and 
health insurance contracts with installment premiums.

    (v) Exception for certain multi-year insurance contracts. If an 
insurance company issues or proportionally reinsures an insurance 
contract, other than a contract described in paragraph (a)(5)(vi) of 
this section, with an effective period that exceeds 12 months, for 
which the gross premium is payable in installments over the effective 
period of the contract, the company may treat the insurance coverage 
provided under the multi-year contract as a series of separate 
insurance contracts. The first contract in the series is treated as 
having been written for an effective period of twelve months. Each 
subsequent contract in the series is treated as having been written for 
an effective period equal to the lesser of 12 months or the remainder 
of the period for which the rates for insurance coverage are guaranteed 
in the multi-year insurance contract. An insurance company may adopt 
this method of reporting premiums on a multi-year contract only if the 
company's deduction for premium acquisition expenses for each year of 
the multi-year contract does not exceed the limitation of paragraph 
(a)(5)(vii) of this section. A company that adopts this method of 
reporting premiums for a multi-year contract must use the method for 
all multi-year contracts with installment premiums.

    (vi) Exception for insurance contracts described in section 
832(b)(7). If an insurance company issues or reinsures the risks 
related to a contract described in section 832(b)(7), the company may 
report gross premiums written for the contract in the manner required 
by sections 803 and 811(a) for life insurance companies. An insurance 
company may adopt this method of reporting premiums on contracts 
described in section 832(b)(7) only if the company also determines the 
deduction for premium acquisition costs for the contract in accordance 
with section 811(a), as adjusted by the amount required to be taken 
into account under section 848 in connection with the net premiums of 
the contract. A company that adopts this method of reporting premiums 
for a contract described in section 832(b)(7) must use the method for 
all of its contracts described in that section.

    (vii) Limitation on deduction of premium acquisition expenses. An 
insurance company's deduction for premium acquisition expenses (for 
example, commissions, state premium taxes, overhead reimbursements to 
agents or brokers, and other similar amounts) related to an insurance 
contract is within the limitation of this paragraph (a)(5)(vii) if--

    (A) The ratio obtained by dividing the sum of the company's 
deduction for premium acquisition expenses related to the insurance 
contract for the taxable year and previous taxable years by the total 
premium acquisition expenses attributable to the insurance contract; 
does not exceed

    (B) The ratio obtained by dividing the sum of the amounts included 
in gross premiums written with regard to the insurance contract for the 
taxable year and previous taxable years by the total gross premium 
written for the insurance contract.

    (viii) Change in method of reporting gross premiums. An insurance 
company that adopts a method of accounting for gross premiums written 
and premium acquisition expenses described in paragraph (a)(5)(iii), 
(iv), (v), or (vi) of this section must continue to use the method to 
report gross premiums written and premium acquisition expenses unless 
the company obtains the consent of the Commissioner to change to a 
different method under section 446(e) and Sec. 1.446-1(e).

    (6) Return premiums--(i) In general. An insurance company's 
liability for return premiums includes amounts previously included in 
an insurance company's gross premiums written, which are refundable to 
a policyholder or ceding company, provided that the amounts are fixed 
by the insurance contract and do not depend on the experience of the 
insurance company or the discretion of its management.

    (ii) Items included. Return premiums include amounts--

    (A) Which were previously paid and become refundable due to policy 
cancellations or decreases in risk exposure during the effective period 
of an insurance contract;

    (B) Which reflect the unearned portion of unpaid premiums for an 
insurance contract that is canceled or for which there is a decrease in 
risk exposure during its effective period; or

    (C) Which are either previously paid and refundable or which 
reflect the unearned portion of unpaid premiums for an insurance 
contract, arising from the redetermination of a premium due to 
correction of posting or other similar errors.

    (7) Method of reporting return premiums. An insurance company 
reports the liability for a return premium resulting from the 
cancellation of an insurance contract for the taxable year in which the 
contract is canceled. An insurance company reports the liability for a 
return premium attributable to a reduction in risk exposure under an 
insurance contract for the taxable year in which the reduction in risk 
exposure occurs.

    (8) Unearned premiums--(i) In general. The unearned premium for a 
contract, other than a contract described in section 816(b)(1)(B), 
generally is the portion of the gross premium written that is 
attributable to future insurance coverage during the effective period 
of the insurance contract. However, unearned premiums held by an 
insurance company with regard to the net value of risks reinsured with 
other solvent companies (whether or not authorized to conduct business 
under state law) are subtracted from the company's unearned premiums. 
Unearned premiums also do not include any additional liability 
established by the insurance company on its annual statement to cover 
premium deficiencies. Unearned premiums do not include an insurance 
company's estimate of its liability for amounts to be paid or credited 
to a customer with regard to the expired portion of a retrospectively 
rated contract (retro credits). An insurance company's estimate of 
additional amounts payable by its customers with regard to the expired 
portion of a retrospectively rated contract (retro debits) cannot be 
subtracted from unearned premiums.

    (ii) Special rules for unearned premiums. For purposes of computing 
``premiums earned on insurance contracts during the taxable year'' 
under section 832(b)(4), the amount of unearned premiums includes--


[[Page 708]]


    (A) Life insurance reserves (as defined in section 816(b), but 
computed in accordance with section 807(d) and sections 811(c) and 
(d));

    (B) In the case of a mutual flood or fire insurance company 
described in section 832(b)(1)(D) (with respect to contracts described 
in that section), the amount of unabsorbed premium deposits that the 
company would be obligated to return to its policyholders at the close 
of the taxable year if all its insurance contracts were terminated at 
that time;

    (C) In the case of an interinsurer or reciprocal underwriter that 
reports unearned premiums on its annual statement net of premium 
acquisition expenses, the unearned premiums on the company's annual 
statement increased by the portion of premium acquisition expenses 
allocable to those unearned premiums; and

    (D) In the case of a title insurance company, its discounted 
unearned premiums (computed in accordance with section 832(b)(8)).

    (9) Method of determining unearned premiums. If the risk of loss 
under an insurance contract does not vary significantly over the 
effective period of the contract, the unearned premium attributable to 
the unexpired portion of the effective period of the contract is 
determined on a pro rata basis. If the risk of loss varies 
significantly over the effective period of the contract, the insurance 
company may consider the pattern and incidence of the risk in 
determining the portion of the gross premium that is attributable to 
the unexpired portion of the effective period of the contract. An 
insurance company that uses a method of computing unearned premiums 
other than the pro rata method must maintain sufficient information to 
demonstrate that its method of computing unearned premiums accurately 
reflects the pattern and incidence of the risk for the insurance 
contract.

    (10) Examples. The provisions of paragraphs (a)(4) through (a)(9) 
of this section are illustrated by the following examples:

    Example 1. (i) IC is a non-life insurance company which, 
pursuant to section 843, files its returns on a calendar year basis. 
IC writes a casualty insurance contract that provides insurance 
coverage for a one-year period beginning on July 1, 2000 and ending 
on June 30, 2001. IC charges a $500 premium for the insurance 
contract, which may be paid either in full by the effective date of 
the contract or in quarterly installments over the contract's one 
year term. The policyholder selects the installment payment option. 
As of December 31, 2000, IC collected $250 of installment premiums 
for the contract.
    (ii) The effective period of the insurance contract begins on 
July 1, 2000 and ends on June 30, 2001. For the taxable year ending 
December 31, 2000, IC includes the $500 gross premium, based on the 
effective period of the contract, in gross premiums written under 
section 832(b)(4)(A). IC's unearned premium with respect to the 
contract was $250 as of December 31, 2000. Pursuant to section 
832(b)(4)(B), to determine its premiums earned, IC deducts $200 
($250 x .8) for the insurance contract at the end of the taxable 
year.
    Example 2. (i) The facts are the same as Example 1, except that 
the insurance contract has a stated term of 5 years. On each 
contract anniversary date, IC may adjust the rate charged for the 
insurance coverage for the succeeding 12 month period. The amount of 
the adjustment in the charge for insurance coverage is not 
substantially limited under the insurance contract.
    (ii) Under paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section, IC is required 
to report gross premiums written for the insurance contract based on 
the effective period for the contract. The effective period of the 
insurance contract is the period for which a rate for insurance 
coverage is guaranteed in the contract. Although the insurance 
contract issued by IC has a stated term of 5 years, a rate for 
insurance coverage is guaranteed only for a period of 12 months 
beginning with the contract's effective date and each anniversary 
date thereafter. Thus, for the taxable year ending December 31, 
2000, IC includes the $500 gross premium for the 12 month period 
beginning with the contract's effective date in gross premiums 
written. IC's unearned premium with respect to the contract was $250 
as of December 31, 2000. Pursuant to section 832(b)(4)(B), to 
determine its premiums earned, IC deducts $200 ($250 x .8) for the 
insurance contract at the end of the taxable year.
    Example 3. (i) The facts are the same as Example 1, except that 
coverage under the insurance contract begins on January 1, 2001 and 
ends on December 31, 2001. On December 15, 2000, IC collects the 
first $125 premium installment on the insurance contract. For the 
taxable year ended December 31, 2000, IC deducts $20 of premium 
acquisition expenses related to the insurance contract. IC's total 
premium acquisition expenses, based on the insurance contract's $500 
gross premium, are $80.
    (ii) Under paragraph (a)(5)(iii) of this section, IC may elect 
to report only the $125 advance premium (rather than the contract's 
$500 gross premium) in gross premiums written for the taxable year 
ended December 31, 2000, provided that IC's deduction for the 
premium acquisition expenses related to the insurance contract does 
not exceed the limitation in paragraph (a)(5)(vii). IC's deduction 
for premium acquisition expenses is within this limitation only if 
the ratio of the insurance contract's premium acquisition expenses 
deducted for the taxable year and any previous taxable year to the 
insurance contract's total premium acquisition expenses does not 
exceed the ratio of the amounts included in gross premiums written 
for the taxable year and any previous taxable year for the contract 
to the total gross premium written for the contract.
    (iii) For the taxable year ended December 31, 2000, IC deducts 
$20 of premium acquisition expenses related to the insurance 
contract. This deduction represents 25% of the total premium 
acquisition expenses for the insurance contract ($20/$80 = 25%). 
This ratio does not exceed the ratio of the $125 advance premium to 
the insurance contract's $500 gross premium ($125/$500 = 25%). 
Therefore, under paragraph (a)(5)(iii) of this section, IC may elect 
to report only the $125 advance premium (rather than the $500 gross 
premium) in gross premiums written for the taxable year ending 
December 31, 2000. IC reports the balance of the gross premium for 
the insurance contract ($375) and deducts the remaining premium 
acquisition expenses ($60) for the insurance contract in the taxable 
year ending December 31, 2001.
    Example 4. (i) The facts are the same as Example 3, except that 
for the taxable year ending December 31, 2000, IC deducts $60 of 
premium acquisition expenses related to the insurance contract.
    (ii) For the taxable year ended December 31, 2000, IC deducted 
75% of total premium acquisition expenses for the insurance contract 
($60/$80 = 75%). This ratio exceeds the ratio of the $125 advance 
premium to the $500 gross premium ($125/$500 = 25%). Because IC's 
deduction for premium acquisition expenses allocable to the contract 
exceeds the limitation in paragraph (a)(5)(vii) of this section, 
paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section requires IC to report the $500 
gross premium in gross premiums written for the taxable year ending 
December 31, 2000. IC's unearned premium with respect to the 
contract was $500 as of December 31, 2000. Pursuant to section 
832(b)(4)(B), to determine its premiums earned, IC deducts $400 
($500  x .8) for the insurance contract at the end of the taxable 
year.
    Example 5. (i) IC is a non-life insurance company which, 
pursuant to section 843, files its returns on a calendar year basis. 
On August 1, 2000, IC issues a one-year cancellable accident and 
health insurance policy to X, a corporation with 80 covered 
employees. The gross premium written for the insurance contract is 
$320,000. Premiums are payable in monthly installments. As of 
December 31, 2000, IC has collected $150,000 of installment premiums 
from X. For the taxable year ended December 31, 2000, IC has paid or 
incurred $21,000 of premium acquisition expenses related to the 
insurance contract. IC's total premium acquisition expenses for the 
insurance contract, based on the $320,000 gross premium, are 
$48,000.
    (ii) Under paragraph (a)(5)(iv) of this section, IC may elect to 
report only the $150,000 of installment premiums (rather than the 
$320,000 estimated gross premium) in gross premiums written for the 
taxable year ended December 31, 2000, provided that its deduction 
for premium acquisition expenses allocable to the insurance contract 
does not exceed the limitation in paragraph (a)(5)(vii). For the 
taxable year ended December 31, 2000, IC deducts $21,000 of premium 
acquisition expenses related to the insurance contract, or 43.75% of 
total premium acquisition expenses for the insurance contract 
($21,000/$48,000 = 43.75%). This ratio does not exceed

[[Page 709]]

the ratio of installment premiums to the gross premium for the 
contract ($150,000/$320,000 = 46.9%). Therefore, under paragraph 
(a)(5)(iv) of this section, IC may elect to report only $150,000 of 
installment premiums for the insurance contract (rather than 
$320,000 of gross premium) in gross premiums written for the taxable 
year ending December 31, 2000.
    Example 6. (i) IC is a non-life insurance company which, 
pursuant to section 843, files its returns on a calendar year basis. 
On July 1, 2000, IC issues a one-year workers' compensation policy 
to X, an employer. The gross premium for the policy is determined by 
applying a monthly rate of $25 to each of X's employees. This rate 
is guaranteed for a period of 12 months, beginning with the 
effective date of the contract. On July 1, 2000, X has 1,050 
employees. Based on the assumption that X's payroll would remain 
constant during the effective period of the contract, IC determines 
an estimated gross premium for the contract of $315,000 (1,050  
x $25  x 12 = $315,000). The estimated gross premium is payable by X 
in equal monthly installments. At the end of each calendar quarter, 
the premiums payable under the contract are adjusted based on an 
audit of X's actual payroll during the preceding three months of 
coverage.
    (ii) Due to an expansion of X's business in 2000, the actual 
number of employees covered under the contract during each month of 
the period between July 1, 2000 and December 31, 2000 is 1,050 
(July), 1,050 (August), 1,050 (September), 1,200 (October), 1,200 
(November), and 1,200 (December). The increase in the number of 
employees during the year is not attributable to a temporary or 
seasonal variation in X's business activities and is expected to 
continue for the remainder of the effective period of the contract.
    (iii) Under paragraph (a)(5)(i) of this section, IC is required 
to report gross premiums written for the insurance contract based on 
the effective period of the contract. The effective period of X's 
contract is based on the 12 month period for which IC has guaranteed 
rates for insurance coverage. Under paragraph (a)(5)(ii), IC must 
also report the additional premiums resulting from the change in 
risk exposure under the contract for the taxable year in which the 
change in such exposure occurs. Unless the change in risk exposure 
is of temporary duration, the additional gross premiums are included 
in gross premiums written for the remainder of the effective period 
of the contract. Thus, for the taxable year ending December 31, 
2000, IC reports gross premiums written of $348,750 with respect to 
the workers' compensation contract issued to X, consisting of the 
sum of the initial gross premium for the contract ($315,000) plus 
the additional gross premium attributable to the 150 employees added 
to X's payroll who will be covered during the last nine months of 
the contract's effective period (150  x $25 (monthly premium)  x 9 = 
$33,750). IC's unearned premium with respect to the contract was 
$180,000 as of December 31, 2000, which consists of the sum of the 
remaining portion of the original gross premium ($315,000  x 6/12 = 
$157,500), plus the additional premiums resulting from the change in 
risk exposure ($33,750  x 6/9 = $22,500) that are allocable to the 
remaining six months of the contract's effective period. Pursuant to 
section 832(b)(4)(B), to determine its premiums earned, IC deducts 
$144,000 ($180,000  x .8) for the insurance contract at the end of 
the taxable year.
    Example 7. (i) The facts are the same as Example 6, except that 
the increase in the number of X's employees for the period ending 
December 31, 2000 is attributable to a seasonal variation in X's 
business activity.
    (ii) Under paragraph (a)(5)(ii) of this section, for the taxable 
year ending December 31, 2000, IC reports gross premiums written of 
$326,500, consisting of the sum of the initial gross premium for the 
contract ($315,000) plus the additional premium attributable to the 
temporary increase in risk exposure during the taxable year (150  
x $25  x 3 = $11,250). The unearned premium that is allocable to the 
remaining six months of the effective period of the contract is 
$157,500. Pursuant to section 832(b)(4)(B), to determine its 
premiums earned, IC deducts $126,000 ($157,500  x .8) for the 
insurance contract at the end of the taxable year.
    Example 8. (i) IC, a non-life insurance company, issues a 
noncancellable accident and health insurance contract (other than a 
qualified long-term care insurance contract, as defined in section 
7702B(b)) to A, an individual, on July 1, 2000. The contract has an 
entry-age annual premium of $2,400, which is payable by A in equal 
monthly installments of $200 on the first day of each month of 
coverage. IC incurs agents' commissions, premium taxes, and other 
premium acquisition expenses equal to 10% of the gross premiums 
received for the contract. As of December 31, 2000, IC has collected 
$1,200 of installment premiums for the contract.
    (ii) A noncancellable accident and health insurance contract is 
a contract described in section 832(b)(7). Thus, under paragraph 
(a)(5)(vi) of this section, IC may report gross premiums written in 
the manner required for life insurance companies under sections 803 
and 811. Accordingly, for the taxable year ending December 31, 2000, 
IC may report gross premiums written of $1,200, based on the 
premiums actually received on the contract. Pursuant to section 
(a)(5)(vi) of this section, IC deducts a total of $28 of premium 
acquisition costs for the contract, based on the difference between 
the acquisition costs actually paid or incurred under section 811(a) 
($1,200  x .10 = $120) and the amount required to be taken into 
account under section 848 in connection with the net premiums for 
the contract ($1,200  x .077 = $92).
    (iii) Under paragraph (a)(8)(ii)(A) of this section, IC includes 
the amount of life insurance reserves (as defined in section 816(b), 
but computed in accordance with section 807(d) and sections 811(c) 
and (d)) in unearned premiums under section 832(b)(4)(B). Section 
807(d)(3)(A)(iii) requires IC to use a two-year preliminary term 
method to compute the amount of life insurance reserves for a 
noncancellable accident and health insurance contract (other than a 
qualified long-term care contract). Under this tax reserve method, 
no portion of the $1,200 gross premium received by IC for A's 
contract is allocable to future insurance coverage. Accordingly, for 
the taxable year ending December 31, 2000, no life insurance 
reserves are included in IC's unearned premiums under section 
832(b)(4)(B) with respect to the contract.
    Example 9. (i) IC, a non-life insurance company, issues an 
insurance contract with a twelve month effective period for $1,200 
on December 1, 2000. Immediately thereafter, IC reinsures 90% of its 
liability under the insurance contract for $900 with IC-2, an 
unrelated and solvent insurance company. On December 31, 2000, IC-2 
has an $825 unearned premium with respect to the reinsurance 
contract it issued to IC. In computing its earned premiums, pursuant 
to section 832(b)(4)(B), IC-2 deducts $660 of unearned premiums 
($825  x .8) with respect to the reinsurance contract.
    (ii) Under paragraph (a)(8)(i) of this section, unearned 
premiums held by an insurance company with regard to the net value 
of the risks reinsured in other solvent companies are deducted from 
the ceding company's unearned premiums taken into account for 
purposes of section 832(b)(4)(B). If IC had not reinsured 90% of its 
risks, IC's unearned premium for the insurance contract would have 
been $1,100 ($1,200  x 11/12) and IC would have deducted $880 
($1,100  x .8) of unearned premiums with respect to such contract. 
However, because IC reinsured 90% of its risks under the contract 
with IC-2, as of December 31, 2000, the net value of the risks 
retained by IC for the remaining 11 months of the effective period 
of the contract is $110 ($1,100--$990). For the taxable year ending 
December 31, 2000, IC includes the $1,200 gross premium in its gross 
premiums written and deducts the $900 reinsurance premium paid to 
IC-2 under section 832(b)(4)(A). Pursuant to section 832(b)(4)(B), 
to determine its premiums earned, IC deducts $88 ($110  x .8) for 
the insurance contract at the end of the taxable year.

    (11) Change in method of accounting--(i) In general. A change in 
the method of determining premiums earned to comply with the provisions 
of paragraphs (a)(3) through (a)(10) of this section is a change in 
method of accounting for which the consent of the Commissioner is 
required under section 446(e) and Sec. 1.446-1(e).

    (ii) Application. For the first taxable year beginning after 
December 31, 1999, a taxpayer is granted consent of the Commissioner to 
change its method of accounting for determining premiums earned to 
comply with the provisions of paragraphs (a)(3) through (a)(10) of this 
section. A taxpayer changing its method of accounting in accordance 
with this section must follow the automatic change in accounting 
provisions of Rev. Proc. 99-49, 1999-52 I.R.B. 725 (see 
Sec. 601.601(d)(2) of this chapter), except that--


[[Page 710]]


    (A) The scope limitations in section 4.02 of Rev. Proc. 99-49 shall 
not apply;

    (B) The timely duplicate filing requirement in section 6.02(2) of 
Rev. Proc. 99-49 shall not apply; and

    (C) If the method of accounting for determining premiums earned is 
an issue under consideration within the meaning of section 3.09 of Rev. 
Proc. 99-49 as of January 5, 2000, then section 7.01 of Rev. Proc. 99-
49 shall not apply.

    (12) Effective date. Paragraphs (a)(3) through (a)(11) of this 
section are applicable with respect to the determination of premiums 
earned for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1999.
* * * * *
Robert E. Wenzel,
Deputy Commissioner of Internal Revenue.

    Approved: December 23, 1999.
Jonathan Talisman,
Acting Assistant Secretary of the Treasury.
[FR Doc. 00-13 Filed 1-5-00; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4830-01-U