Finance Act 1991

Transitional relief for old general annuity contracts

16 (1) In computing for the purposes of corporation tax the profits of an insurance company for any accounting period beginning on or after 1st January 1992, there shall be treated as a charge on income an amount equal to the lesser of—

(a) A, and

(b) A − (R1 − R2 + C − SV − DB),

and if the result of the formula in paragraph (b) above is a negative amount, it shall be taken to be nil.

(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (1) above—

• A is the gross amount of any annuities paid in the accounting period so far as referable to old annuity contracts;

• R1 is the amount of the company’s opening liabilities for the accounting period in respect of old annuity contracts;

• R2 is the amount of the company’s closing liabilities for the accounting period in respect of old annuity contracts;

• C is the amount of any consideration received in the accounting period in respect of old annuity contracts;

• SV is the amount of any sums paid in the accounting period by reason of the surrender of rights conferred by old annuity contracts;

• DB is the amount of any death benefits paid in the accounting period in respect of old annuity contracts.

(3) An annuity paid in an accounting period beginning on or after 1st January 1992, so far as referable to an old annuity contract, shall not to any extent be regarded as constituting a charge on income except as provided by sub-paragraph (1) above.

(4) Neither sub-paragraph (1) nor sub-paragraph (3) above shall apply to an insurance company charged to corporation tax in accordance with the provisions applicable to Case I of Schedule D in respect of the profits of its life assurance business.

(5) If, in the case of an annuity under a group annuity contract made by an insurance company in an accounting period beginning before 1st January 1992—

(a) the company’s liabilities first include an amount in respect of that annuity in an accounting period beginning on or after that date, and

(b) the company’s liability in respect of that annuity is referable to its basic life assurance and general annuity business,

the group annuity contract, so far as relating to that annuity, shall be treated for the purposes of this paragraph, other than this sub-paragraph, as if it had been made in an accounting period beginning on or after 1st January 1992 (and were, accordingly, not an old annuity contract).

(6) If, in the case of an annuity which is subject to a reinsurance treaty made by the reinsurer in an accounting period beginning before 1st January 1992—

(a) the reinsurer’s liabilities first include an amount in respect of that annuity in an accounting period beginning on or after that date, and

(b) the reinsurer’s liability in respect of that annuity is referable to its basic life assurance and general annuity business,

the reinsurance treaty, as respects the reinsurer and so far as relating to that annuity, shall be treated for the purposes of this paragraph, other than this sub-paragraph, as if it had been made in an accounting period beginning on or after 1st January 1992 (and were, accordingly, not an old annuity contract).

(7) In this paragraph—

• “general annuity contract” means an annuity contract so far as referable to general annuity business;

• “group annuity contract” means a contract between an insurance company and some other person under which the company undertakes to become liable to pay annuities to or in respect of such persons as may subsequently be specified or otherwise ascertained under or in accordance with the contract (whether or not annuities under the contract are also payable to or in respect of persons who are specified or ascertained at the time the contract is made);

• “old annuity contract” means a general annuity contract made by an insurance company in an accounting period beginning before 1st January 1992;

• “reinsurance treaty” means a contract under which one insurance company is obliged to cede, and another (in this paragraph referred to as a “reinsurer”) to accept, the whole or part of a risk of a class or description to which the contract relates;

and, subject to that, expressions used in this paragraph and in Chapter I of Part XII of the Taxes Act 1988 have the same meaning in this paragraph as they have in that Chapter.