(a) Limitation on capital loss carryovers. Section 817(c) provides that a net capital loss (as defined in section 1222(10)) for any taxable year beginning before January 1, 1959, shall not be taken into account. For any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1958, the provisions of part II, subchapter P, chapter 1 of the Code (relating to the treatment of capital losses) shall be applicable to life insurance companies for purposes of determining the tax imposed by section 802(a) and §1.802-3 (relating to the imposition of tax in case of capital gains).
(b) Gain on transactions occurring prior to January 1, 1959. For purposes of part I, subchapter L, chapter 1 of the Code, section 817(d) provides that:
(1) There shall be excluded from tax any gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset, and any gain considered as gain from sale or exchange of a capital asset, which results from sales or other dispositions of property prior to January 1, 1959; and
(2) Any gain after December 31, 1958, resulting from the sale or other disposition of property prior to January 1, 1959, which, but for this subparagraph would be taken into account under section 1231, shall not be taken into account under section 1231.
For example, if a life insurance company makes an installment sale of a capital asset prior to January 1, 1959, and payments are received after such date, any capital gain attributable to such sale shall not be taken into account for purposes of section 802(a). Furthermore, any gain referred to in subparagraphs (1) and (2) and the preceding sentence shall not be taken into account in determining the excess of the net short-term capital gain over the net long-term capital loss (and for taxable years beginning after December 31, 1961, the excess of the net long-term capital gain over the net short-term capital loss) for purposes of computing taxable investment income under section 804(a)(2) or gain or loss from operations under section 809(b).
(c) Certain reinsurance transactions in 1958. For purposes of part I, section 817(e) provides that where a life insurance company reinsures (or sells) all of its insurance contracts of a particular type, such as an entire industrial department, in either a single transaction, or in a series of related transactions, all of which occurred during 1958, and the reinsuring (or purchasing) company or companies assume all liabilities under such contracts, such reinsurance (or sale) shall be treated as the sale of a capital asset. However, such transaction shall be subject to the provisions of section 806(a) and §1.806-3 (relating to adjustments for certain changes in reserves and assets).
(d) Certain other reinsurance transactions.
(1) For any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1958, the reinsurance of all or a part of the insurance contracts of a particular type by a life insurance company, in either a single transaction, or in a series of related transactions, occurring in any such taxable year, whereby the reinsuring company or companies assume all liabilities under such contracts, shall not be treated as the sale or exchange of a capital asset but shall be subject to the provisions of section 806(a) and 809 and the regulations thereunder. However, if in connection with a transaction described in the preceding sentence the reinsured or reinsurer transfers an asset which is a capital asset within the meaning of section 1221 (as modified by section 817(a)(2)), such transfer shall be treated as the sale or exchange of a capital asset by the transferor.
(2)
(i) The consideration paid by the reinsured to the reinsurer in connection with a transaction described in subparagraph (1) of this paragraph shall be treated as an item of deduction under section 809(d)(7). However any amount received by the reinsured from the reinsurer shall be applied against and reduce (but not below zero) the amount of such consideration, and to the extent that it exceeds such consideration, shall be treated as an item of gross amount under section 809(c)(3).
(ii) In connection with an assumption reinsurance (as defined in paragraph (a)(7)(ii) of §1.809-5) transaction, a reinsurer shall in any taxable year beginning after December 31, 1957:
(A) Treat the consideration received from the reinsured in any such taxable year as an item of gross amount under section 809(c)(1), and
(B) Treat any amount paid to the reinsured for the purchase of such contracts, to the extent such amount meets the requirements of section 162, as a deferred expense that may be amortized over the reasonably estimated life (as defined in paragraph (d)(2)(iv) of this section) of the contracts reinsured and treat the portion of the expense so amortized in each taxable year as a deduction under section 809(d)(12) irrespective of the taxable year in which such amount was paid to the reinsured.
(iii) For purposes of paragraph (d)(2)(ii) of this section where the reinsured transfers to the reinsurer in connection with the assumption reinsurance transaction a net amount which is less than the increase in the reinsurer's reserves resulting from the transaction, the reinsurer shall be treated as:
(A) Having received from the reinsured consideration in an amount equal to the net amount of the increase in the reinsurer's reserves resulting from the transaction, and
(B) Having paid the reinsured an amount for the purchase of the contracts equal to the excess of the amount of such increase in the reinsurer's reserves over the net amount received from the reinsured.
(iv) For purposes of this subparagraph, the term reasonably estimated life means the period during which the contract reinsured remains in force. Such period shall be based on the facts in each case (such as age, health, and sex of the insured, type of contract reinsured, etc.) and the assuming company's experience (such as mortality, lapse rate, etc.) with similar risks.
(3) The provisions of this paragraph may be illustrated by the following examples:
Company R (reinsured) | |
Net decrease in reserves (sec. 809(c) (2)) | $3,000,000 |
Capital gain (as limited by sec. 817(b) (1)) to be taxed separately under sec. 802(a)(2) | 20,000 |
Consideration paid by R to S in respect of S's assuming liabilities under contracts issued by R (sec. 809(d)(7)) | $3,000,000 |
Income | |
Company S (reinsurer) | |
Consideration received by S in respect of assuming liabilities under contracts issued by R (sec. 809(c)(1)) | $3,000,000 |
Deductions | |
Net increase in reserves (sec.809(d)(2)) | $3,000,000 |
[T.D. 6558, 26 FR 2783, Apr. 4, 1961, as amended by T.D. 6625, 27 FR 12543, Dec. 19, 1962; T.D. 6886, 31 FR 8689, June 23, 1966; T.D. 41 FR 5100, Feb. 4, 1976]