Tax Equity And Financial Responsibility Acts Of 1982 And 1983 (TEFRA)
Legislation that redefined life insurance and raised taxes on life insurance companies. Among the provisions were new rules for some life insurance products, including a definition of flexible premium life insurance, and an increase in life insurance company taxes. Congress was concerned that a policyholder could take a substantial amount, say $1 million, and, after putting a few dollars toward a life insurance premium, put the remainder into a tax-free investment vehicle. One of two tests had to be satisfied for a policy to qualify as life insurance: the cash surrender value policy could not exceed a net single premium, and the death benefit had to represent a certain percentage of the cash value, which declined as the policy-holder got older. For example, at age 40, the death benefit must be 140% of cash value. The second rule closed a loophole on tax-free withdrawals from annuities. Prior to 1982 annuity holders could withdraw their initial premium tax free at any time. The 1982 code decreed that any money withdrawn from an annuity would be considered income first and would therefore be taxable. The older 1959 tax code devised a shorthand formula for determining taxes paid by insurers. The formula worked when interest rates were low, but as they soared, insurers found ways to reduce the increased tax bite. The 1982 code introduced a stopgap measure designed to raise taxes on life insurers by $3 billion.
Popular Insurance Terms
Combination of several coverages to protect the insured. For example, the comprehensive health insurance policy combines the basic hospital plan with major medical insurance to cover ...
Liability insurance coverage, primarily for shipyards for ocean marine risks, provided in much the same manner as umbrella liability insurance for nonmarine risks. Coverages may be provided ...
Unexpected claims occurring above the expected claims for which a contingency reserve is maintained. ...
Reserve at the beginning of the policy year that is equal to the terminal reserve for the preceding year plus the net level premium for the current year. ...
Type of proportional reinsurance under which the ceding company (primary insurer) cedes to a re-insurer its net amount at risk for the amount above its retention limit on a life insurance ...
Coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability resulting from the ownership, use, and/or maintenance of an insured business's premises as well as operations by the business ...
Coverage usually written as an endorsement to property policies such as the Standard Fire Policy. A loss must be by the intentional acts of vandals. This peril is of particular importance ...
Document used to sign up employees for plans such as salary savings, life insurance, or other employee benefits. ...
Ordinary life insurance that generates a first year cash value from the payment of the first year premium. Using this cash value, loans could be made to finance premiums due in the future, ...
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