Finance Act 1998

14After section 755A of the Taxes Act 1988 there shall be inserted—

“755BAmendment of return where general insurance business of foreign company accounted for on non-annual basis.

(1)This section applies where—

(a)a controlled foreign company carries on general insurance business in an accounting period;

(b)an amount of the company’s chargeable profits, and an amount of its creditable tax (if any), for that accounting period falls to be apportioned under section 747(3) to a company resident in the United Kingdom (“the UK company”);

(c)the UK company delivers a company tax return for that one of its accounting periods in which the controlled foreign company’s accounting period ends; and

(d)in making or amending the return, the UK company has regard to accounts of the controlled foreign company drawn up using a method falling within subsection (2) below.

(2)The methods which fall within this subsection are—

(a)the method described in paragraph 52 of Schedule 9A to the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985 (which provides for a technical provision to be made in the accounts which is later replaced by a provision for estimated claims outstanding); and

(b)any method which would have fallen within paragraph (a) above, had final replacement of the technical provision, as described in sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 52 of that Schedule, taken place, and been required to take place, no later than the end of the year referred to in that sub-paragraph as the third year following the underwriting year.

(3)Where this section applies—

(a)the UK company may make any amendments of its company tax return arising from the replacement of the technical provision in the controlled foreign company’s accounts at any time within twelve months from the date on which the provision was replaced; and

(b)notice of intention to enquire into the return under paragraph 24 of Schedule 18 to the Finance Act 1998 may be given at any time up to two years from that date (or at any later time in accordance with the general rule in sub-paragraph (3) of that paragraph).

(4)If, in a case where this section applies, the accounts of the controlled foreign company are drawn up using a method falling within paragraph (b) of subsection (2) above—

(a)the controlled foreign company, and

(b)any person with an interest in the controlled foreign company,

shall be treated for the purposes of this section as if final replacement of the technical provision, as described in sub-paragraph (4) of paragraph 52 of Schedule 9A to the [1985 c. 6.] Companies Act 1985, had taken place at, and been required to take place no later than, the end of the year referred to in that sub-paragraph as the third year following the underwriting year.

(5)Regulations under section 755C may make provision with respect to the determination of the amount of the provision by which the technical provision is to be treated as replaced in cases falling within subsection (4) above.

(6)In this section “general insurance business” means insurance business which is general business, as defined in section 1 of the [1982 c. 50.] Insurance Companies Act 1982.”