26 CFR § 1.953-3 - Risks deemed to be United States risks.

§ 1.953-3 Risks deemed to be United States risks.

(a) Artificial arrangements. For purposes of paragraph (a) of § 1.953–1, the term “United States risks” also includes under section 953(a)(1)(B) risks which are deemed to be United States risks. They are risks (other than United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) and § 1.953–2) which a controlled foreign corporation reinsures under an insurance or annuity contract, or with respect to which a controlled foreign corporation issues any insurance or annuity contract, in accordance with any arrangement whereby another corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation receives an amount of premiums (for reinsuring or issuing any insurance or annuity contract in connection with the United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) and § 1.953–2) which is substantially equal to the amount of premiums which the controlled foreign corporation receives under its contracts. Arrangements to which this rule applies include those entered into by the controlled foreign corporation, by its United States shareholders, or by a related person.

(b) Evidence of arrangements. The determination of the existence of an arrangement referred to in paragraph (a) of this section shall depend on all the facts and circumstances in each case. In making this determination, it will be recognized that arrangements of this type generally are orally entered into outside the United States and that direct evidence of such an arrangement is not ordinarily available. Therefore, in determining the existence of such an arrangement, consideration will be given to whether or not there is substantial similarity between the type, location, profit margin expected, and loss experience of the risks which the corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation insures or reinsures and the risks which the controlled foreign corporation insures or reinsures. Further, consideration will be given to the existence of prior similar arrangements between, and the identity of the directors or shareholders of, the corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation, its shareholders, or related persons and the controlled foreign corporation, its shareholders, or related persons. However, the absence of such prior arrangements or identity of directors or shareholders will not of itself establish the nonexistence of an arrangement referred to in paragraph (a) of this section. In determining whether the amounts received by the controlled foreign corporation and the corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation are substantially equal, the period in which the controlled foreign corporation receives premiums need not be the same as, or identical in length with, that of the corporation which is not a controlled foreign corporation nor limited to a taxable year of the controlled foreign corporation.

(c) Illustrations. The application of this section may be illustrated by the following examples:

Example 1.
Controlled foreign corporation A is a wholly owned subsidiary of domestic corporation M. Foreign corporation B is a wholly owned subsidiary of foreign corporation R. All corporations use the calendar year as the taxable year. Corporations M and R, which are not related persons, agree that from July 1, 1963, through December 31, 1963, B Corporation will reinsure all risks of M Corporation which are United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A), and that from January 1, 1964, through June 30, 1964, A Corporation will reinsure all risks of R Corporation which are not United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A). The amount of premiums received by A Corporation and B Corporation, respectively, as a result of the agreement are substantially equal. The income of A Corporation derived in 1964 from reinsuring the risks of R Corporation is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
Example 2.
Assume the same facts as in example 1, except that M and R Corporations also agree, as part of their arrangement, that from July 1, 1964, through December 31, 1964, B Corporation will reinsure all risks of M Corporation which are United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A), and that from January 1, 1965, through June 30, 1965, A Corporation will reinsure all risks of R Corporation which are not United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A). The amount of premiums derived by B Corporation from July 1, 1963, through December 31, 1963, under the agreement is not substantially equal to the amount of premiums derived by A Corporation from January 1, 1964, through June 30, 1964, and the amount of premiums derived by B Corporation from July 1, 1964, through December 31, 1964, is not substantially equal to the amount of premiums derived by A Corporation from January 1, 1965, through June 30, 1965. However, the aggregate amount of premiums received by B Corporation under the arrangement is substantially equal to the aggregate amount of premiums received by A Corporation. The income of A Corporation derived in 1964 and 1965 from reinsuring the risks of R Corporation is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
Example 3.
Assume the same facts as in example 1, except that foreign corporation C is also a wholly owned subsidiary of R Corporation. Assume that C Corporation uses the calendar year as its taxable year. Assume further that M Corporation and R Corporation agree that from July 1, 1963, through December 31, 1963, B Corporation and C Corporation together will reinsure the United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) of M Corporation. The amount of premiums received by B Corporation in respect of such United States risks is equal to one-third of the amount received by A Corporation in respect of the risks which are not United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A), and the amount of premiums received by C Corporation in respect of such United States risks is equal to two-thirds of the amount so received by A Corporation. The income of A Corporation derived in 1964 from reinsuring the risks of R Corporation is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
Example 4.
Assume the same facts as in example 3, except that controlled foreign corporation D is also a wholly owned subsidiary of M Corporation and uses the calendar year as its taxable year. Assume further that M Corporation and R Corporation agree that in 1964 R Corporation will pay premiums of $300,000 to A Corporation and $700,000 to D Corporation to reinsure all risks of R Corporation which are not United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A), and that in 1963 M Corporation will pay premiums of $400,000 to B Corporation and $600,000 to C Corporation to reinsure all risks of M Corporation which are United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A). The income of A Corporation and D Corporation derived in 1964 from reinsuring the risks of R Corporation is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
Example 5.
Controlled foreign corporation A is a wholly owned subsidiary of domestic insurance corporation M. Controlled foreign corporation B is a wholly owned subsidiary of domestic insurance corporation N. All corporations use the calendar year as the taxable year. As a result of an arrangement between M Corporation and N Corporation, in 1963 A Corporation reinsures all the United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) of N Corporation, and B Corporation reinsures all the United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) of M Corporation. The premiums and other consideration received by A Corporation and B Corporation in respect of such reinsurance are not substantially equal. The income of A Corporation and B Corporation in 1962 from reinsuring the risks of N Corporation and M Corporation, respectively, is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) and is not income derived from the insurance or United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
Example 6.
Assume the same facts as in example 5, except that B Corporation is not a controlled foreign corporation. The income of A Corporation in 1963 from reinsuring the risks of N Corporation is income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(A) and is not income derived from the insurance of United States risks described in section 953(a)(1)(B).
[T.D. 6781, 29 FR 18207, Dec. 23, 1964]