29 July 2020 Hong Kong enacts new legislation providing tax incentives for insurance-related businesses Hong Kong enacted the Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Profits Tax Concessions for Insurance-related Businesses) Bill 2019 (the New Law) on 24 July 2020.1 The New Law provides that the assessable profits in respect of sums received by or accrued to the following specified persons will be taxed at the concessionary tax rate of 8.25% (50% of the normal corporate tax rate of 16.5%):
The 8.25% concessionary tax rate will not be applicable if the main purpose or one of the main purposes, of the specified insurer in entering into the transaction or the series of transactions is to avoid or postpone the liability to pay tax or reduce the amount of liability. The activities which generate the profits eligible for the concessionary tax rate must be carried out in Hong Kong, or are arranged to be carried out in Hong Kong, by the taxpayers concerned. 1 The New Law was gazetted and formally became law on this date. 2 A specified insurer refers to an entity authorized to carry on an insurance business in Hong Kong under the Insurance Ordinance, other than a professional reinsurer or an authorized captive insurer. 3 Health risk; mortgage guarantee risk; motor vehicle damage risk; employees' compensation liability; and owners' corporation third party liability. Document ID: 2020-1929 |
