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A proposal to apply the Kiwi-VAT to insurance services in the European Union

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  • Sijbren Cnossen

Abstract

In the spirit of the European Commission’s call for a simpler, more robust and efficient VAT system, this article proposes to integrate exempt insurance services into the European VAT, and to abolish the discriminatory, excise-type insurance premium taxes levied by the various Member States. The current VAT exemption (no taxation of insurance services and no credit for the VAT on inputs) is administratively complex and economically distortionary. Instead, the value added of property and casualty insurance companies can be taxed on a transactions basis by applying the VAT to insurance premiums (creditable by VAT-liable businesses) and allowing a presumptive tax credit for the VAT imputable to payouts (plus a credit for the actual VAT on purchases). The presumptive tax credit should be taxed at the level of business recipients, but individuals would receive the VAT along with indemnity payments without having to file a return. Exceptionally, the tax-credit VAT would not be applied to life and health insurance premiums, but insurers would be taxed on an accounts basis on the sum of wages and business cash flow. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media New York 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Sijbren Cnossen, 2013. "A proposal to apply the Kiwi-VAT to insurance services in the European Union," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 20(5), pages 867-883, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:kap:itaxpf:v:20:y:2013:i:5:p:867-883
    DOI: 10.1007/s10797-012-9252-x
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Rita de la Feria & Ben Lockwood, 2010. "Opting for Opting-In? An Evaluation of the European Commission's Proposals for Reforming VAT on Financial Services," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 31(2), pages 171-202, June.
    2. Alan J. Auerbach & Roger H. Gordon, 2002. "Taxation of Financial Services under a VAT," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 411-416, May.
    3. Sijbren Cnossen, 2011. "A Proposal to Improve the VAT Treatment of Housing in the European Union," Fiscal Studies, Institute for Fiscal Studies, vol. 32(4), pages 455-481, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Vidar Christiansen, 2017. "Taxation of Insurance," CESifo Working Paper Series 6830, CESifo.
    2. Leon Bettendorf & Sijbren Cnossen, 2014. "The Long Arm of the European VAT, Exemplified by the Dutch Experience," CESifo Working Paper Series 4730, CESifo.
    3. Sijbren Cnossen, 2020. "Modernizing the European VAT," CESifo Working Paper Series 8279, CESifo.
    4. Sijbren Cnossen, 2022. "The C-inefficiency of the EU-VAT and what can be done about it," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 29(1), pages 215-236, February.
    5. International Monetary Fund, 2014. "The Bahamas: Tax Reforms for Increased Buoyancy," IMF Staff Country Reports 2014/017, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    VAT; Insurance premium tax; Insurance; European Union; H21; H25;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H25 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Business Taxes and Subsidies

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