Clay v. Hartford Life Insurance
Clay v. Hartford Life Insurance
Opinion of the Court
Opinion of the Court by
Be versing.
The question presented by this appeal is whether- or not the Hartford Life Insurance Company, an assessment life insurance company, is taxable on its assessments under and by virtue of section 4226, Kentucky Statutes. To determine the question the company-brought suit against the Insurance Commissioner and Auditor of Public Accounts. A demurrer to the petition was overruled, and the defendants declining to plead further, judgment was rendered enjoining them from collecting the tax. The defendants appeal.
' “And that in case the laws of any country, state or municipality in which the member or his beneficiary may reside, shall require a tax to be paid by said company on account of any moneys collected thereon said member agrees to pay the amount of such tax to said company in addition to the payments hereintofore named, as part of the payments needed to hold this certificate in force, either in connection with the payments of assessments and annual dues or otherwise, as said company may from time to time elect.”
It is further alleged in the petition that if the commissioner is permitted to collect the tax it would cause an increase in the assessment of the members residing in this State, to the extent of such tax, and that this
Section 4226, Kentucky Statutes, is as follows:
“Subdivision II.
“Foreign Life and Industrial Companies.
“4226. (1) Reports and Taxes. Every life insurance company, other than fraternal assessment life insurance companies, not organized under the laws of this State, but doing business therein, shall, on the first day of January in each year, or within thirty days thereafter, return to the Auditor of Public Accounts for deposit in the insurance department a statement under oath of all premiums receipted for on the face of the policy for 'original insurance and all renewal premiums received in cash or otherwise in this State, or out of this State, on business done in this State during the year ending the 31st day of December, and no deductions shall be made for dividends, or since the last returns were made, on all premium receipts, which shall include single premiums, annuity premiums, and premiums received for renewal, revival or reinstatement of policies, annual and periodical premiums, dividends applied for premiums and additions, and all other premium payments received during the preceding year on all policies which have been written in, or on, the lives of residents of this State, or out of this State, on business done in this State, and shall at the same time pay into the State Treasury a tax of two dollars upon each one hundred dollars of said premiums as ascertained. Every life insurance company not organized under the laws of this State, but doing business therein on what is known as the industrial insurance plan,' whereby weekly premiums are collected, shall at the same time make a return to the Auditor of Public Accounts for deposit in the Insurance Department, a statement under path of all premiums received on insurance written exclusively on the industrial plan, and shall at the same time pay into the State Treasury a tax of two dollars upon each one hundred dollars of said premiums as ascertained. Any insurance company mentioned in this section doing insurance business other than on the industrial plan shall make reports and pay into the State Treasury the taxes due thereon under each report.”
To sustain the contention of plaintiff that it is not taxable under section 4226, Kentucky Statutes, it is argued that that section provides for the payment of a tax on premiums alone, and nowhere provides for a tax on assessments. It is further argued that the various sections of sub-division III., article IV., Kentucky Statutes, define assessment of co-operative life insurance companies, provide for their organization, prescribe the terms on which they can do business in the State, and further provide that such companies “shall be subject only to the provisions of this sub-division.” It.must be remembered, however, .that the provisions of subdivision III., article IV., Kentucky Statutes, do not relate in any way to the question of taxation. They cover merely the subjects above referred to and do not in any wise restrict the right of the legislature to impose a tax on assessment companies, nor do they evince a legislative intent not to do so.. The only question in the case, therefore, is whether or not section 4226 of the Kentucky Statutes is broad enough to cover assessment companies. By its very terms, it embraces “every life insurance company, other than fraternal assessment life insurance companies, not organized under the laws of this State, but doing business therein.” Clearly plaintiff is a life insurance company. It is not organized under the laws of this State. It is doing business in this State, and, though an assessment life insurance company, it is not a fraternal assessment life insurance company. The statute plainly provides for a statement of all premiums receipted for on the face of the policy for original insurance and all renewal premiums received in cash or otherwise in this State or out of this State on business done in this State during the year •ending the 31st- day of Decembei*. It goes further and ■provides that no deduction shall be made for dividends, •or since the last returns were made, on all premium receipts, which shall include single premiums, annuity premiums, and premiums received for renewal, revival ■or reinstatement of policies, annual and periodical premiums, dividends applied for premiums and additions,
Judgment reversed and cause remanded for pro-' ceedings consistent with this opinion.
Case-law data current through December 31, 2025. Source: CourtListener bulk data.