# RCW 48.14.020: RCW 48.14.020: Premium taxes > Washington · Statutes · In force URL: https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S020 ## Section - **Citation:** RCW 48.14.020 - **Heading:** RCW 48.14.020: Premium taxes - **Jurisdiction:** Washington - **Kind:** Statutes - **Status:** In force - **Text as of:** August 14, 2026 - **Source:** Compiled text - **Location:** Washington Code / Title 48 / Chapter 14 / Section 020 ## Text (1)(a) Subject to other provisions of this chapter, each authorized insurer except title insurers and registered eligible captive insurers as defined in RCW 48.201.020 shall on or before the first day of March of each year pay to the state treasurer through the commissioner's office a tax on premiums. Except as provided in subsection (3) of this section, such tax shall be in the amount of two percent of all premiums, excluding amounts returned to or the amount of reductions in premiums allowed to holders of industrial life policies for payment of premiums directly to an office of the insurer, collected or received by the insurer under RCW 48.14.090 during the preceding calendar year other than ocean marine and foreign trade insurances, after deducting premiums paid to policyholders as returned premiums, upon risks or property resident, situated, or to be performed in this state. For tax purposes, the reporting of premiums shall be on a written basis or on a paid-for basis consistent with the basis required by the annual statement. For the purposes of this section the consideration received by an insurer for the granting of an annuity shall not be deemed to be a premium. (b) Beginning July 1, 2023, and July 1st of each year thereafter, the state treasurer shall deposit $7,000,000 in moneys collected for premium taxes pursuant to this section into the Washington auto theft prevention authority account created in RCW 46.66.080 . Beginning July 1, 2023, the amount deposited under this subsection must be adjusted by the most current seasonally adjusted index of the consumer price index for all urban consumers as published by the bureau of labor statistics of the United States department of labor. (2)(a) The taxes imposed in this section do not apply to amounts received by any life and disability insurer for health care services included within the definition of practice of dentistry under RCW 18.32.020 except amounts received for pediatric oral services that qualify as coverage for the minimum essential coverage requirement under P.L. 111-148 (2010), as amended, and for stand-alone family dental plans as defined in RCW 43.71.080 (4)(a), only when offered in the individual market, as defined in RCW 48.43.005 , or to a small group, as defined in RCW 48.43.005 . (b) Beginning January 1, 2014, moneys collected for premiums written on qualified health benefit plans and qualified dental plans offered through the health benefit exchange under chapter 43.71 RCW must be deposited in the health benefit exchange account under RCW 43.71.060 . (3) In the case of insurers which require the payment by their policyholders at the inception of their policies of the entire premium thereon in the form of premiums or premium deposits which are the same in amount, based on the character of the risks, regardless of the length of term for which such policies are written, such tax shall be in the amount of two percent of the gross amount of such premiums and premium deposits upon policies on risks resident, located, or to be performed in this state, in force as of the thirty-first day of December next preceding, less the unused or unabsorbed portion of such premiums and premium deposits computed at the average rate thereof actually paid or credited to policyholders or applied in part payment of any renewal premiums or premium deposits on one-year policies expiring during such year. (4) Each authorized insurer shall with respect to all ocean marine and foreign trade insurance contracts written within this state during the preceding calendar year, on or before the first day of March of each year pay to the state treasurer through the commissioner's office a tax of ninety-five one-hundredths of one percent on its gross underwriting profit ear policies expiring during such year. (4) Each authorized insurer shall with respect to all ocean marine and foreign trade insurance contracts written within this state during the preceding calendar year, on or before the first day of March of each year pay to the state treasurer through the commissioner's office a tax of ninety-five one-hundredths of one percent on its gross underwriting profit. Such gross underwriting profit shall be ascertained by deducting from the net premiums (i.e., gross premiums less all return premiums and premiums for reinsurance) on such ocean marine and foreign trade insurance contracts the net losses paid (i.e., gross losses paid less salvage and recoveries on reinsurance ceded) during such calendar year under such contracts. In the case of insurers issuing participating contracts, such gross underwriting profit shall not include, for computation of the tax prescribed by this subsection, the amounts refunded, or paid as participation dividends, by such insurers to the holders of such contracts. (5) The state does hereby preempt the field of imposing excise or privilege taxes upon insurers or their appointed insurance producers, other than title insurers, and no county, city, town or other municipal subdivision shall have the right to impose any such taxes upon such insurers or these insurance producers. (6) If an authorized insurer collects or receives any such premiums on account of policies in force in this state which were originally issued by another insurer and which other insurer is not authorized to transact insurance in this state on its own account, such collecting insurer shall be liable for and shall pay the tax on such premiums. ## Nearby sections - [RCW 48.14.010 RCW 48.14.010: Fee schedule.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S010.md) - [RCW 48.14.020 RCW 48.14.020: Premium taxes.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S020.md) - [RCW 48.14.021 RCW 48.14.021: Reduction of tax—Policies connected with pension, etc., plans exempt or qualified under internal revenue code.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S021.md) - [RCW 48.14.022 RCW 48.14.022: Taxes—Exemptions and deductions.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S022.md) - [RCW 48.14.025 RCW 48.14.025: Prepayment of tax obligations under RCW 48.14.020.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S025.md) - [RCW 48.14.027 RCW 48.14.027: Exemption for state health care premiums before July 1, 1990.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S027.md) - [RCW 48.14.030 RCW 48.14.030: Tax statement.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S030.md) - [RCW 48.14.040 RCW 48.14.040: Retaliatory provision.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S040.md) - [RCW 48.14.060 RCW 48.14.060: Failure to pay tax—Penalty.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S060.md) - [RCW 48.14.070 RCW 48.14.070: Refunds.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S070.md) - [RCW 48.14.080 RCW 48.14.080: Premium tax in lieu of other forms—Exceptions—Definition.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S080.md) - [RCW 48.14.090 RCW 48.14.090: Determining amount of direct premium taxable in this state.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S090.md) - [RCW 48.14.095 RCW 48.14.095: Unlawful or delinquent insurers or taxpayers—Computing the tax payable—Risks, exposures, or enrolled participants only partially in state.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S095.md) - [RCW 48.14.100 RCW 48.14.100: Foreign or alien insurers, continuing liability for taxes.](https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S100.md) --- Source: Frix Law Library, https://www.frixlaw.com/law-library/statutes/STATE_WA_T48_C14_S020. 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