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Is VAT charged on insurance premiums for cars?

Answered by FinTaxIQ - TI from the Federal Tax Authority’s own law · 11 October 2026. Guidance, not tax advice: rely on the official text.

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Yes, car insurance premiums are subject to 5% VAT, which the insurer adds to your premium.

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The detail

Insurance premiums (other than life insurance/reinsurance, which is VAT-exempt) are taxable supplies subject to VAT at the standard rate of 5%. Car insurance is not life insurance, so the standard rate applies to the premium charged by the insurer.1

What the law says

  • Under FTA guidance, an insurer's supply of insurance to the insured is liable to VAT at the standard rate unless a specific exception (such as life insurance) applies.1 Based on FTA guidance
  • Life insurance and life reinsurance contracts, and services necessarily and directly connected with them where bundled into the premium, are treated as exempt supplies under Article 42 of the VAT Executive Regulation.23

What it depends on

  • The exemption only covers life insurance/reinsurance, not general insurance such as motor insurance.21
  • If an intermediary acts as a disclosed agent, their commission/fee is a separate supply that may itself attract VAT.1 Based on FTA guidance

Check before you rely on it

  • Check your car insurance invoice shows 5% VAT charged by the insurer
  • Confirm the insurer is VAT-registered so VAT is properly due
Sources (3) — read the official text
  1. 1Insurance GuideFTA guidance
    Read the article
    4.4.3. Agents Where an insurance intermediary (i.e. an agent or broker) acts as a disclosed agent for an insurance transaction, the following supplies generally occur:  The insurer supplies the insurance to the insured and charges the premium to the insured. This supply will be liable to VAT at the standard rate (unless the insurance is covered by one of the exceptions outlined above).  The intermediary collects the premium (which may be paid in instalments) from the insured on the insurer’s behalf. This is not a supply for VAT purposes.  However, the intermediary does charge a fee (or commission) to the insurer or insured for the services provided. This is a supply and is either liable to VAT at the standard or zero rate, or is out of scope, depending on the application of the place of supply rules.  Finally, the intermediary remits the premium to the insurer (possibly net of their commission). This is not a supply for VAT purposes. If the intermediary acts in its own name – that is as an undisclosed agent, then the above sequence simply becomes a series of supplies liable to VAT. 4.4.4. Insurance companies – recovery of claims costs Where an insurer makes a payment in respect of the provision of some goods or services under the contract of insurance – e.g. for a replacement product or a repair of an asset – the question arises who may recover the VAT incurred. The following principles should be applied in respect of determining which party may recover the VAT incurred:   If the insurer provides a payment to the insured which is in the nature of compensation for costs incurred by the insured (e.g. in repairing a car), the input tax in respect of the costs will be recoverable by the insured (subject to the normal recovery rules). If the insurer incurs the cost of acquiring goods or services itself, then the input tax in respect of the costs will be recoverable by the insurer. Page 17 VAT Guide | Insurance | VATGIN1
    Official PDF, p. 17Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  2. Read the article
    of the Board of Directors of the Federal Tax Authority, - the approval of the Board of Directors of the ،وعلى موافقة مجلس إدارة الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب - Federal Tax Authority, :قررت ما يلي has decided the following: 1. Where a Taxable Person provides or transfers في حال قام الخاضع للضريبة بتوفير أو نقل ملكية عقد.1 the ownership a life insurance/reinsurance فإن الخدمات،تأمين أو إعادة التأمين على الحياة contract, Services connected with that contract المرتبطة بذلك العقد ستعامل على أنها تُشكّل جزءا ً من shall be treated as forming part of the Exempt توريد التأمين على الحياة المُ عفى من ضريبة القيمة Supply of life insurance for Value Added Tax شريطة أن تكون تلك الخدمات ضرورية،المضافة (“VAT”) purposes, provided that such Services لتقديم ذلك التوريد ومتصلة اتصاالً مباشرا ً بتوفير عقد are necessary for making that supply, are وأن،التأمين أو إعادة التأمين على الحياة أو نقل ملكيته directly in connection with the provision or يُشكّل المقابل المستحق دفعه عن الخدمات جزءا ً ال transfer of ownership of the life يتجزأ من إجمالي المقابل المستحق دفعه بموجب عقد insurance/reinsurance contract, and that the وذلك وفقا ً ألحكام،التأمين أو إعادة التأمين على الحياة Consideration payable for those Services forms ) من الالئحة التنفيذية لقانون ضريبة القيمة42( المادة an integral part of the total Consideration .المضافة payable under the life insurance /reinsurance contract, in accordance with the provisions of Article 42 of the VAT Executive Regulation. 2. The exemption from VAT shall only apply to the يطبق اإلعفاء من ضريبة القيمة المضافة على الخدمات.2 Services referred to in Clause 1 above where the ) أعاله فقط في حال كانت1( المشار إليها في البند fees and charges relating to such Services are الرسوم والتكاليف المتعلقة بها مُ درجة ضمن قسط included within the insurance premium payable التأمين المستحق دفعه مقابل توفير عقد التأمين أو إعادة in respect of the provision of the life insurance/reinsurance contract, and no separate Consideration is charged for those Services. 2 وال يتم فرض أي مقابل منفصل،التأمين على الحياة .نظير تلك الخدمات
    Official PDF, p. 2Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
  3. Read the article
    Directive on Tax Transactions No. 4 of 2026 for لضريبة2026 ) لسنة4( توجيه معامالت ضريبية رقم Value Added Tax on Fees and Charges forming ً القيمة المضافة بشأن الرسوم والتكاليف التي تشكل جزءا part of the Life Insurance Contract and life من عقد التأمين وإعادة التأمين على الحياة reinsurance contract ،الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب The Federal Tax Authority, - having reviewed the Constitution, ،بعد االطالع على الدستور - - Federal Decree-Law No. 13 of 2016 on the 2016 ) لسنة13( وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم - Establishment of the Federal Tax Authority, ،بشأن إنشاء الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب وتعديالته and its amendments, - Federal Decree-Law No. 8 of 2017 on Value 2017 ) لسنة8( وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم - Added Tax and its amendments (referred to as في شأن ضريبة القيمة المضافة وتعديالته (ويشار إليه ،)"بـ"قانون ضريبة القيمة المضافة “VAT Law”), - Federal Decree-Law No. 28 of 2022 on Tax 2022 ) لسنة28( وعلى المرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم ،بشأن اإلجراءات الضريبية وتعديالته Procedures and its amendments, - - Cabinet Decision No. 52 of 2017 on the في2017 ) لسنة52( وعلى قرار مجلس الوزراء رقم - Executive Regulation of Federal Decree-Law )8( شأن الالئحة التنفيذية للمرسوم بقانون اتحادي رقم No. 8 of 2017 on Value Added Tax, and its في شأن ضريبة القيمة المضافة وتعديالته2017 لسنة amendments (referred to as “VAT Executive (ويشار إليه بـ"الالئحة التنفيذية لضريبة القيمة Regulation”), - ،)"المضافة Federal Tax Authority Decision No. 5 of 2021 ) لسنة5( وعلى قرار الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب رقم on the Authority’s Clarifications and Policy Directives, on - Issuing في شأن سياسة إصدار الهيئة للتوضيحات2021 and its ،والتوجيهات وتعديالته amendments, and - Decision of the Chairman of the Board of وعلى قرار رئيس مجلس إدارة الهيئة االتحادية Directors of the Federal Tax Authority No. 9 of بشأن تفويض نائب2021 ) لسنة9( للضرائب رقم 2021 on the Delegation to the Vice Chairman 1 ،رئيس مجلس إدارة الهيئة االتحادية للضرائب -
    Official PDF, p. 1Captured from the FTA website on 9 Sep 2026
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Written by AI from the FTA sources above and checked before display. Not tax advice or official FTA information - confirm with a tax adviser before you act. Full disclaimer

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