(1) Subject to other provisions of this chapter, each authorized insurer except title insurers 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 (2) 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 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 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.

     (2) 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.

     (3) 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.

     (4) The state does hereby preempt the field of imposing excise or privilege taxes upon insurers or their agents, 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 their agents.

     (5) 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.

[1986 c 296 § 1; 1983 2nd ex.s. c 3 § 7; 1982 2nd ex.s. c 10 § 1; 1982 1st ex.s. c 35 § 15; 1979 ex.s. c 233 § 2; 1969 ex.s. c 241 § 9; 1947 c 79 § .14.02; Rem. Supp. 1947 § 45.14.02.]

NOTES:

     Severability -- 1986 c 296: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1986 c 296 § 11.]

     Application -- 1986 c 296 § 1: "[The 1986 c 296 amendment of] RCW 48.14.020 applies to the payment of taxes due beginning July 1, 1986, and thereafter." [1986 c 296 § 12.]

     Effective date -- 1986 c 296: "Section 7 of this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing institutions, and shall take effect immediately. The remainder of this act shall take effect July 1, 1986." [1986 c 296 § 13.]

     Construction -- Severability -- Effective dates -- 1983 2nd ex.s. c 3: See notes following RCW 82.04.255.

     Payment of additional premium tax -- 1982 2nd ex.s. c 10: "The additional premium tax payments required by the amendment of RCW 48.14.020 by section 1 of this act shall be paid to the state treasurer through the insurance commissioner's office on March 1, 1983. Thereafter the prepayment schedule provided by RCW 48.14.025 shall apply." [1982 2nd ex.s. c 10 § 2.]

     Severability -- Effective dates -- 1982 1st ex.s. c 35: See notes following RCW 82.08.020.

     Effective date -- 1979 ex.s. c 233: "This 1979 amendatory act shall become effective beginning upon and after January 1, 1980." [1979 ex.s. c 233 § 4.]

     Intent -- 1979 ex.s. c 233: "It is the intent of the legislature to eliminate existing tax discrimination between qualified and nonqualified pension plans which are effectuated by annuity contracts, by excluding the consideration paid for such contracts from premiums subject to the premium tax." [1979 ex.s. c 233 § 1.]

     Severability -- 1979 ex.s. c 233: "If any provision of this amendatory act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [1979 ex.s. c 233 § 3.]

Credit against premium tax for assessments paid pursuant to RCW 48.32.060(1)(c): RCW 48.32.145.

Portion of state taxes on fire insurance premiums to be deposited in
   firefighters' pension fund: RCW 41.16.050.
   volunteer firefighters' and reserve officers' relief and pension principal fund: RCW 41.24.030.