Meet the Expert is our series of blogs where we share more about the team behind our innovative software and managed services. As a global organisation with indirect tax experts across all regions, our dedicated team are often the first to know about regulatory changes and developments in global tax regimes, to support you in your tax compliance.
We spoke with Manisha Patel, senior compliance services representative – Insurance Premium Tax (IPT), about their role, how they support Sovos clients and their top compliance tips for captives.
Can you tell me about your role and what it involves?
I’m a senior compliance services representative – IPT at Sovos. I joined the company over five years ago.
My role at Sovos is multi-faceted. My primary responsibility is to oversee IPT compliance for an extensive portfolio of clients, specifically within the captives practice.
I help ensure that all clients’ tax requirements are met, including checking and signing off tax returns and ensuring that correct payments are made to relevant tax authorities within specified statutory deadlines. Additionally, I help advise clients on more complex or urgent queries that have been escalated within the team.
What is a P&I Club?
A P&I Club is a non-profit cooperative association of marine insurance providers that provides P&I insurance to all its member companies. A P&I Club covers a broad range of liabilities, including loss of life, personal injury, cargo loss or damage, pollution via hazardous substances, wreck removal, collision and property damage.
These clubs offer ship owners the highest limits and broadest ranges of coverage. Through their participation in a P&I Club, the member clubs share claims above an individual’s retention via a pooling structure. Pooling together allows members to provide the insurance
cover needed by ship owners and their ships to trade while meeting compulsory insurance and financial security requirements.
What are your tips for captives to ensure IPT compliance?
Increasing numbers of global tax authorities are switching to digital submissions and, in some cases, require more detailed information to complete these submissions.
My tip for captives would be to invest time learning about these ever-changing requirements for your relevant territories and organise yourself in a way that you can easily and readily have the information you need to hand. This will reduce your business’s risk of errors and non-compliance when settling IPT.
What are the most common ways Sovos helps captives?
Sovos’ Captives Team caters to the specific needs of captive insurers. Our team can review any program a client may have before the program’s renewal, where we can assist with premium tax calculations, validate applicable country tax rates and prepare payment summaries. Due to limited in-house expertise, we recognise that sometimes additional guidance is needed.
Our IPT Managed Services Team offers a vast amount of knowledge, providing the expertise to our Captive clients through webinars, tax alerts and newsletters to boost their confidence with tax filing and reporting. Additionally, our Consultancy Team can assist with any further queries.
Take Action
Have questions about IPT compliance? Speak to our experts or download our e-book, Indirect Tax Rules for Insurance Across the World.
