Business operations

Business insurance

Premiums for insuring business assets, liability, professional indemnity and revenue risks. Workers compensation premiums are handled with employment on-costs.

Who can claim

This deduction is available to individuals and companies.

  • The expense is incurred in carrying on an existing income-producing business.
  • Any private, capital or non-income-producing component is reasonably apportioned or excluded.
  • The policy protects the business or its income-producing activities.

What you cannot claim

  • Do not include private drawings or personal expenses.
  • Do not treat a capital asset, improvement or acquisition cost as an ordinary operating expense.
  • Personal, capital-benefit and private-use components are excluded or apportioned.
  • Prepaid premium timing rules can apply.
  • Enter vehicle insurance once: do not also include it in a business-car actual-cost or logbook amount.
  • Workers compensation premiums belong under payroll tax and workers compensation premiums.

How the amount is worked out

Claim the deductible business-risk component for the relevant period, without duplicating vehicle insurance or employment on-costs recorded under another rule.

Records the ATO expects

  • Policy schedule
  • Premium invoice
  • Payment record
  • Apportionment calculation

Where this rule comes from

Primary source: ATO business income and deductions (Updated 1 June 2023). Reviewed 30 July 2026. Covers the 2025-26 and 2026-27 income years.

Next steps