Can I Claim Versicherungen (Business Insurance) as a Business Expense in Austria?
Business-related insurance premiums are fully deductible as Betriebsausgaben. This includes liability insurance, property insurance, business interruption, and D&O (director and officer) insurance. Personal life insurance and private health insurance are NOT deductible as business expenses.
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What Finanzamt Österreich / BMF says
§4 Abs 4 EStG (Betriebsausgaben); §20 Abs 1 Z 2 EStG (personal expenses not deductible).
When you can claim
- Betriebshaftpflichtversicherung (public/professional liability insurance): fully deductible
- Gebäude- und Inventarversicherung (property and contents insurance for business premises): fully deductible
- Betriebsunterbrechungsversicherung (business interruption insurance): fully deductible
- D&O Versicherung (directors and officers liability): deductible if paid by the company for its directors
- Rechtsschutzversicherung (legal protection insurance) for business disputes: fully deductible
- Berufsunfähigkeitsversicherung (income protection) for sole traders: deductible portion depends on tax treatment; partially deductible as Sonderausgaben
- Cyber insurance (Cyberversicherung): fully deductible as a business expense
- A policy that names the company as policyholder, with the premium paid from the company account
When you cannot claim
- Personal life insurance (Lebensversicherung): not a business expense; may qualify as Sonderausgaben on personal return
- Private health insurance (private Krankenversicherung): personal expense, not business deductible
- Personal accident insurance covering private activities
- Insurance premiums for non-business assets (holiday home, personal vehicle)
- A premium paid by the company on behalf of a shareholder for a policy in the shareholder's name, which risks being treated as a hidden distribution
Good to know
Pro tip: Review your professional liability (Berufshaftpflicht) coverage annually. In Austria, many professional activities require minimum insurance levels under the relevant Berufsgesetz (professional law) or Kollektivvertrag. Inadequate coverage is a compliance risk, not just a financial one.
Important: If a single insurance policy covers both business and private assets (e.g., a combined home and office policy), only the portion attributable to business use is deductible. Request an itemised breakdown from your insurer for tax documentation purposes. Keep the Polizze, the premium notice and the proof of payment for each policy together. A Finanzamt review of the Betriebsausgaben looks for a policy that names the company, a premium that matches what was booked, and a cover that fits the business activity.
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