By 
Before we start, some of you might be asking why you’d care about insurance expenses as an asset. Well, if you’re anything like us, you’d rather have your tax return done by a friendly accountant than the IRS (although the latter is free).
The more knowledgeable and organized you are before meeting with your accountant, the more time and money you save. So here are things your accountant WISHES you knew about insurance expense as an asset.
What is the Insurance expense?
Insurance expense is the cost incurred to provide insurance coverage. It includes premiums paid, administrative expenses, and any additional amounts an entity has agreed to pay in the event of a contingent loss.
Insurance expense refers to an amount that a business pays for insurance coverage. This may include property damage, bodily injury, other losses, employee medical expenses, injured at work, and by-products made by the company.
Insurance is considered a non-operating item since it does not relate directly to the day-to-day operations of a company. Instead, it protects against unforeseen risks that could disrupt operations if no precautions are taken beforehand (for example: destroying inventory due to fire).
What is insurance expense classified as?
Insurance expense is classified as a liability, non-cash, and non-operating.
This means that it’s not an asset, but it affects assets. Insurance expenses are considered nonrecurring because they only occur once every year (and sometimes even more rarely).
Is insurance an asset or an expense?
First, the term “asset” refers to something that has value to your business. An asset might be something physical, like a piece of equipment or a building, or something intangible, like intellectual property or goodwill. Insurance falls into this second category because it’s not your insurance policy that has value—it’s the peace of mind that comes with having it!
Insurance can also be considered an expense because you’re paying for something necessary for your business and its operations. For example, if you’ve got employees who work at home, you’ll want to obtain liability insurance so that if one of them gets hurt on the job and sues you for damages, your company will still have funds to cover them (and maybe more).
So there you have it: insurance can be considered either an asset or an expense, depending on how you view it.
Does insurance expense go on the balance sheet?
Insurance expense does not go on the balance sheet. It is a non-cash expense, meaning it is not a part of the company’s net income and therefore does not need to be reconciled with the company’s cash flow.
The company pays most insurance expenses out of its cash flow as they occur, so they do not need to be reported on the balance sheet. However, if a company has unpaid claims or reserves for future claims, those amounts will have to be reported on the balance sheet as liabilities.
Situations where Insurance is not a liability but an asset
We’ll look at situations where insurance is an asset, not a liability.
As you know, insurance is a great way to protect yourself from financial loss. It can also be used as a tax deduction on your taxes—and if you have enough coverage, it can provide peace of mind. But sometimes, having insurance can cost you money. This happens when the cost of the policy outweighs its benefits.
Here are some situations when insurance is an asset and not a liability:
1) When You Need to Make a Claim
If there is an accident and your car is damaged or stolen, it can be challenging to pay for repairs or replacement costs without having any money saved. If this happens to you and your car has an insurance policy attached to it, then you should use this money as soon as possible because it will help avoid further financial problems later on down the road!
- Life insurance for the family: If you die, your loved ones will be taken care of.
- Homeowner’s insurance: If your house burns down or gets damaged by a storm, you’ll be compensated.
- Auto insurance: In case of an accident, you’re covered up to a certain amount (either by your insurer or the other driver’s).
- Business insurance: Your business needs coverage against damage and theft and liability protection if someone is hurt on your property or if they get sick from using your product or service.
2) When You Have a Health Condition That Requires Lots of Care / Treatment
Healthcare costs can add up quickly if you have chronic health conditions such as diabetes or heart disease. These conditions require constant monitoring and care, which means that the cost associated with caring for them will also increase over time (especially since most medical providers charge more for treating patients requiring more care).
When to think of insurance as an asset and not a liability
When you have insurance, it’s easy to consider it a liability. After all, you’re paying out money for something that doesn’t provide any benefit. But sometimes, insurance can be an asset—a way to save you money and help you avoid costly mistakes down the line.
Here are three situations where insurance can be a handy asset:
1) If you’re looking to invest in a home or car and need comprehensive coverage, an insurance policy may help offset some of those costs if your items are damaged or stolen.
2) If you have valuable jewelry or art collection, having insurance on the items can help protect them from theft or damage.
3) When selling your home, most mortgage companies require homeowners to have adequate liability coverage before they approve the loan.
Final Thoughts
So, we know that insurance is not an asset but a prepaid expense. Insurance can be an asset if you use it in the right way.
It’s not just about protecting yourself against the financial fallout of an accident or illness but also about protecting your future earnings potential by reducing the time you spend out of work.
The key is ensuring your insurance doesn’t become a liability by making decisions based on emotion or impulse.
Instead, take advantage of all the resources available to find the best coverage at the lowest price and keep an eye on what happens in the insurance world so you can make any necessary adjustments.
