Key Person Insurance: Could your business survive losing one if its key people?
As much as you try to share skills, knowledge and information in your company, you probably have some people who are key to your business’ success.
It might be a Director or the CEO, whose vision made it a success in the first place. It might be your star salesperson, or someone in your IT area who knows the system backwards. It could even be someone who doesn’t create any revenue but does a fantastic job of boosting your company’s reputation or perhaps running your admin and back office systems.
Now, what would happen if you suddenly lost one of those key people?
And if you think it would never happen because they love your business so much, think again. Sure they may not resign. But they might decide to start a family and want to leave the workforce. Or what if they suffered a major illness or injury, or even passed away?
In addition to the obvious issue of lost productivity and their contribution to the business, you also have to spend time (and money) to recruit and train a replacement. And losing such a key person in your company could even affect your reputation and credit standing.
Could your business survive until you find someone who can fill their shoes?
Key Person Insurance can help you get back on your feet
Key Person Insurance can give you the financial support you need while you’re getting back on your feet. It can offset both your costs (e.g. hiring temporary help or recruiting and training a replacement) and your losses (e.g. not being able to do as much business until they finish their training).
It can also help with:
- business succession planning
- protecting your company’s equity value
- agreed funding to purchase the equity
- continuity of equity value for the surviving spouse
- funding re-payments of any capital loans or personal guarantees
- meeting requirements for bank business loans
- salary packaging benefits (depending on the person’s taxation affairs).
And you can take out a policy (which is usually tax-deductible) on anyone you feel is a key person in your company.
How much should I insure them for?
You can set the policy amount to be anything from $500,000 to $10 million. Of course, the amount you specify will depend on the size of your company and the person you’re insuring.
The amount can be calculated in a few ways, including:
- the ‘replacement cost method’, which is based on the cost is to replace the key person
- the ‘contributions to earnings method’, which is based on the percentage of their earnings towards your company’s revenue
- the ‘multiples of income method’, where their current salary is multiplied to determine their value.
Protecting your partners (and their partners) with a Buy/Sell agreement
What if the key person happens to be your partner in the company? Yes, the Key Person Insurance may well cover the finances involved in buying your partner’s shares from their family. But do you really want to be negotiating a deal at such an emotionally trying time?
Having a Buy/Sell Agreement in place can save everyone from a lot of anguish. It’s a legally binding agreement that determines what will happen to each stakeholder’s shares if they suffer a major illness or injury, or pass away.
It has two parts:
- The Disposal Mechanism (also known as a Business Will), which states what happens if a partner leaves the business due to death or disability. It usually contains a valuation method.
- The Funding Mechanism, which funds the Buy/Sell Agreement. This is where you would find the details of the Key Person Insurance policy taken out for each partner.
How do I arrange Key Person Insurance?
Before you take out Key Person Insurance you should first speak with your business advisor about the overall approach and then get into the details with an insurance broker. You need to make sure you get the cover you need without paying for the cover you don’t need. We can guide you in this area.
After all, it may well be the key to your company’s survival.
Need help with your accounting?
If your business provides a car to an employee (or you’re the business owner/employee using it), there’s a good chance the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) rules apply. A car fringe benefit arises when a car owned or leased by an employer is made available for the private use of the business owner, an employee or their associate (such as a family member). “Private use” doesn’t just mean weekend road trips — it can include everyday commuting and even cases where the car is parked at an employee’s home, making it available for personal trips. Understanding how FBT is calculated and what records to keep is essential for compliance — and for avoiding paying more tax than necessary. What counts as a “car” for FBT purposes? The FBT law defines a car as a motor vehicle (except a motorcycle or similar) designed to carry less than one tonne and fewer than nine passengers. From 1 July 2022, some zero or low-emission vehicles are exempt from FBT, provided they meet certain criteria — for example, they must be first held and used after 1 July 2022 and must not have attracted Luxury Car Tax. Electric vehicle running costs, such as charging, are also exempt when the vehicle itself qualifies. Two main methods for calculating FBT on cars There are two ways to calculate the taxable value of a car fringe benefit. 1. Statutory formula method This method applies a flat 20% statutory rate to the base value of the car, adjusted for the number of days in the FBT year the car was available for private use. The formula is: (A × B × C ÷ D) − E A = Base value of the car (cost price plus GST and certain accessories, less registration, stamp duty and eligible reductions) B = Statutory fraction (generally 20%) C = Days available for private use D = Total days in FBT year (365) E = Employee contributions If the car has been owned for at least four full FBT years, the base value can be reduced by one-third. 2. Operating cost method This method calculates the taxable value by applying the private use percentage to the total operating costs of the car (actual and deemed costs). The formula is: Taxable value = [Operating costs × (100% − Business use %)] − Employee contributions Operating costs include: Fuel, oil, repairs, maintenance, registration and insurance Lease costs (for leased cars) Deemed depreciation (25% diminishing value) and deemed interest for owned cars Certain costs, such as tolls, car parking and insurance-funded repairs, are excluded. The business use percentage is determined by odometer readings, logbook records, and a reasonable estimate based on usage patterns. The three-month logbook requirement (operating cost method only). If you use the operating cost method, you must keep a logbook for at least 12 continuous weeks (roughly three months) to record: The date of each trip Odometer readings at the start and end Total kilometres travelled Whether the trip was for business or private purposes The purpose of each business trip This logbook is generally valid for five years, but you must start a new one if usage patterns change significantly (e.g., a role change, relocation or different duties). You also need to record odometer readings at the start and end of each FBT year. Why record-keeping matters. Keeping accurate records can support a higher business use percentage (and therefore a lower FBT bill). They also ensure you claim only legitimate business kilometres and help you provide evidence if the ATO reviews your FBT calculation. Finally, your records help you decide which calculation method (statutory or operating cost) is more tax-effective. Key takeaways for businesses and employees. If a car is available for private use, FBT may apply — even if the car isn’t driven often for personal trips. Electric cars may be FBT-exempt if they meet eligibility criteria, but you may still need to calculate their taxable value for reporting purposes. The operating cost method often works better if business use is high — but only if you have a compliant logbook. Keep odometer readings, expense records and a valid logbook to support your claims. Need help with your FBT obligations? Get it at Ascent Accountants. We guide business owners through every step of FBT compliance — from choosing the right valuation method to maintaining the right records for ATO peace of mind. If you provide cars to employees or use a company vehicle yourself, now is the time to review your FBT position before the next FBT year rolls over. Let’s talk .
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