Insurance Documents
/Source documents – such as tax invoices, account statements and payment schedules – provide important information about business activities. Bookkeepers use this information as evidence of a range of business transactions.
Without correct source documents, a business may not be able to claim GST paid as part of a transaction and may also be unable to claim some business expenses that would otherwise be deductible. This can lead to higher BAS bills and poor-quality records that may not meet compliance standards or provide meaningful data for analysis and business decision making.
Correct, accurate source documentation is particularly important when it comes to business-related insurance. Some types of business-related insurance could include:
Business insurance
Workers’ compensation insurance
Motor vehicle insurance
Personal accident and illness insurance
Businesses may have several different types of insurance, beginning on different dates. They could be paid up front or in instalments, and payment could be made directly or through a broker or premium funding entity.
Correct source documentation allows bookkeepers to keep accurate records of insurance dates, types and GST amounts. It also allows bookkeepers to keep track of possible related costs such as:
Interest charges
Application fees
Merchant fees
Additionally, business insurance may initially be a liability rather than an expense. Source documents are required to ensure that insurance is entered into business records in the correct form for reporting purposes. If there is an insurance expense incurred, it should show on the Profit and Loss statement; if there is an insurance liability, it should be visible on the business Balance Sheet.
Required documents
What insurance documents are required for accurate record-keeping?
For all business-related insurances purchased, a tax invoice should be provided. Additionally, if insurance is paid in more than one transaction, businesses should provide bookkeepers with a payment schedule.
Tax Invoice
The ATO has a useful resource on tax invoices, which can be found here.
For an insurance tax invoice, the main features you should look for are:
The words ‘tax invoice’
The name of the entity providing the insurance (or the entity providing funding) and their ABN
Insurance dates, particularly the date the insurance coverage starts
Insurance type, description and any prices
Any GST amounts
Payment Schedule
In its most basic form, an insurance payment schedule should contain:
Payee name
Payment dates
Payment amounts
Generally, a tax invoice shows what is to be paid, and a payment schedule shows when it will be paid. If payment is made up front in one transaction, a payment schedule is not required.
Clear, correct insurance record keeping makes it easier to identify any related problems, which can then be corrected. Providing these documents to bookkeepers ensures that accurate insurance records can be kept and reporting requirements can be met. It also enables businesses to claim business insurance related expenses and GST paid.
