Security assets or services, and indemnity insurance

If there is a serious threat to your employee because of his or her employment, and you pay the cost of the security asset or service, this payment is not a benefit in kind.

A security asset includes equipment or structures (for example alarms, security cameras and security gates). It does not include any form of vehicle, a home or land.

This exemption from benefit in kind also applies if you:

• provide an asset for personal security purposes
• provide a security service to improve your employee's physical safety.

The exemption from benefit in kind does not apply to security measures taken against:

• general criminal threats which all citizens face
• burglary
• threats separate to your employee’s work.

Indemnity insurance

You may pay indemnity insurance to provide cover for a director. If the proceeds of that policy are paid to the director, the amount of the premium is a benefit in kind. They must pay Pay As You Earn (PAYE), Pay Related Social Insurance (PRSI) and Universal Social Charge (USC) on that benefit.

If the proceeds of that policy go to the company, this is not a benefit in kind.