• The Federal Excise Tax (FET) is a tax levied on insurance premium payments to offshore insurers: 4 percent on direct premiums and 1 percent on reinsurance premiums. It was once relaxed to pay premiums to most offshore insurers/reinsurers in Barbados and Bermuda, but not for long. This can be eliminated if the captive elects to be taxed as a U.S. corporation, or if the transaction is not in fact insurance (ie.