Sorry, Old Boy, don't understand your banter at all. Captives?

Sorry Jerry! Many large companies and an increasing number of medium sized companies set up Captives as a way of better controlling insurance costs and risk. Essentially a Captive is an insurance company which is wholly-owned by the parent company (ie the company setting it up). Premiums are paid in the normal way by the parent but into the captive rather than to a third party insurer. If the captive makes a profit over a period of time this can be returned to the parent company rather than lost to a third party insurer. Captive management is big business. They are usually based off shore for tax and regulatory reasons - hence the interest in Malta as a domicile. I believe Marsh and AON, the world's two biggest brokers has recently set up a captive management operation there and others will follow. Put insurance captives Malta into Google and you'll find some recent developments. Certainly Malta is pushing for more of this business. Clear as mud? Huw

As cunning as a very cunning thing.

Hi I too am considering malta as somewhere to buy-to-let. But I read that there are severe restriction on foreigners letting out property - such property has to be approved by various bodies (hotels assoc. etc) and would appear to only include property at the top end of the market - ie villas with swimming pools or flats in certain tourist areas. I have obtained my info. by searching on the internet - so if anyone has first hand knowledge I would be very grateful to hear it.