AIB's life assurance subsidiary Ark Life has the distinction of being the first company to report new business figures for the first half of the year, getting its figures out just a day into the second half. New regular premium business was up 32 per cent to Pounds 18.1 million, while single premium sales were up 40 per cent to Pounds 58.2 million. Savings and life assurance business was up 22 per cent to Pounds 14,3 million, while pensions business almost doubled to Pounds 3.8 million.