TOTAL premium income last year at Irish life assurance companies increased by 3.9 per cent to £1.66 billion, according to figures from the Irish Insurance Federation.

However, the annual IIF statement does not give a breakdown of the market share of the various companies, so no detailed figures are available to show how each company has performed.

It is understood that some of the companies opposed the publication of such a breakdown.

Of the total premium figures, annual premiums increased 5 per cent to £1.06 billion, while single premium income was up 2 per cent to £602 million.

Of new business, annual self employed pensions increased 11.6 per to £29.9 million, single premium self employed pensions grew 20.5 per cent to £25.7 million, annual group pensions grew 7.6 per cent to £69.7 million, while single premium group pensions were up 9.2 per cent to £201.3 million.

But growth in pensions business was almost balanced out by a sharp contraction in sales of savings products.

Sales of annual premium savings products were down 24.5 percent to £34.7 million while single premium sales fell 24 per cent to £273.8 million.

The value of investments held increased from £11.5 million to £12.9 billion, and three quarters of these assets are invested in the Republic.

Of the total of £12.9 billion, £4.1 billion was in Irish gilts, £3.8 billion in Irish equities, £2.7 billion in overseas equities, £900 million in Irish property, £300 million in overseas gilts, and £100 million in overseas property.