Life business boosts reinsurance premiums

French reinsurers’ return on equity almost halved in 2008 but remained in profit at 8.3%

Reinsurers based in France saw their premium income decline slightly last year. Figures from the Association Professionel de le Reassurance en France (APREF), excluding data for Munich Re France and GEN Re France which was not available, eased to €9.99bn ($14.18bn) in 2008 from €10.29bn in 2007.