Investment income buoys Chile’s life results

Premiums were down but overall life earnings multiplied by 16 times during first half 2009

Although premiums for Chilean insurers dropped by 12.3% in real terms during in the first six months of 2009, to a total of US$2.89bn, the strong rise in earnings for the life sector (which returned $423mn against $27mn in the same period of 2008), more than compensated for the 33.3% fall (to $14mn) of the returns from non-life operations.