Zurich Life Ireland recorded an operating profit of €20.5m for the first six months of the year, which is a 35% increase on the same period in 2012.

New business levels fell by 22% to €65.8m at financial services provider Zurich Life (Ireland), during the first six months of this year.

Irish pension funds may buy as much as €10bn of domestic sovereign annuity bonds within three years, according to Zurich Life Assurance Plc, the first insurer cleared by regulators to offer such products as the country returns to debt markets.

Quitting cigarettes could result in savings of as much as €9,000 on life insurance, according to a price comparison survey by the National Consumer Agency.

New business levels at financial services provider Zurich Life (Ireland) fell by 14% to €153.6m last year — higher than the average fall of 8% for the industry.

THE Irish arm of pensions and insurance specialist Zurich Life has reported a 12% year-on-year increase in the value of new business, to €106.5 million, for the first half of this year.

A GOOD showing in an otherwise declining pensions market has boosted Zurich Life Ireland’s (formerly Eagle Star) market share by 46% to 16%, the company said yesterday.

Swiss insurer Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) today posted “solid” nine-month results with net income of $2.2bn (€1.47bn), down 24%.

RaboDirect has entered the Irish pensions market with the launch of an online PRSA pension product provided by Zurich Life.

FIRST quarter results from Zurich Life Ireland show that the company is outperforming the life insurance market here.

ZURICH Life (Ireland) chief executive, Michael Brennan, has said that the company — formerly known as Eagle Star — is capable of growing further this year after seeing both market share and new business levels rise strongly during 2008.

Zurich Life has reported a 34% increase in market share for 2008.