Featured statistic: EUR 2.5 billion

This vigorous growth was produced by a combination of favourable developments. For one thing, there were no large-scale claims last year, reducing claim payments by almost 3% compared to 2004, down to circa EUR 14 billion. Also, earned premiums rose by over 2% to EUR 21 billion. And finally, non-life insurers made strongly higher returns on investment. Returns on investment rose by almost 30% compared to 2004, to EUR 2.2 billion.