The pan-Asian insurance giant American International Assurance (AIA) has posted stronger-than-expected financial results for the first half of 2011. The Hong Kong-listed insurance company reported last week that net profit for the first six months of its fiscal year had risen by almost a quarter due to increased agent productivity and the continued success of its insurance businesses in key Asian markets,…

AIA Group Chief Marketing Officer, Chris Wei, recently communicated that Asia is the global leader in terms of growth in the life insurance market. According to figures released by Mr. Wei, the annual growth rate of life insurance premiums in Asia is 17 percent, compared to 11.6 percent in Europe and 4.9 percent in North America. These figures were shared with the Financial Services Council of Australia in a conference in the city of Melbourne.