If you look at the $65 billion figure and the market cap of about $200 billion, they're saying you could technically get back almost a third of the company by 2008.

You can't argue with 29 percent growth in worldwide new business.

We've seen quite good sales figures from all the UK life insurance stocks. It looks like people are buying savings products once more and the sector seems to be performing relatively well again now after a tough few years.

They're good numbers, with both the UK and international figures a touch ahead of what people were expecting.

Market confidence towards savings products seems to have returned. As a result, the life insurance sector is getting back on track after a couple of tough years.

The long-term question is if they can get extra revenues out of these services. I'm not convinced.