Insurance industry representatives in Lebanon recently acknowledged that they expect 2005 to end pretty much as a lost year for business, in line with the “no-growth” environment for GDP and overall economic performance. However, the detailed impacts on sector profits this year cannot be tallied for several more months – with the additional caveat that credible assessments of cumulative performance by all the 50 registered insurance and reinsurance companies still remain elusive in a sector which continues to keep even experts guessing on the real positioning of many companies. On the national level, the November 2005 research figures released by international reinsurance firm, Swiss Re, assess Lebanon’s premium production at $577 million in 2004, comprised of $180 million in life and $397 million in non-life insurance. With an average of 15.5% annual growth from 1999 to 2004, the 9.3% inflation-adjusted increase between 2003 and 2004, represented a decent result for
