KIEV, April 16 ??“ Ukrainian insurance companies collected UAH 8.769 billion in net premiums in 2006, which is 17.2% more than in 2005, Valeriy Alioshyn, the head of Derzhfinposluh, the state commission for financial services market regulation, said.

The gross volume of premiums collected in 2006 grew by 7.6%, to UAH 13.379 billion, he said.

According to him, the balance assets of insurance companies grew from UAH 20 billion to UAH 23.9 billion in 2006, of which UAH 3.386 billion are on bank deposits - necessary to cover insurance reserves - which are 27% up compared to 2005, and UAH 1.256 billion are stored in securities, which is 76.4% up compared to 2005.