Despite an unfavourable macroeconomic environment, the profitability and financial situation of French insurers improved in 2012. In non-life insurance, premiums increased at a solid pace of 3%. They were mainly fuelled by personal insurance business lines, whereas premiums from corporate business lines remained almost flat in 2012, with mixed results across lines of business. Meanwhile, the cost of claims in the 2012 accounting year (for all accident years) rose slightly more than gross earned premiums, thereby causing the total combined ratio to move slightly higher. Some lines of business were more affected than others: technical balances deteriorated in health & accident, general third-party liability and transport insurance, while combined ratios improved steadily in motor insurance, coming close to the 100% breakeven point.