Thank you for joining ClearView's full year results briefing. I'm here today with Athol Charkham, ClearView's Chief Financial Officer. In a moment, Athol will take you through the results in detail, but first, I will provide an overview and business update. There will be an opportunity to ask questions at the end. ClearView had another strong year, with a group underlying net profit after tax of AUD 35.3 million, representing a 25% increase on the previous corresponding period under the new AASB 17 accounting standard. The business continues to drive strong momentum with an environment of favorable market conditions. Our FY24 highlights include: new business market share rising to 11%, gross premiums of AUD 358.1 million, up 10% on the previous corresponding period, and life insurance underlying NPAT margin of 11%.
I'm pleased that ClearView introduced an interim dividend this year of 1.5 cents per share, paid in March 2024, in addition to a final dividend of 1.7 cents per share, payable in September 2024. This brings our total FY24 dividend to 3.2 cents per share, which is at the top end of our payout range. The DRP has been reinstated and will operate for the FY24 final dividend to provide shareholders with an opportunity to reinvest in the growth ambitions of the company, noting that it is not the intention to seek support for any shortfall in shareholder participation. This is further evidence that the group is in an underlying capital generation position.
Our FY24 results demonstrate that our strategy is sound and that we are tracking well to our key FY26 goals, as previously communicated to the market. These goals are outlined on page three of the investor pack and include: increasing new business market share to 12%-14%, in-force market share to circa 4%, gross premiums of AUD 400 million, and an underlying NPAT margin of 11%-13%. ClearView today is a simplified business focused solely on life insurance. As a dedicated life insurance company, we exist to help our customers protect themselves and their loved ones against the financial risk of a major accident or illness or premature death. We do this by providing high quality, fit-for-purpose life insurance solutions and excellent customer service in partnership with financial advisors.
We have progressed our strategic technology transformation, which will provide significant flexibility, enabling us to customize our flagship ClearChoice product offerings efficiently and at scale in order to meet the evolving needs of our customers and distribution partners. At the same time, we are leveraging the breadth and depth of our increasing distribution footprint and the growing maturity of our data insights capability to help more Australians and their families access life insurance by being easy to do business with and providing a superior customer service. Overall market conditions are improving, and ClearView is winning market share in a growing market as we continue the focused and disciplined execution of our strategy. We're also finalizing our exit from wealth management following the full exit of our advice business with the sale of our interest in Centrepoint Alliance during the first half of the financial year.
As previously flagged, given the increasing size and scale of our in-force portfolio, improved capital position, and the industry's improving outlook, ClearView has increased its exposure to underwriting risk for new business from the first of October 2023 . All of these actions will support margin accretion over time as we target an underlying NPAT margin of 11%-13%. In summary, the business has demonstrated strong performance this year. It has a solid balance sheet and capital position and is on track to achieve its FY 26 targets. I will now hand over to Athol, who will take you through the results.
Thank you, Nadine. ClearView successfully adopted the new AASB 17 accounting standard for the first time in the half year period and has continued to embed this new standard for the full year FY 2024 results. While AASB 17 impacts the timing of when insurance earnings are recognized, it does not impact the economics of our business. ClearView's financial strength, product cash flows, and the ability to pay claims and/or dividends remain unchanged. For the financial year, on the AASB 17 basis, group underlying NPAT from continuing operations increased 25% to AUD 35.3 million, with the life insurance underlying NPAT increasing 23% to AUD 39.5 million. The FY 2023 prior year numbers have also been restated on the AASB 17 basis.
Gross premiums increased by 10% to AUD 358.1 million, driven by market share gains in new business flows and inflation in premiums, with lapses largely in line with expectation. Gross premium income for the year broadly reflects the average in-force premiums that increased 10% to AUD 374 million. New sales increased 34% to AUD 33.7 million, achieving an 11% market share, up from 9% in the prior year. The business has continued to win share in a growing market.... The FY24 life insurance underlying NPAT is up 23% to AUD 39.5 million, and an underlying NPAT margin of 11%, up from 9.9% in the prior year.
The improved margin between periods reflects the interest rate changes between periods, strong business momentum, and benefits of the transformation program, but noting that it was also adversely impacted by total permanent disability and income protection claims experience in the year. The long-term actuarial claims assumptions have been updated to reflect the increased claims costs from these products, with a further phase of the gross premium repricing cycle in calendar year 2025 to cover these increased claims, and, if applicable, reinsurance costs across these products. These have been incorporated in the FY 2026 target margin range of 11%-13%. The life insurance business performance is expected to continue to support the double-digit NPAT growth, as previously communicated to the market.
Looking ahead, the improved target margin over time is driven by scale benefits, the increased exposure to underwriting risk for new business, and the operational efficiency savings expected to be achieved from information technology investments. Furthermore, the uplift and investment in the claims team and capability provide us with the confidence that the margin range is achievable. The FY 2024 results also included the sale of ClearView's stake in Centrepoint Alliance. Significant progress has also been made in the exit of the wealth management businesses during the financial year, with the retirement of our trustee and the sale of the investment management business. From a balance sheet perspective, ClearView has net assets of AUD 353.2 million, backed by cash and highly rated securities. The balance sheet provides strong downside protection due to its high level of net tangible assets.
Upon the implementation and transition to AASB 17, for the in-force business, as at the transition date on 1 July 2022, the opening balance sheet has an initial net asset reduction of AUD 83.6 million after tax. This is then released back to profit over time, leading to a positive impact on future profit release. Given that it is probable that the group's future taxable profit will be available against which these tax losses can be utilized, the additional deferred tax asset of AUD 35.9 million has been recognized on the balance sheet at transition. The total group deferred tax asset related to group carryforward losses is AUD 23.8 million at 30 June 2024. This tax and capital benefits should be realized in future benefits as these losses are utilized.
ClearView continues to generate capital from its in-force portfolios prior to the reinvestment in new business with the business in an underlying capital generation position. I will now hand back to Nadine to wrap up before opening up for questions.
Thank you, Athol. Call out is on page 21, which reiterates the future focus areas for ClearView in FY25 and our financial outlook. Business simplification remains a key strategic priority, and we have achieved significant milestones in the last three years. We continue to invest in technology and transformation, with planning underway for the migration of the existing in-force onto the new functional platform to drive scale and efficiency benefits from the first half of FY26. A number of initiatives are also underway to use the capability of our people and the way we do things to drive higher customer engagement, retention, and satisfaction.
Essentially, our ambition is to be the best at life insurance, leveraging our dynamic challenger ethos together with our simplified technological architecture and smaller, more agile company size to meet the targeted needs of our customers and advisors in faster, better, and smarter ways. I'm very proud of what the team has achieved this financial year as we continue to deliver on our strategy. We expect underlying NPAT to continue to grow at double digits with a target FY 26 underlying NPAT margin of 11%-13%. I will now hand over to the operator to open up for questions. Thank you.
If you wish to ask a question, please press star followed by one on your telephone and wait for your name to be announced. That is star one if you wish to ask a question. Once again, that is star one if you wish to ask a question. Currently, there are no questions. I'd like to hand back to our speakers.
Okay, thank you very much. That concludes our FY24 call. Thank you so much, everyone. Thank you for joining us.
That does conclude our conference for today. Thank you for participating in our audio-