Direct life insurance total premium inflows fell 3.6% to $538 million last year, according to researchers Plan For Life.

Total life industry inflows were $2 billion for the year.

Plan For Life Actuary Simon Solomon says the direct life dip last year follows gains over the previous five years, with direct “one of the fastest-growing types of distribution in the life insurance industry”.

Trauma sales dominate the direct market, accounting for 51% of sales last year. Income protection makes up only 6%.

Call centre sales account for 47.9% of the market, down from 55.7%.

Online business fell to 29.5% last year from 32.9% in 2013, while mail-outs and branch sales grew to 22.6% from 11.4%.

Premiums have remained higher in direct life than in traditional retail cover.

Overall life insurance premiums grew 14% last year, compared with a 17% rise the previous year.

The number of direct products Plan For Life reviews increased to 206 last year from 158.