The total expenses – corresponding to technical expenses (costs pertaining to the management of the insurance business, such as: payments of claims and life policies having reached maturity, changes to insurance provisions, acquisition costs, administration costs, depreciation) minus the items relating to: remuneration for employees, agents and advisers, open distributions and sponsorships, and interest on interest-bearing debt – revealed only a slight increase, in part because of the fall in net insurance benefits and claims.