THE Hibernian group has reported a 15 per cent rise in new annual premium business to £6.54 million in the first six months of 1996. Sales of its life insurance premiums were down, with new annual premium life business worth £2.37 million, compared with £2.42 million in the same period last year. Its pension business continued to show good growth, with new annual premium sales up 27 per cent to £4.17 million. Single premium pension sales rose 39 per cent to £10.68 million.