Sales at its US operation were up 21 per cent to £180m, while the figure was 34 per cent up, at £277m, in Asia. Prudential makes some 70 per cent of its sales outside the UK market.
Prudential group chief executive Mark Tucker said the UK business had continued to struggle amid a "quiet" bulk annuity market, with a £66m bulk annuity deal last year leading to unfavourable comparisons this year.
The Pru added that UK sales were also hit by the loss of a £15m contract to supply credit life sales to Lloyds TSB, which was taken back in-house by the banking group.
Mr Tucker said retail and individual product sales were strong, up 16 per cent to £181m, and sought to reassure investors that the UK arm was already beginning to see cost savings under its turnaround strategy.
But he said it would be at least three to six months before final decisions would be made over the UK jobs restructure.
The group added sales were powering ahead at its private medical insurance arm, PruHealth - not included in the total UK sales figures - and unveiled a tie-up with high street chain Boots the Chemist, which will see the group offer health insurance in 1,500 stores. PruHealth doubled new business in the first quarter to £16m, increasing the number of customers covered to 108,000.
The group said the Boots deal would help it reach its target of 200,000 customers by the end of the year.
Boots Health Insurance will be available later this month, offering a product that rewards healthy living, an initiative pioneered in the UK by PruHealth.
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