Insurance sales in Romania increased 22.3 percent on year in the first half as rising wages prompted citizens to buy more homes and cars, Ziarul Financiar reported.

First-half insurance sales rose to 4.4 billion lei ($1.8 billion), the newspaper reported, citing data from the Insurance Supervision Committee, the national industry watchdog.

Net wages in Romania increased an annual 24.4 percent in June, helping spur new car and home sales.

Car insurance made up for about three quarters of all insurance sales in the first half, the newspaper said.