Strong results from Prudential gave the life insurance sector a lift on Wednesday after the company impressed with a decent increase in the dividend as profits came in at the top end of analysts' estimates. Even though Prudential was the only life insurance stock to register gains in London, its weighting in the sector was enough to drive the category higher.Prudential, which was up 3% at 1,401p in afternoon trade, has a market capitalisation of nearly £35bn, double the size of the next company in the sector, Aviva (£15.4bn), which was trading lower.Smaller stocks including St James's Place, Old Mutual and Legal & General were registering small losses.Prudential reported a 17% rise in operating profits for 2013 to £2.95bn, while its other key financial metrics of cash and new business profits also delivered double-digit growth. The full-year dividend was raised by 15% to 33.57p per share.It said that results were boosted by growth in Asia, which now accounts for around a third of group operating profit."At the heart of our future prospects is Asia. We are pursuing the increasing demand for protection products from the rapidly growing middle class in our chosen markets across the region," said Chief Executive Tidjane Thiam.Analysts at Killik pointed out that Prudential trades at a premium to other UK insurers on a price-to-earnings ratio of 13.1, "however it has a significantly better growth profile in its Asian and US operations"."With Prudential's strong balance sheet, good geographic exposure, focus on value over volume, and higher earnings growth profile, it remains a 'buy'," they said.Top performing sectors so far todayMobile Telecommunications 5,119.55 +1.14%Life Insurance 7,348.25 +0.62%Forestry & Paper 11,816.18 +0.55%Fixed Line Telecommunications 4,633.79 +0.32%Electricity 9,477.53 +0.28%Bottom performing sectors so far todayTobacco 36,903.83 -2.49%Aerospace and Defence 4,714.46 -2.13%Banks 4,416.95 -2.08%Health Care Equipment & Services 5,149.99 -1.72%Industrial Engineering 10,503.89 -1.65%BC