Insurance profits

Finance and insurance is the most profitable industry according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

Compared with an average profit margin of 9.5 per cent for all industries, the finance and insurance industry enjoyed a 25 per cent profit margin.

Other industries with high profit margins included communications services at 20 per cent, electricity, gas and water supply at 21 per cent and mining at 16.6 per cent.

Retail traders had the tightest margins with a 3.4 per cent profit margin.