February applications for life insurance in North America dipped slightly year-over-year (0.8%), according to MIB Group Inc. of Westwood, Mass.

However, MIB says the February results mask a 20.5% jump in U.S. applications over January 2004 and were 2.1% above December 2003, overcoming the worst January on record since 1999.

Year- over-year, U.S. applications were off slightly at 0.7%, with Canadian activity decreasing 2%. Year-to-date, U.S. activity remains 2.8% below the same two- month period in 2003.

According to The MIB Life Index for February, year-over-year application activity in the 0-44 age group declined across the board: 2.3% U.S. and 3.9% Canada.

Application activity was flat in the 45-59 age group: 0.3% U.S. and 0.2% Canada. MIB says activity remained characteristically strong in the 60+ age group: 7.9% U.S. and 8.3% in Canada.