Pension Corporation, the insurance group founded by private-equity entrepreneur Edmund Truell, has topped the league table for signing the biggest pensions deals in 2009, swiping the crown from rival Legal & General.

Paternoster, which was a top player in this market in 2008, did not make it into the league table after being dormant for most of last year. However, it today announced its involvement in a rare £3bn (€3.4bn) longevity-swap deal on behalf of the UK pension fund for car manufacturer BMW, the biggest ever.