The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority revealed a further view of mortgage stress in the regulator's half yearly General Insurance Bulletin, which shows lenders' mortgage insurance claims rising by more than 300 per cent.LMI gross claims expense rose from $49 million to $210 million in the 12 months to December 2006. APRA said: "The higher level of claims is consistent with housing stress reported in some areas of western Sydney and elsewhere in Australia."APRA said the big increase in 2006 was due, in part, to a low level of claims in 2005.In January 2006 APRA increased the concentration risk charge for LMIs, with the result that the minimum capital requirement went from $891 million to $2.3 billion.As a result, LMI sector solvency cover fell from 2.75 times the capital base to 1.19 times.Net premium revenue for LMIs in 2006 was $704 million, after subtracting reinsurance expenses of $145 million from gross premium of $849 million.This compares with net premium revenue of $497 million in 2005, which was arrived at after subtracting reinsurance expense of $128 million from gross premium of $625 million.The Herald Sun, meanwhile, reported today that the Victorian Supreme Court issued 2734 possession orders in the year to June, up from 897 orders in 2001.