Interest expense increased $2.6 million to $6.0 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 from $3.4 million for the corresponding period in 2018. A significant component of the increase was $1.4 million attributable to our long-term borrowings related to our 2018 asset-backed term securitization. The remaining increase of $1.2 million represented $4.6 million interest expense or 2.25% as an annualized percentage of average deposits for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, from $3.4 million, or 1.63% as an annualized percentage of average deposits for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018. The increase was primarily due to an increase in the rate paid on interest bearing liabilities and to a lesser degree, the increase in the average balances of interest bearing liabilities. Interest expense, as an annualized percentage of average total finance receivables, increased 90 basis points to 2.39% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, from 1.49% for the corresponding period in 2018. The average balance of deposits was $816.9 million and $830.9 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, respectively.
For the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, average term securitization borrowings outstanding were $140.5 million at a weighted average coupon of 3.91%. There were no outstanding borrowings for the period ended March 31, 2018.
Our wholly-owned subsidiary, MBB, serves as our primary funding source. MBB raises fixed-rate and variable-rate FDIC-insured deposits via the brokered certificates of deposit market, on a direct basis, and through the brokered MMDA Product. At March 31, 2019, brokered certificates of deposit represented approximately 52% of total deposits, while approximately 45% of total deposits were obtained from direct channels, and 3% were in the brokered MMDA Product.
Insurance premiums written and earned.Insurance premiums written and earned increased $0.2 million to $2.1 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, from $1.9 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018, primarily due to an increase in the number of contracts enrolled in the insurance program as well as higher average ticket size.
Other income. Other income was $10.8 million and $3.3 million for the three-month periods ended March 31, 2019 and March 31, 2018, respectively. A major component of the $7.5 million increase in other income is property tax income that was previously netted against property tax expense prior to the first quarter of 2019, but is presented as a separate component of revenue for the three months ended March 31, 2019, as a result of the adoption of ASU2016-02 and related ASUs. Other income also includes various administrative transaction fees and fees received from referral of leases to third parties, and gain on sale of leases and servicing fee income, recognized as earned. Selected major components of other income for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 included $5.6 million in property tax income, $4.1 million in income attributed to capital markets related activities, including gain on sale, servicing revenue and referral fee income, and $0.7 million of insurance policy fees. In comparison, selected major components of other income for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 included $2.5 million in income attributed to capital markets related activities, including gain on sale, servicing revenue and referral fee income and $0.5 million of insurance policy fees.
Salaries and benefits expense.Salaries and benefits expense increased $1.5 million, or 15.0%, to $11.5 million for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 from $10.0 million for the corresponding period in 2018. The increase was primarily due to increased commissions and compensation and benefits related to increases in personnel. Salaries and benefits expense, as an annualized percentage of average total finance receivables, was 4.58% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 compared with 4.39% for the corresponding period in 2018. Total personnel increased to 352 at March 31, 2019 from 326 at March 31, 2018.
General and administrative expense.General and administrative expense increased $6.8 million, or 103.0%, to $13.4 million for the three months ended March 31, 2019 from $6.6 million for the corresponding period in 2018. A major component of the increase is property tax expense that was previously netted against property tax income prior to the first quarter of 2019, but is presented on a gross basis in the three months ended March 31, 2019 as a result of the adoption of ASU2016-02 and related ASUs. General and administrative expense as an annualized percentage of average total finance receivables was 5.34% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019, compared to 2.88% for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018. Selected major components of general and administrative expense for the three-month period ended March 31, 2019 included $6.2 million of property tax expense, $1.1 million of premises and occupancy expense, $0.3 million of audit and tax compliance expense, $1.1 million of data processing expense, $0.6 million of marketing expense, and $0.4 million of insurance-related expenses. In comparison, selected major components of general and administrative expense for the three-month period ended March 31, 2018 included $0.9 million of premises and occupancy expense, $0.4 million of audit and tax compliance expense, $0.9 million of data processing expense, $0.6 million of marketing expense and $0.4 million of insurance-related expenses.
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