This stacked up against net outflows of £0.6bn in Q4 2011 and represented a 29% increase on Q1 2011.
It was particularly helped by a strong showing from the firm’s international clients who contributed £2bn in the three months to the end of March.
LGIM said it was strengthening its capability to deliver growth in the business overseas, particularly in the US and Asia.
The investment management arm of parent group Legal & General said it had continued to see strong institutional gross flows in April, but it expects retail investment conditions to remain challenging with low market confidence and constraints on consumer disposable income levels.
But parent company L&G did not put on such a convincing show, with new business on an annual premium equivalent up only £1m from the same period a year ago at £434m, comfortably below market expectations of £443.5m.
Net cash generation also showed only a marginal increase, up £1m to £210m for the period.