Despite elevated frequency January sees no major natural disaster event, according to Aon Benfield catastrophe study

CHICAGO, Feb. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Aon Benfield, the global reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor of Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON), today releases its latest Global Catastrophe Recap report, which analyses the natural disaster perils that occurred worldwide during January.

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Published by Impact Forecasting, the firm's catastrophe modeling center of excellence, the report reveals that while there was no single major loss event throughout the month, a series of relatively small aggregated losses impacted insurers and economies.

In the United Kingdom and Scandinavia, Windstorm Ulli killed at least two people early in the month and caused widespread damage. Thousands of insurance claims were filed in the affected regions, with total insured losses estimated at approximately GBP200 million (USD306 million).

Elsewhere in Europe, prolonged low temperatures killed at least 306 people in the east of the continent, while in Japan, heavy snowfall from a series of winter storms killed at least 56 people and injured 750 others, with the hardest-hit areas comprising Akita, Niigata, Nagano and Aomori.

The United States endured widespread multiple winter storms during January, with heavy snow and freezing rain in parts of Oregon and Washington, that caused total damages estimated to be well above USD50 million.

Steve Jakubowski, President of Impact Forecasting, said: "Following an extremely active 2011, this year has already seen an elevated number of natural disaster events. However, contrary to last year, 2012 has thus far lacked what we would term a significant event. Severe winter weather impacted many countries during January, and we would expect this trend to continue into February across the Northern Hemisphere. Climatology and the current La Nina phase suggest that heavy rainfall and tropical cyclones are a threat for the Southern Hemisphere, especially after Cyclone Yasi's landfall and flooding across parts of Australia last year during the months of January and February."

Meanwhile, a rare January tornado outbreak caused widespread damage to portions of Alabama, Arkansas and Mississippi, with total economic losses anticipated to exceed USD100 million and insured losses in Alabama alone expected to be at least USD30 million. The number of tornado touchdowns during the month made 2012 the third-most active January since official records began in 1950.

Severe weather was also prevalent in parts of Indonesia, where separate events led to widespread damage and fatalities. The first event swept through Jakarta, where total damages were recorded at IDR270 billion (USD30 million), and a event saw a tornado kill at least 14 people and destroy more than 2,000 homes in the provinces of Jakarta, Central Java, East Java and West Java.

Flooding and landslides caused damage and fatalities in multiple continents, with the countries of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Brazil, Mozambique and South Africa all sustaining effects. Tropical Cyclone Funso brought torrential rains and gusty winds to Mozambique, though never officially making landfall. At least 30 people were killed and tens of thousands of homes were affected.

To view the full January 2012 Global Catastrophe Recap report, click the link below:

http://thoughtleadership.aonbenfield.com/ThoughtLeadership/Documents/201201_if_monthly_cat_recap_january.pdf

About Aon Benfield

As a recognized leader in treaty, facultative and capital markets, Aon Benfield is redefining the role of the reinsurance intermediary and capital advisor. Through our notable expertise and industry-leading proprietary tools and products, we help our clients to redefine success. Aon Benfield offers unbiased capital advice and customized access to reinsurance and capital markets. As a trusted advocate, we provide local reach to the world's markets, an investment in innovative analytics, including catastrophe management, actuarial, and rating agency advisory, and the right professionals to advise clients in making the optimal capital choice for their business. With an international network of more than 80 offices in 50 countries, our worldwide client base is able to access a broad portfolio of integrated capital solutions and services. Learn more at aonbenfield.com.

About Impact Forecasting® LLC

Impact Forecasting is a catastrophe modeling center of excellence whose seismologists, meteorologists, engineers, mathematicians, finance risk management and insurance professionals analyze the financial implications of natural and man-made catastrophes around the world.  Impact Forecasting's experts develop software tools and models that help clients understand risks from hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildfires and terrorist attacks on property, casualty and crop insurers and reinsurers.  To find out more about Impact Forecasting® LLC, visit www.impactforecasting.com.

About Aon

Aon Corporation (NYSE:AON) is the leading global provider of risk management, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, and human resources solutions and outsourcing services. Through its more than 61,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon unites to empower results for clients in over 120 countries via innovative and effective risk and people solutions and through industry-leading global resources and technical expertise. Aon has been named repeatedly as the world's best broker, best insurance intermediary, reinsurance intermediary, captives manager and best employee benefits consulting firm by multiple industry sources. Visit http://www.aon.com for more information on Aon and http://www.aon.com/manchesterunited to learn about Aon's global partnership and shirt sponsorship with Manchester United.

SOURCE Aon Corporation

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