Aon/Albert G. Ruben: Risks to Overseas Filmmaking Increase as Disease, Kidnap and Ransom, and Terrorism Threats Grow

Aon/Albert G. Ruben: Risks to Overseas Filmmaking Increase as Disease, Kidnap and Ransom, and Terrorism Threats Grow

Aon/Albert G. Ruben Releases the 2006 Risks in Global Filmmaking Map, Highlighting the Risks Filmmakers Face in More Than 200 Countries

LOS ANGELES, March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Disease, kidnap and ransom, and terrorism risks pose the greatest threat to global filmmaking, according to the 2006 Risks in Global Filmmaking Map published today by Aon/Albert G. Ruben, the world's leading insurance broker for the entertainment industry. The map, which measures crime and corruption, terrorism, kidnap and ransom, disease, and medical care risk, analyzes more than 200 countries and assigns an overall country risk rating to each.

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Situations contributing to risk in many regions across the globe have not greatly improved, based on this year's general findings. The Middle East remains a hotbed of terrorist activity and many countries in Africa are in economic turmoil. The riskiest regions for filmmaking are Nepal, Kenya, Thailand, Pakistan and Zimbabwe.

The countries that present less risk to filmmakers compared to last year include Morocco, Nicaragua and the Slovak Republic. In all three, economic growth and/or a decrease in terrorism risk have created a more appealing business environment.

"Filmmakers should be particularly concerned about avian influenza, or bird flu, especially since it has spread so widely. If the virus makes the jump from animal-human to human-human transmission, it could have a catastrophic impact on filmmaking," said Chris Palmer, director of risk control for Aon/Albert G. Ruben and author of the risk map. "The authorities would likely stop all international travel, meaning that nothing -- not film reels, equipment or people -- would be able to go to or come back from a location, perhaps indefinitely. The average producer is not yet thinking about this possibility and the potential impact of a global quarantine, but it is a serious risk."

"The threat of kidnap and ransom continues to grow in a number of countries, including Mexico and China," said Clive Stoddart, managing director of Asset Security Managers, a division of Aon Limited.

In Mexico, kidnapping is now the second most prevalent criminal activity after narcotics trading. In 2005, Mexico recorded more kidnapping incidents than Colombia, making it the number one kidnap hotspot in the world. Within the country, Mexico City is considered the center of the kidnap industry and, together with the State of Mexico, accounted for approximately 69 percent of the country's kidnappings in 2004. Other states with high levels of kidnap risk include Guerrero, Chihuahua and Michoacan. Kidnap activity in Nuevo Laredo and Tijuana have also prompted concern and, at times, official warnings to U.S. citizens.

In China, kidnapping has historically been linked to bad debts and business dealings gone wrong on a local level. Although accurate statistics are hard to come by, kidnap and ransom is a growing problem in that country and the threat is spreading to include foreigner visitors.

Paul Bassett, executive director of Terrorism and Political Risk for Aon Limited said, "The threat of terrorism is not only coming from international extremists, such as Al Qaeda, but it is also emerging from domestic, single- interest and ideological groups, and individual criminals. These entities are cross-fertilizing and becoming more sophisticated, thus increasing the risk for filmmakers overseas."

The 2006 Map also identifies those countries that pose significant political risks, such as political violence or civil war. It was created by Aon risk experts who measured global risks specific to filmmaking by compiling data from a variety of sources, including U.S. Bureau of Consular Affairs, Overseas Security Advisory Council, Diplomatic Security Services, Central Intelligence Agency personnel and publications, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, World Health Organization and other sources.

The Risks in Global Filmmaking Map takes a snapshot of the current global situation. However, because the global landscape is changing everyday, Aon/Albert G. Ruben provides risk updates throughout the year. Please visit http://www.aon.com/filmrisk to register for the map and to receive regular risk updates from Aon/Albert G. Ruben.

About Aon

Aon Corporation (NYSE:AOC) ( http://www.aon.com/ ) is a leading provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human capital and management consulting, and specialty insurance underwriting. There are 47,000 employees working in Aon's 500 offices in more than 120 countries. Backed by broad resources, industry knowledge and technical expertise, Aon professionals help a wide range of clients develop effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions.

Aon/Albert G. Ruben has played a leading role in Hollywood and elsewhere for more than four decades, placing insurance for 77 of the 100 films selected by the American Film Institute as the greatest movies ever made since 1960. Clients of Aon/Albert G. Ruben include most major film studios and an impressive roster of the independent film community. In addition, Aon/Albert G. Ruben solves risk-related challenges for more than 70 percent of American prime-time television shows. The company focuses on minimizing risk for the entertainment industry without sacrificing creativity. For more information about Aon/Albert G. Ruben's products and services, please visit http://www.aon.com/albertgruben .

For more information, contact:
Kelly Drinkwine, KemperLesnik, +1.312.755.3537,
kelly.drinkwine@kemperlesnik.com
or
Al Orendorff, Aon Corporation, +1.312.381.3153, al_orendorff@aon.com.

This press release contains certain statements related to future results, or states our intentions, beliefs and expectations or predictions for the future which are forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are subject to certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from either historical or anticipated results depending on a variety of factors. Potential factors that could impact results include: general economic conditions in different countries in which we do business around the world, changes in global equity and fixed income markets that could affect the return on invested assets, fluctuations in exchange and interest rates that could influence revenue and expense, rating agency actions that could affect our ability to borrow funds, funding of our various pension plans, changes in the competitive environment, our ability to implement restructuring initiatives and other initiatives intended to yield cost savings, our ability to execute the stock repurchase program, changes in commercial property and casualty markets and commercial premium rates that could impact revenues, changes in revenues and earnings due to the elimination of contingent commissions, other uncertainties surrounding a new compensation model, the impact of investigations brought by state attorneys general, state insurance regulators, federal prosecutors, and federal regulators, the impact of class actions and individual lawsuits including client class actions, securities class actions, derivative actions, and ERISA class actions, the cost of resolution of other contingent liabilities and loss contingencies, and the difference in ultimate paid claims in our underwriting companies from actuarial estimates. Further information concerning the Company and its business, including factors that potentially could materially affect the Company's financial results, is contained in the Company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

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Source: Aon Corporation

CONTACT: Kelly Drinkwine of KemperLesnik, +1-312-755-3537, or
kelly.drinkwine@kemperlesnik.com ; or Al Orendorff of Aon Corporation,
+1-312-381-3153, al_orendorff@aon.com

Web site: http://www.aon.com/
http://www.aon.com/albertgruben
http://www.aon.com/filmrisk

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