Rotterdam, 24 April 2008 - Aon Group Netherlands BV (Aon) and the directors of the COT Institute for Safety and Crisis Management BV (COT) have reached an agreement about a takeover of COT shares by Aon.

Through this acquisition, Aon has reinforced its client-leadership position in the field of safety and crisis management. COT advises governments and companies about preventing and managing crisis situations. With this expertise the combination of COT and Aon becomes the leading consultant in the Netherlands in the field of crisis control and risk management. For COT, Aon offers access to the international network of Aon Global, with considerable extra expertise and possibilties for co-workers to participate in complex national and international projects.

COT will continue to operate under its existing name and from its existing location in The Hague. COT and Aon do not anticipate any reductions in employment.

Uri Rosenthal of the COT has become advisor to the board of directors at Aon Risk Services in the Netherlands and Belgium and will also continue his directors activities at COT. Erwin Muller has joined the international management team at Aon Global’s Risk Consulting organisation. He will also continue his directors activities at COT.

Marc van Nuland, board member at Aon Risk Services and manager of global risk consultants in the Netherlands, said: "The service of the COT connects seamlessly with Aon’s risk management services. Risk management and crisis management are an ever increasing concern for our clients and their boards of directors. The additional service provided by COT will enable us to better meet the needs of our clients in this field. Our expertise has now been completed and our service to clients will continue to be the industry’s best."

"The COT has an excellent reputation in the Netherlands and abroad in the area of safety management and crisis management," says Lex Geerdes, CEO of Aon Netherlands. "The activities of the COT are perfectly in keeping with the ambition of Aon, both in the Netherlands and Belgium as well as further afield, to strengthen our consultancy activities further for our customers and to be a leading adviser in the area of crisis and risk management."

Erwin Muller, director of the COT, says that this has created the opportunity for both Aon and the COT to develop crisis management and safety management much more widely and to incorporate them into government bodies and the business sector at home and abroad. "With a high-quality partner such as Aon, the knowledge and experience of the COT can be better utilised."

"This alliance with Aon marks the start of a new phase for the COT," says Uri Rosenthal, chairman of the COT. "This enables us to contribute further to the professionalisation of crisis management, both nationally and internationally. We anticipate great synergies with the Aon international network."

About COT
The COT Institute for Safety and Crisis Management supports organisations in the public and private sector with safety issues and crisis situations. The COT is a leader in research, advice, training and education in crisis and safety management. The COT combines scientific knowledge with practical experience. The COT has about fifty employees working at its office in The Hague.

About Aon
Aon Corporation (NYSE:AOC) is the leading global provider of risk management services, insurance and reinsurance brokerage, human capital and management consulting. Through its 36,000 colleagues worldwide, Aon readily delivers distinctive client value via innovative and effective risk management and workforce productivity solutions. Our industry-leading global resources, technical expertise and industry knowledge are delivered locally through more than 500 offices in more than 120 countries. Aon was named the world’s "best broker" by Euromoney magazine’s 2008 Insurance Survey. Aon also was ranked by A.M. Best as the number one global insurance brokerage in 2007 based on brokerage revenues, and voted best insurance intermediary, best reinsurance intermediary, and best employee benefits consulting firm in 2007 by the readers of Business Insurance. For more information on Aon, log onto www.aon.com.

Media Contacts:
Ulrika Lundgren, +31 (0)10 448 75 22, ulrika_lundgren@aon.nl
Bartjan Willenborg, +31 (0)10 448 74 23, bartjan_willenborg@aon.nl