What’s New: In Brief (November 20, 2006)

ICBC has established a special 1-800 phone number for customers submitting vehicle claims resulting from recent storms in B.C. that resulted in boil-water advisories for Vancouver and left hundreds of thousands of area residents without power. ICBC is encouraging customers to call 1-866-566-7199 if their vehicle has been damaged as the result of wind or water and they have the proper ICBC insurance coverage in place.”Vehicle loss or damage caused by windstorms or rising water is covered under both specified perils and comprehensive and is part of optional insurance coverage,” ICBC announced in a press release. “As with ICBC’s Dial-A-Claim center, the toll free number will be open 24 hours a day and will be in place while claims from the storm continue to come in.”

Aon Corporation (NYSE: AOC) has doubled the amount available for its share repurchase program from US$1 billion to US$2 billion.Through the close of trading on Nov. 17, 2006, the company had repurchased 23.1 million shares (totaling US$861 million) under the previously existing $1-billion share repurchase program authorized in November 2005.”The increased share repurchase program is an indication of the board’s belief in the underlying strength of the business and is an effective use of capital to maximize long-term shareholder value,” said Aon president and CEO Greg Case.The shares will be purchased in the open market or in privately negotiated transactions, the company announced. Timing will be dependent on prevailing market conditions, alternative uses of capital and other factors.