美国司法部对怡安保险收购Willis Towers Watson提起反垄断诉讼

我是来围观的逊

[导读：本次收购将可能创造保险经纪巨头并消除“三大”保险经纪商中的两家之间的竞争

美国司法部今天提起反垄断诉讼，以阻止怡安保险以300 亿美元收购 Willis Towers Watson 的交易，该交易将汇集全球三大保险经纪人中的两家。正如此前在美国哥伦比亚特区地方法院提起的诉讼中所称，此类合并有可能消除竞争、提高价格并减少相关美国企业、雇主和工会的创新。

司法部长Merrick B. Garland表示：“今天的行动表明，司法部致力于阻止不利于竞争的经营者集中，维护使全国各地的美国人受益的竞争。美国的公司和消费者依靠怡安保险和 Willis Towers Watson 之间的竞争来降低关键服务的价格，如今二者的合并，可能导致美国客户所选择的产品更少、价格更高、接受的服务质量更低。”

虽然就本次交易，怡安保险和 Willis TowersWatson 已同意根据监管的调查结果进行部分资产剥离，但投诉称补救措施不足以保护美国的消费者。

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以下为美国司法部的报道原文：

Justice Department Sues to BlockAon’s Acquisition of Willis Towers Watson

Acquisition Would Create BrokingBehemoth and Eliminate Competition Between Two of the “Big Three” InsuranceBrokers

The U.S. Department of Justicefiled a civil antitrust lawsuit today to block Aon’s $30 billion proposedacquisition of Willis Towers Watson, a transaction that would bring togethertwo of the “Big Three” global insurance brokers. As alleged in the complaintfiled in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, the mergerthreatens to eliminate competition, raise prices, and reduce innovation forAmerican businesses, employers, and unions that rely on these importantservices.

“Today’s action demonstrates theJustice Department’s commitment to stopping harmful consolidation andpreserving competition that directly and indirectly benefits Americans acrossthe country,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “American companies andconsumers rely on competition between Aon and Willis Towers Watson to lowerprices for crucial services, such as health and retirement benefits consulting.Allowing Aon and Willis Towers Watson to merge would reduce that vitalcompetition and leave American customers with fewer choices, higher prices, andlower quality services.”

Aon and Willis TowersWatson provide essential guidance to many of America’s largest companies.American companies depend on them to craft and administer health and retirementbenefits, and to keep their costs down by managing complex and evolving risks.They compete head to head to provide these services, which helps ensurebusinesses obtain innovative, high-quality broking services to manage theirrisks and provide critical health and retirement benefits to their employees ata reasonable cost. As the complaint alleges, the merger would eliminate thisimportant competition in five markets, resulting in higher costs to companies,higher costs to consumers, and decreased quality and innovation.

The merger between Aon andWillis Towers Watson would combine two of the “Big Three” insurance brokerswho, as alleged in the complaint, can offer global service, sophisticated dataand analytics, and a breadth and depth of knowledge and expertise that otherbrokers do not offer. As alleged in the complaint, Aon and Wills Towers Watsonoperate “in an oligopoly” and “will have even more [leverage] when [the] Willisdeal is closed.” If permitted to merge, Aon and Willis Towers Watson could usetheir increased leverage to raise prices and reduce the quality of productsrelied on by thousands of American businesses — and their customers, employees,and retirees.

Although Aon and WillisTowers Watson have agreed to certain divestitures in connection withinvestigations by various international competition agencies, the complaintalleges these proposed remedies are inadequate to protect consumers in theUnited States. The complaint also alleges the U.S.-focused divestitures inhealth benefits and commercial risk broking, in particular, are whollyinsufficient to resolve the department’s significant concerns.

Aon plc is incorporatedin Ireland and headquartered in London. It has approximately 50,000 employeesand offices in approximately 120 countries, including over 100 offices in the UnitedStates. In 2020, Aon reported revenues of more than $11 billion.

Willis Towers Watson plcis incorporated in Ireland and headquartered in London. It has approximately45,000 employees and offices in more than 80 countries, including over 80offices in the United States. In 2020, Willis Towers Watson reported revenuesof more than $9 billion.

（以上内容源自美国司法部官网）

https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-sues-block-aon-s-acquisition-willis-towers-watson

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