Business news for Mon, 17 Dec 2007 & with word health. 13 news.

ACE Ltd has agreed to buy Combined Insurance Co of America from Aon Corp, the world's second-largest insurance broker, for US$2.4 billion in cash. The purchase of the Illinois-based accident, health, and life insurance unit, which has four million policy holders and almost 7,000 sales agents, will probably close by the end of the second quarter, Ace said yesterday. Aon is also selling Washington-based health-care insurer Sterling Life Insurance Co to Munich Re, the world's second-biggest reinsurer, for US$352 million. "The acquisition of Combined is a significant milestone for Ace and represents both an opportunity for considerable growth and expense-related efficiencies," Ace Chief Executive Officer Evan G. Greenberg said. Ace, the Bermuda-based business insurer, said in October it may make an acquisition to expand its life insurance business, according to Bloomberg News. Greenberg said the company was also planning to expand small-business coverage in Asia and

This is the time of year that can take a toll on your health, what with the office parties and the family gatherings and the hours of TV football and the 4 a.m. "door buster" sales that force you to scratch and claw your way over a mass of humanity to save 60% on something you probably don't really need.

Texas is in "relatively decent shape" to cover the pension promises made to state workers, but it's behind most states in planning for roughly $37 billion in future health care costs, according to a report released this week.

Shelly Yachimovich can't sleep because of the issue, averred the Labor Knesset member at a Knesset session yesterday over the health basket. ...

A new report underscores worries about Britain's future economic health

This new institute, which will be modeled after the Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology, will include faculty from multiple disciplines and professions and offer degrees through multidisciplinary programs.

In surprise visits to Alachua County's licensed day-care centers, environmental health inspectors have a right to look at children's immunization records, employees' criminal histories, even the labeling on bottles of breast milk.

This week's profile and On The Move personnel listings.

Helix Health, which provides software for the healthcare sector, is to invest €2.7m in research and development.

When accountants and lawyers told Legacy Health Care LLC President Rick Zacher that his company probably wouldn't survive, he dug in with both heels and engineered a turnaround.

Despite having low income tax growth, coupled with rising materials and health care costs, Dayton city officials plan to boost next year's budget by $2 million.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- The Social Security Administration and a slew of health-related Web sites earned top rankings this year, while the Department of Homeland Security hit bottom in a survey of customer satisfaction with federal government Web sites.

The Bank of England and CBI have issued new warnings about the future health of Britain's economy, expressing concerns about the ongoing credit crisis, and revealing a continued deterioration in business and consumer confidence.