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Summary of Significant Accounting Principles and Practices | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Principles and Practices | Summary of Significant Accounting Principles and Practices Revenue Recognition Risk Solutions segment revenues primarily include insurance commissions and fees for services rendered and investment income on funds held on behalf of clients. Revenues are recognized when they are earned and realized or realizable. The Company considers revenues to be earned and realized or realizable when all of the following four conditions are met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (2) the arrangement fee is fixed or determinable, (3) delivery or performance has occurred, and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. For brokerage commissions, revenue is typically recognized at the completion of the placement process, assuming all four criteria required to recognize revenue have been met. The placement process is typically considered complete on the effective date of the related policy. Commission revenues are recorded net of allowances for estimated policy cancellations, which are determined based on an evaluation of historical and current cancellation data. HR Solutions segment revenues consist primarily of fees paid by clients for consulting advice and outsourcing contracts. Fees paid by clients for consulting services are typically charged on an hourly, project or fixed-fee basis. Revenues from time-and-materials or cost-plus arrangements are recognized as services are performed, assuming all four criteria to recognize revenue have been met. Revenues from fixed-fee contracts are recognized as services are provided using a proportional-performance model or at the completion of a project based on facts and circumstances of the client arrangement. Revenues from health care exchange arrangements are typically recognized upon successful enrollment of participants, net of a reserve for estimated cancellations, assuming all four criteria to recognize revenue have been met. Reimbursements received for out-of-pocket expenses are recorded as a component of revenues. The Company's outsourcing contracts typically have three-to-five year terms for benefits services and five-to-ten year terms for human resources business process outsourcing ("HR BPO") services. The Company recognizes revenues as services are performed, assuming all four criteria to recognize revenue have been met. The Company may also receive implementation fees from clients either up-front or over the ongoing services period as a component of the fee per participant. Lump sum implementation fees received from a client are typically deferred and recognized ratably over the ongoing contract services period. If a client terminates an outsourcing services arrangement prior to the end of the contract, a loss on the contract may be recorded, if necessary, and any remaining deferred implementation revenues would typically be recognized over the remaining service period through the termination date. In connection with the Company's long-term outsourcing service agreements, highly customized implementation efforts are often necessary to set up clients and their human resource or benefit programs on the Company's systems and operating processes. For outsourcing services sold separately or accounted for as a separate unit of accounting, specific, incremental and direct costs of implementation incurred prior to the services commencing are generally deferred and amortized over the period that the related ongoing services revenue is recognized. Deferred costs are assessed for recoverability on a periodic basis to the extent the deferred cost exceeds related deferred revenue. Share-Based Compensation Costs Share-based payments to employees, including grants of employee share options, restricted shares and restricted share units ("RSUs"), performance share awards ("PSAs") as well as employee share purchases related to the Employee Share Purchase Plan, are measured based on estimated grant date fair value. The Company recognizes compensation expense over the requisite service period for awards expected to ultimately vest. Forfeitures are estimated on the date of grant and revised if actual or expected forfeiture activity differs materially from original estimates. Pension and Other Post-Retirement Benefits The Company has net period cost relating to its pension and other post-retirement benefit plans based on calculations that include various actuarial assumptions, including discount rates, assumed rates of return on plan assets, inflation rates, mortality rates, compensation increases, and turnover rates. The Company reviews its actuarial assumptions on an annual basis and modifies these assumptions based on current rates and trends. The effects of gains, losses, and prior service costs and credits are amortized over future service periods or future estimated lives if the plans are frozen. The funded status of each plan, calculated as the fair value of plan assets less the benefit obligation, is reflected in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Financial Position using a December 31 measurement date. Net Income per Share Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income available to ordinary shareholders by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding, including participating securities, which consist of unvested share awards with non-forfeitable rights to dividends. Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing net income available to ordinary shareholders by the weighted-average number of ordinary shares outstanding, which have been adjusted for the dilutive effect of potentially issuable ordinary shares (excluding those that are considered participating securities), including certain contingently issuable shares. The diluted earnings per share calculation reflects the more dilutive effect of either (1) the two-class method that assumes that the participating securities have not been exercised, or (2) the treasury stock method. Certain ordinary share equivalents, related primarily to options, were not included in the computation of diluted income per share because their inclusion would have been antidilutive. Cash and Cash Equivalents and Short-term Investments Cash and cash equivalents include cash balances and all highly liquid investments with initial maturities of three months or less. Short-term investments include certificates of deposit, money market funds and highly liquid debt instruments purchased with initial maturities in excess of three months but less than one year and are carried at amortized cost, which approximates fair value. At December 31, 2014, Cash and cash equivalents and Short-term investments were $768 million compared to $1.0 billion at December 31, 2013. Of the total balance, $169 million and $214 million was restricted as to its use at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Included within that amount, at December 31, 2014, the Company is required to hold £40.5 million of operating funds in the U.K. by the Financial Conduct Authority, a U.K.-based regulator, which were included in Short-term investments. At December 31, 2013, the Company was required to hold £77 million of operating funds in Short-term investments. These operating funds, when translated to U.S. dollars, were equal to $63 million and $126 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. In addition, Cash and cash equivalents included additional restricted balances of $106 million and $88 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. The restricted balances primarily relate to cash required to be held as collateral. Fiduciary Assets and Liabilities In its capacity as an insurance agent and broker, Aon collects premiums from insureds and, after deducting its commission, remits the premiums to the respective insurers. Aon also collects claims or refunds from insurers on behalf of insureds. Uncollected premiums from insureds and uncollected claims or refunds from insurers are recorded as Fiduciary assets in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Unremitted insurance premiums and claims are held in a fiduciary capacity and the obligation to remit these funds is recorded as Fiduciary liabilities in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Some of the Company's outsourcing agreements also require it to hold funds to pay certain obligations on behalf of clients. These funds are also recorded as Fiduciary assets with the related obligation recorded as Fiduciary liabilities in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Aon maintained premium trust balances for premiums collected from insureds but not yet remitted to insurance companies of $4.0 billion and $3.8 billion at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. These funds and a corresponding liability are included in Fiduciary assets and Fiduciary liabilities, respectively, in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Allowance for Doubtful Accounts The Company's allowance for doubtful accounts with respect to receivables is based on a combination of factors, including evaluation of historical write-offs, aging of balances and other qualitative and quantitative analyses. Receivables included an allowance for doubtful accounts of $74 million and $90 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Fixed Assets Fixed assets are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Included in this category is internal use software, which is software that is acquired, internally developed or modified solely to meet internal needs, with no plan to market externally. Costs related to directly obtaining, developing or upgrading internal use software are capitalized. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are generally as follows:
Asset Description |  | Asset Life
Software |  | Lesser of the life of an associated license, or 4 to 7 years
Leasehold improvements |  | Lesser of estimated useful life or lease term, not to exceed 10 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment |  | 4 to 10 years
Computer equipment |  | 4 to 6 years
Buildings |  | 35 years
Automobiles |  | 6 years
Investments The Company accounts for investments as follows:
• | Equity method investments — Aon accounts for limited partnership and other investments using the equity method of accounting if Aon has the ability to exercise significant influence over, but not control of, an investee. Significant influence generally represents an ownership interest between 20% and 50% of the voting stock of the investee. Under the equity method of accounting, investments are initially recorded at cost and are subsequently adjusted for additional capital contributions, distributions, and Aon's proportionate share of earnings or losses.
• | Cost method investments — Investments where Aon does not have an ownership interest of greater than 20% or the ability to exert significant influence over the operations of the investee are carried at cost.
• | Fixed-maturity securities are classified as available for sale and are reported at fair value with any resulting unrealized gain or loss recorded directly to shareholders' equity as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Company's Consolidated Statement of Financial Position, net of deferred income taxes. Interest on fixed-maturity securities is recorded in Interest income in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income when earned and is adjusted for any amortization of premium or accretion of discount.
The Company assesses any declines in the fair value of investments to determine whether such declines are other-than-temporary. This assessment is made considering all available evidence, including changes in general market conditions, specific industry and individual company data, the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and the near-term prospects of the entity issuing the security, and the Company's ability and intent to hold the investment until recovery of its cost basis. Other-than-temporary impairments of investments are recorded as part of Other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period in which the determination is made. Goodwill and Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition cost over the fair value of the net assets in the acquisition of a business. Goodwill is allocated to various reporting units, which are one reporting level below the operating segment. Upon disposition of a business entity, goodwill is allocated to the disposed entity based on the fair value of that entity compared to the fair value of the reporting unit in which it was included. Goodwill is not amortized, but instead is tested for impairment at least annually. The goodwill impairment test is performed at the reporting unit level. The Company initially performs a qualitative analysis to determine if it is more likely than not that the goodwill balance is impaired. If such a determination is made, then the Company will perform a two-step quantitative analysis. First, the fair value of each reporting unit is compared to its carrying value. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the Company performs a hypothetical purchase price allocation based on the reporting unit's fair value to determine the fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill. Fair value is determined using a combination of present value techniques and market prices of comparable businesses. Intangible assets include customer related and contract based assets representing primarily client relationships and non-compete agreements, tradenames, and marketing and technology related assets. These intangible assets, with the exception of tradenames, are amortized over periods ranging from 1 to 16 years, with a weighted average original life of 11 years. Tradenames are generally not amortized as such assets have been determined to have indefinite useful lives, and are tested at least annually for impairments using an analysis of expected future cash flows. Interim impairment testing may be performed when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the intangible asset may not be recoverable. Derivatives Derivative instruments are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at fair value. Where the Company has entered into master netting agreements with counterparties, the derivative positions are netted by counterparty and are reported accordingly in other assets or other liabilities. Changes in the fair value of derivative instruments are recognized in earnings each period, unless the derivative is designated and qualifies as a cash flow or net investment hedge. The Company has historically designated the following hedging relationships for certain transactions: (i) a hedge of the change in fair value of a recognized asset or liability or firm commitment ("fair value hedge"), (ii) a hedge of the variability in cash flows from a recognized variable-rate asset or liability or forecasted transaction ("cash flow hedge"), and (iii) a hedge of the net investment in a foreign operation ("net investment hedge"). In order for a derivative to qualify for hedge accounting, the derivative must be formally designated as a fair value, cash flow, or a net investment hedge by documenting the relationship between the derivative and the hedged item. The documentation must include a description of the hedging instrument, the hedged item, the risk being hedged, Aon's risk management objective and strategy for undertaking the hedge, the method for assessing the effectiveness of the hedge, and the method for measuring hedge ineffectiveness. Additionally, the hedge relationship must be expected to be highly effective at offsetting changes in either the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item at both the inception of the hedge and on an ongoing basis. Aon assesses the ongoing effectiveness of its hedges and measures and records hedge ineffectiveness, if any, at the end of each quarter or more frequently if facts and circumstances require. For a derivative designated as a hedging instrument, the changes in the fair value of a recognized asset or liability or a firm commitment (a fair value hedge), the gain or loss is recognized in earnings in the period of change together with the offsetting loss or gain on the hedged item attributable to the risk being hedged. The effect is to reflect in earnings the extent to which the hedge is not effective in achieving offsetting changes in fair value. For a cash flow hedge that qualifies for hedge accounting, the effective portion of the change in fair value of a hedging instrument is recognized in Other Comprehensive Income ("OCI") and subsequently reclassified to earnings in the same period the hedged item impacts earnings. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value is recognized immediately in earnings. For a net investment hedge, the effective portion of the change in fair value of the hedging instrument is recognized in OCI as part of the cumulative translation adjustment, while the ineffective portion is recognized immediately in earnings. Changes in the fair value of a derivative that is not designated as part of a hedging relationship (commonly referred to as an "economic hedge") are recorded in other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company discontinues hedge accounting prospectively when (1) the derivative expires or is sold, terminated, or exercised, (2) the qualifying criteria are no longer met, or (3) management removes the designation of the hedging relationship. When hedge accounting is discontinued because the derivative no longer qualifies as a fair value hedge, the Company continues to carry the derivative in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at its fair value, recognizes subsequent changes in the fair value of the derivative in the Consolidated Statements of Income, ceases to adjust the hedged asset or liability for changes in its fair value and accounts for the carrying amount (including the basis adjustment caused by designating the item as a hedged item) of the hedged asset, liability or firm commitment in accordance with GAAP applicable to those assets or liabilities. When hedge accounting is discontinued and the derivative continues to exist but the forecasted transaction is probable of occurrence, the Company continues to carry the derivative in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position at its fair value, recognizes subsequent changes in the fair value of the derivative in the Consolidated Statements of Income, and continues to defer the derivative gain or loss accumulated in OCI (unless the forecasted transaction is deemed probable not to occur, at which time it would be reclassified to earnings) until the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. Foreign Currency Certain of the Company's non-US operations use their respective local currency as their functional currency. These operations that do not have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency translate their financial statements at the current rates of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date and revenues and expenses using rates that approximate those in effect during the period. The resulting translation adjustments are included as a component of stockholders' equity in Accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. Gains and losses from the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities that are denominated in a non-functional currency are included in Other income within the Consolidated Statements of Income. The effect of foreign exchange gains and losses on the Consolidated Statements of Income was a loss of $1 million in 2014, a gain of $3 million in 2013 and a loss of $16 million in 2012. Included in these amounts were hedging losses of $19 million in 2014, hedging losses of $10 million in 2013, and hedging gains of $3 million in 2012. Income Taxes Deferred income taxes are recognized for the effect of temporary differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured using the enacted marginal tax rates and laws that are currently in effect. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities from a change in tax rates is recognized in the period when the rate change is enacted. Deferred tax assets are reduced by valuation allowances if, based on the consideration of all available evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. Deferred tax assets are realized by having sufficient future taxable income to allow the related tax benefits to reduce taxes otherwise payable. The sources of taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets are future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carry-forwards, taxable income in carry-back years and tax planning strategies that are both prudent and feasible. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if sustaining those positions is more likely than not. Tax positions that meet the more likely than not recognition threshold but are not highly certain are initially and subsequently measured based on the largest amount of benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon settlement with the taxing authority. Only information that is available at the reporting date is considered in the Company's recognition and measurement analysis, and events or changes in facts and circumstances are accounted for in the period in which the event or change in circumstance occurs. The Company records penalties and interest related to unrecognized tax benefits in Income taxes in the Company's Consolidated Statements of Income. New Accounting Pronouncements Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new accounting guidance on revenue from contracts with customers, which will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principal of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. The guidance is effective for Aon in the first quarter of 2017 and early adoption is not permitted. The guidance permits two methods of transition upon adoption; full retrospective and modified retrospective. Under the full retrospective method, prior periods would be restated under the new revenue standard, providing a comparable view across all periods presented. Under the modified retrospective method, prior periods would not be restated. Rather, revenues and other disclosures for pre-2017 periods would be provided in the notes to the financial statements as previously reported under the current revenue standard. The impact from the adoption of this guidance on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements cannot be determined at this time. The Company is also working to determine the appropriate method of transition to the guidance. Discontinued Operations In April 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance that increased the threshold for a disposal to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the definition of a discontinued operation. The guidance is effective for Aon in the first quarter of 2015. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. Presentation of Unrecognized Tax Benefits In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance on the presentation of certain unrecognized tax benefits on financial statements. The guidance requires, unless certain conditions exist, an unrecognized tax benefit to be presented as a reduction to a deferred tax asset in the financial statements for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. The guidance was effective for Aon in the first quarter of 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. Foreign Currency In March 2013, the FASB issued new accounting guidance clarifying the accounting for the release of cumulative translation adjustment into net income when a parent either sells a part or all of its investment in a foreign entity or no longer holds a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a nonprofit activity or a business within a foreign entity. The guidance was effective for Aon in the first quarter of 2014. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18726-107790 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18861-107790 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18743-107790 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18854-107790 + Details
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