NU Online News Service, Dec. 13, 1:17 p.m. EST

Insurance brokers Aon and Marsh & McLennan Cos., as well as seven insurers, joined a group of 190 companies with a perfect 100 score on this year's Human Rights Campaign Foundation's Corporate Equality Index.

The index, in its tenth year, surveys American corporations about their “adoption of inclusive policies, practices and benefits for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) employees,” the report says.

The report contains ratings on 636 companies, up from 319 when the survey began a decade ago. Those that received a 100 are considered the best places to work for LGBT employees, and were also best at protecting LGBT consumers and investors.

Aon notes this is the fifth consecutive year it has received a 100 percent rating.

“Diversity in all its forms—race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, abilities and disabilities, age and citizenship—is the very foundation on which we have built our world-class organization, and we are honored to earn this prestigious rating for the fifth straight year,” says Greg Case, Aon's president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “Through a diverse and inclusive workplace, we bring more varied and valuable perspectives to our equally diverse clients, while empowering our 60,000 colleagues to thrive professionally and reach their full potential.”

“Fostering an inclusive culture that is reflective and respective of the diversity of our 50,000 plus colleagues is a key priority for Marsh & McLennan Companies,” says Kathryn Komsa, Marsh & McLennan Companies' chief diversity officer in an e-mail. “As standards for employers of choice continue to rise, we are proud to be recognized by the Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index for our ongoing efforts.”

This was the fourth consecutive year that Marsh & McLennan has received a perfect score, she notes.

This year's survey raised the bar for those companies to reach a perfect 100. Items it included were equal health care for all LGBT employees and families. This includes “full parity for domestic partner benefits,” with dependent care, retirement and other benefits.

A decade ago, only 13 businesses received a perfect score. No insurer received a perfect score in the first report.

The seven insurers getting the perfect 100 were:

• AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah Insurance Exchange.

• Chubb Corp.

• ING North America Insurance Group

• MetLife Inc.

• Nationwide

• Prudential Financial Inc.

• Sun Life Financial Inc. (U.S.)

Among some notable insurers that scored high on the list were State Farm Group (95), as well as Esurance, Hartford Financial Services, Massachusetts Mutual Life, Progressive, and Travelers. Each scored a 90.

American International Group came in with a score of 85, along with Allstate and CNA.

Fifteen insurers that never replied to the survey were included on the list, with scores between zero and 30. Their scores were based on public records, the Human Rights Campaign said.

This story was updated at 2:36 p.m. EST with comments from Kathryn Komsa at Marsh & McLennan.

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Aon, Marsh & 7 Insurers Score 100 on LGBT Issues

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