Aviva, AmerUS talk merger

LONDON, July 7 (UPI) -- Britain's largest insurance company, Aviva PLC, said Friday it is talking with AmerUS Group Co. about buying the U.S. rival.

AmerUS, which is based in Des Moines, Iowa, and confirmed the takeover talks, is worth about $2.3 billion, the Times of London said.

AmerUS cautioned that there "can be no assurance that these discussions will result in any transaction."

Any deal would most likely require the use of internal cash, fresh debt and a new share issue, the newspaper said.