RPT-Marsh & Mclennan mulling Benfield counterbid - paper

(Repeats with new Reuters story code)

LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - American insurance broker Marsh & Mclennan Cos Inc (MMC.N) may gatecrash its rival Aon Corp's (AOC.N) agreed 844 million pounds ($1.6 billion) takeover deal for UK-listed broker Benfield Group Ltd BFD.L, reported the Sunday Telegraph. It said Marsh & McLennan, which is being advised by Citi, had made a fully-funded offer for the London-listed company before Aon made its approach. The report said Marsh & McLennan is assessing whether it is able to make a counterbid to create one of the world's biggest reinsurance brokers by merging Benfield with Guy Carpenter, its own reinsurance broking division.

No-one at Benfield could immediately be reached for comment. (Editing by David Holmes)