Insurers, brokers and risk managers converging on Hawaii this week for the annual RIMS conference were already yesterday locked in conversations about the greater threat of natural catastrophes, and emerging risks like a pandemic flu outbreak.

RIMS, a pivotal industry event sponsored by the Risk and Insurance Management Society Inc., kicked off last night with a Hawaiian themed party.

And while hula dancers bearing pineapples and coconuts might have served to lighten the mood, serious rounds of networking got underway even before the party officially marked Honolulu as this week?s insurance capital.

The event brings together the largest number of industry participants since last year?s costly hurricane season.

Hotels surrounding downtown Honolulu?s Hawaii Convention Center ? the site of this year?s event ? to the beaches of Waikiki were yesterday playing host to various networking events, and groups hashing out business dealings over coffee or drinks.

Attendees have much to meet about. Storms Katrina, Rita and Wilma left the sector with a record bill of up to $80 billion last year.

And many are concerned about the prospect of losses this year with hurricane activity forecasted to be greater than usual, as well as it being 100 years since the San Francisco earthquake.

The growing threat of a global outbreak of bird flu is adding to the concerns.

Carolyn Snow, chairperson of RIMS Conference Programming Committee, said attendance at this year?s conference was on track with prior years, when as many as 10,000 delegates signed up.

Final numbers won?t be confirmed until the event wraps up on Thursday, to account for late registrations, organisers said.

This year?s RIMS doesn?t appear however to have drawn as many as last year?s Philadelphia conference, which Ms Snow characterised as having ?blockbuster attendance?.

But where there is a drop in numbers, there?s been an increase in the calibre of attendance, Ms Snow said.

?A noticeable trend is the increased percentage of senior risk managers, presidents, chief financial officers and chief risk officers who have registered for RIMS 2006 Honolulu.?

She added: ?The quality of the sessions and the calibre of the keynote speakers is by far some of the best that RIMS has put together in recent years.?

She said the exhibit hall was nearly sold out, with 365 participants already having installed booths. ?The key insurers and brokers are on board and planning to hold creative events and meetings.?

Included amongst this year?s participants is a new name: Brokerage Integro, which opened to business last May, shortly after RIMS 2005 wrapped up in Philadelphia.

This year Integro is hitting RIMS with a bang, having a booth in the centre of the exhibit hall next to rival Willis, as well as holding a round of cocktail parties for clients, chief executive Roger Egan said.

He?s also participating in a leadership panel on Tuesday that includes the chief executive of Marsh, the world?s biggest brokerage, and where Mr. Egan worked at until 2004.

As in years past, there is a strong showing of Bermuda delegates this year but shy of the 200-strong that usually attend RIMS. Some have cited the distant venue of this year?s RIMS as a deterrent.

Bermuda?s Government and regulatory contingent are amongst those who made the long trek. Premier Alex Scott, as is customary, is attending RIMS both to host a Bermuda reception on Tuesday evening and to do a walkabout of the exhibit hall on Wednesday morning.

Each year Bermuda is well represented at the event by a booth that bears a replica of Hamilton?s City Hall tower, an eye-catching marker for anyone interested in information on the Bermuda market. Booth volunteers sport Bermuda shorts and blazers with Bermuda flag lapel pins.

Also in Hawaii this week are Finance Minister Paula Cox, and the Bermuda Monetary Authority chairman Cheryl-Ann Lister and Insurance Supervisor Jeremy Cox.

Bermuda is joined by Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Gibraltar, St. Lucia and the Turks and Caicos at the event this year. Mr. Scott plans to meet with some of the delegates from the other offshore domiciles, as part of his round of meetings on Hawaii this week.