The annual Bermuda Angle conference has attracted record numbers this year with nearly 200 analysts signed up to attend the prestigious, invitation only conference kicking off on Monday.

The conference, which gives analysts the opportunity to get updates on company financials and press the senior management of the Island?s top public insurers and reinsurers ? ACE Limited, IPC Holdings Ltd., PartnerRe, Renaissance Re, XL Capital, Max Re, Arch Capital, Axis Capital, Endurance Specialty, Montpelier Re and Platinum Underwriters ? is taking place this year at the Boca Raton Beach Resort and Club.

The conference, now in its twelfth year, had been scheduled to take place, as in years past, on the Island at the Southampton Princess in October. However, the onslaught of Hurricane Fabian in early September put paid to those plans with the Southampton Princess closing down for repairs and the Bermuda Angle having to be rescheduled to December.

As of yesterday, 189 analysts were already registered for the conference. That number compared to about 150 insurance analysts who flew in from both Europe and the US for the conference last year and the year before.

There are also a slew of new companies taking part in this year?s conference, which is up to 11 presenters compared to only six participating re/insurers last year. The increase in the companies taking part in this year?s Bermuda Angle ? which runs from December 1 to 3 ? follows a significant number of the post-September 11 reinsurers going the IPO route in the last year.

Following the 2001 terrorist attacks, a wave of companies were formed on the Island to address a void in capacity. The companies were initially backed by significant money from the private sector but with growth and the need for greater capital, many listed and now trade on major North American stock exchanges.

Most of the companies presenting this year have set aside an hour for their presentations and a period for analysts to ask questions, but insurance giants ACE Limited, which will be first to present at 8 a.m. on Monday, and XL Capital have had more time set aside due to the larger size of their organisations as well as their more diversified books of business.