Premier Ewart Brown and Finance Minister Paula Cox will join thousands of professionals from Bermuda's and the world's insurance and reinsurance industry at the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) Conference in New Orleans this weekend.

Around 10,000 delegates will converge on the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in the city which was devastated by flooding after being hit by Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Dr. Brown said the occasion would be "poignant because we will be in a city where one of the worst natural disasters in US history occurred".

"Bermuda-based reinsurers played a critical role in providing reinsurance capital to aid in rebuilding the city," the Premier said.

Minister Cox said: "It is very symbolic for the world's largest gathering of international insurance and reinsurance professionals to descend on this city while the recovery efforts continue.

"The gathering in New Orleans underscores the vital role and crucial place of insurance in communities, in countries and indeed in the global village."

Dr. Brown said he and Ms Cox would aim to promote Bermuda as an insurance domicile as they met with industry leaders.

The conference will run through May 3.