Local insurance companies yesterday were bracing themselves for a flood of claims from Hurricane Fabian and checked their own security as the storm moved closer to Bermuda.

International companies checked and re-checked their storm preparations, as they prepared to be battered by the high winds approaching.

BF&M sent out an e-mail to all its customers and pointed them to a website called www.SharkOil.bm which has been set up to help residents prepare for this type of storm and keep them safe.

SharkOil.bm is a website with information on hurricane safety, tracking and forecasting, current weather conditions, storm checklists, planners, live satellite imagery, historical storm tracking back to 1886, folklore and other information, all with a Bermuda focus. BF&M said: "We hope that you find this information helpful, and encourage you to use all of the other resources available for keeping you informed, including radio and television broadcasts, the Bermuda Weather Service, the BTC Blue Pages, and others. BF&M will be there for you should the need arise."

But the company said it was taking nothing for granted; adding that in May 2003 it ran a full test on its hurricane plan and its full business recovery plan under extreme conditions.

"The test was completely successful and our team is trained and ready to deliver the very best service under whatever circumstances we may face. We hope that you will be unaffected by this hurricane season but we are here and ready if you need us."

Argus Insurance Group stopped selling contents and house insurance yesterday morning, but its offices remained open yesterday afternoon.

"We are reviewing our procedures as we are likely to have a number of claims and we need to have people available to deal with this," said Gerald Simons, the chief executive officer of Argus. We are training underwriters to operate the Argus switchboard. Many can get here on foot and we can respond to public over the weekend and keep things going."

The company allowed claims managers to go home to secure their own houses, but the managers were returning to prepare for business over the weekend.

Christopher Moroney, chief financial officer at Freisenbruch-Meyer Insurance Services Ltd also tried to prepare its business and customers for the coming storm. "As you are all aware, Hurricane Fabian is headed towards Bermuda," he said. "While we obviously hope that the storm will deviate from its present course, we feel it is prudent to make sure that our clients are fully prepared."

The company sent out by e-mail a list of precautions - what should be done before, during and after the storm.

"Freisenbruch-Meyer has a business continuity plan which has been prepared to ensure that we are able to continue providing a service to our customers with minimal interruption," he said. "If the storm continues on its current path, it is our intention to have a skeleton staff in the office on Saturday to deal with any claims resulting from Hurricane Fabian.

"We have worked with BTC to ensure that our phone lines will be operational in the event of a power outage. If you have a claim, please call 296-3600 and we will take the appropriate details. It goes without saying that the safety of our staff members is of the utmost concern to us and thus, if travel is deemed to be unsafe on Saturday, we will not be present at 75 Front Street. We will resume operations on Monday." Colonial Insurance closed its offices yesterday at 5 p.m. and will be open today with a small team until 12 p.m. to deal with last minute requests from clients.

"These timings are, of course, subject to Hurricane Fabian holding its current course," said the company in a statement. "Colonial Insurance further announces that it will be opening as soon as it is safe and practicable on Saturday to deal with any claims caused by Hurricane Fabian."

The company said it also intends to open on Sunday, and will open for normal business on Monday at 8.30 a.m. ACE Limited spokeswoman Wendy Davis Johnson said Bermuda-based staff had been sent home at 4 p.m. yesterday and that the company's headquarters would be closed today. Staff were also able to leave the office earlier yesterday if they felt that was necessary.

Mrs. Davis Johnson said the company's global headquarters - which opened in August, 2001 - had been built to sustain winds of up to 150 mph. ACE was also ensuring that any outdoor furniture and potted plants were moved indoors ahead of the storm. Next door, XL Capital were "encouraging" its locally-based employees to go home at 2 p.m. yesterday. XL's offices are also closed today, with a hurricane management team yesterday taking steps to ensure the company's Bermudian Road headquarters were ready to weather Hurricane Fabian.

At Waterfront Properties on Pitts Bay Road, PartnerRe was also to be closed today although staff were putting in a full day at the office yesterday.

In an ironic twist, insurance company Endurance Specialty was yesterday moving from relatively sheltered office space on Par-la-Ville Road to its new waterfront digs in the Zurich Center. Other offices in Crown House on Par-la-Ville Road, including accounting firm KPMG, were sending staff home at noon, 2 p.m. or at the end of business, but all were to be closed today.