Bermuda-based RenaissanceRe Holdings Ltd. yesterday announced the successful completion of the "Safe Homes for All" Risk Mitigation Leadership Forum, held in Washington DC.

The Forum's main sponsors were RenRe's affiliate, WeatherPredict Consulting Inc. and the RenaissanceRe Risk Sciences Foundation, together with non-profit organisations Federal Alliance for Safe Homes - FLASH, the Institute for Business and Home Safety and the National Housing Conference.

The event featured a keynote address from Representative Bennie Thompson (Democrat, Mississippi), chairman of the US House of Representatives Committee on Homeland Security, and presentations from low-income housing advocates, environmentalists, disaster management administrators, community organisations, academics, scientists, and policymakers.

In addition to the Forum sponsor organisations, numerous others were represented by delegates and speakers, including the Apollo Alliance, American Rivers, Enterprise Community Partners, Inc., the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Florida Emergency Management Agency, Florida State University's Storm Risk Center, the Hope Community Development Agency, the Insurance Information Institute, the National Leased Property Association, the National Wildlife Federation, Stewards of Affordable Housing for the Future, Texas A&M University, the Wharton School of Business's Risk Management and Decision Processes Center, and others.

Neill Currie, president and CEO of Renaissance Re, said: "On behalf of RenaissanceRe and our Risk Sciences Foundation, I am delighted to express our thanks to the capacity crowd of nearly 250 thought leaders who participated in the Leadership Forum.

"We would particularly like to acknowledge the speakers who donated their time and expertise to contribute to our shared goals of advancing disaster safety.

"RenaissanceRe is proud to support mitigation initiatives such as the Leadership Forum series and research programs such as the RenaissanceRe Wall of Wind, which inform and enhance the catastrophe-oriented products, services and solutions we've pioneered for our customers and partners since our formation in 1993.

"We believe that investment in mitigation and other policies that proactively reduce risk represent the most promising means to help all residents of storm-exposed communities safeguard themselves from natural catastrophes and, over time, to also reduce the economic hazards faced by coastal families and businesses."