An insurance trade group unveiled a Web site yesterday that itsaid would contain information and discussion of climate change'simpact on the global insurance industry.

The National Association of Mutual Insurance Companies,Indianapolis, said the site would also report what related actionsproperty-casualty industry members are taking.

Chuck Chamness, NAMIC president and chief executive officer,said the group was excited about launchingwww.climateandinsurance.org, which he said will be a valuable toolfor the industry.

“There has been considerable discussion of climate change andthe insurance industry taking place within state, federal andinternational policy venues. Increasingly, climate change isdiscussed in the context of public policy in the areas of flood andother natural disaster insurance, emergency preparedness andresponse, and reinsurance, among others,” Mr. Chamness noted.

He said the site will not advocate a position on the scientificcontroversy of the causes of the increase in natural disastersaround the world.

“Instead, it contains information and leading thought about howclimate change impacts the insurance industry, and what insurersand reinsurers in the U.S. and Europe are doing with this issue,”Mr. Chamness added.

David Reddick, NAMIC's associate director of public policy andeditor of the Web site, said podcasts, blogs, videocasts and otherinteractive features will be added to the site, depending on theneeds of its users.

Mr. Reddick said the site will also report on the status of theNational Association of Insurance Commissioners's Climate Changeand Global Warming Task Force and other regulatory or legislativeefforts.

“As public policy begins to develop more fully on climatechange, the industry's response will be a key feature of the site,”Mr. Reddick said. “We're anxious to get feedback to help us makethis a significant resource for those in the industry as well asother interested and involved parties, including other informationsources, policymakers, the media and consumers.”