Over the past several years, changing weather patterns and climatic conditions, including as a result of global warming, have added to the unpredictability, frequency and severity of natural disasters and created additional uncertainty as to future trends and exposures. In particular, the consequences of climate change are expected to significantly impact the insurance industry, including with respect to risk perception, pricing and modeling assumptions, and need for new insurance products, all of which may create unforeseen risks not currently known to us.