COPENHAGEN, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Norwegian insurer Storebrand on Wednesday said an early arrival of winter weather and continued negative disability trends makes it challenging to reach its 4 billion crown ($364 million) profit ambition for 2023.

Storebrand set the profit ambition in 2020. It said in a statement that while it has delivered on growth and margins in all areas, the insurance result this year has been hampered by disability claims and extreme weather.

Storebrand said ahead of presentations to investors later on Wednesday it aims to increase dividends, and to buy back 1.5 billion crowns worth of own shares annually in the coming years.

($1 = 10.9761 Norwegian crowns) (Reporting by Louise Breusch Rasmussen, editing by Anna Ringstrom)