Texas bill targets shareholders’ ability to hold insurers accountable for climate risks

Texas is ground zero for attacks on investor freedom to assess material risk. In 2023, 21 bills have been filed to prevent financial institutions and the state pension fund from considering environmental and climate risks, including two proposals targeting the insurance industry specifically.  It is critical that insurers are allowed to fulfill their role as …

Photo credit: Katie Godowski

SEC Rejects Shareholder Resolution Demanding Chubb Curb Insurance for Fossil Fuel Expansion

But Chubb proxy will include resolutions on emissions reductions and human rights reporting March 29, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) – Yesterday afternoon, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) shared that it had rejected a shareholder resolution filed at Chubb calling on the insurer to adopt a time-bound phase out of underwriting new coal, oil, and …

Annual letter to the CEOs of 30 major fossil fuel insurers, 2023

Every year, the Insure Our Future network publishes an open letter to the CEOs of 30 major insurance companies whose fossil fuel policies are ranked annually by Insure Our Future, among which are: AIG, Allianz, AXA, Chubb, Generali, Liberty Mutual, Lloyd’s of London, Munich Re, SCOR, Sinosure, SOMPO, Tokio Marine and Zurich. The letter outlines …

Chubb Becomes First U.S. Insurer to Limit Insuring Oil and Gas Extraction Projects but Falls Short of Aligning with Climate Science

Insurance Giant Adopts Policy on Conservation Areas and Methane Emissions March 22, 2023 – Today, Chubb (NYSE: CB) announced a new suite of policies to restrict underwriting oil and gas extraction based on conservation and emissions criteria. According to its press release, Chubb will not insure oil and gas extraction projects that are located in specific …

Climate Votes Flags 2023 Shareholder Votes at Chubb, The Hartford, and Travelers

Climate Votes has published an investors’ brief highlighting the insurance sector’s high exposure to climate-related risks and identifying actionable opportunities that investors can take this AGM season to encourage mitigating these risks. Shareholders are increasingly concerned about the climate and human rights risks facing property and casualty insurance companies that underwrite energy projects and companies. …

Connecticut Considers New Bill to Make Fossil Fuel Polluters Pay for Soaring Climate Costs and Insurance Premiums Borne by Communities

Exxon Mobil, one of the world’s largest fossil fuel companies, made a record breaking $55.5 billion dollars in 2022 profits as the climate crisis devastated communities. Hartford, CT – The Connecticut Insurance and Real Estate committee held a hearing last Thursday on S.B. 1115, An Act Establishing a Surcharge on Insurance Companies in this State …

Connecticut’s Insurance and Real Estate committee holds public hearing to lower insurance premiums and invest in environmental justice communities

The Insurance and Real Estate committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow to lower insurance premiums and invest in environmental justice communities. When: Thursday, March 2, 2023, 2:30pm Where: CT General Assembly, Room LOB 2A, 210 Capitol Ave, Hartford, CT 06106 Streaming Link: YouTube Live INS  Hartford, CT – On Thursday, the Connecticut Insurance and …

Activists Call on AIG to Disavow Insurance Coverage of East African Crude Oil Pipeline

Groups Deliver Petition Signed by More Than 50,000 Calling on Insurance Giant to Publicly State Position on Project NEW YORK — Outside of American International Group Inc.’s (AIG) headquarters, activists from Public Citizen, Climate Families NYC, Sunrise Movement NYC, and other groups called on the insurance giant to publicly commit not to provide coverage for …

For the Second Year in a Row, Chubb Attempts to Silence Shareholders’ Climate Concerns

Following an unprecedented investor challenge for climate action at the largest U.S. fossil fuel insurers last year, Chubb is again facing two resolutions from shareholders addressing the insurance giant’s fossil fuel business and overall carbon footprint. And like last year, Chubb has issued no-action requests with the SEC in an attempt to silence shareholders’ climate …

How This Insurance Company is Undermining Climate Action

Originally published on Public Citizen’s website.  Since American International Group (AIG) crashed in 2008 because of its reckless bets on financial products linked to predatory mortgage lending, the insurance giant has faded from the headlines. And its CEO, Peter Zaffino, is far for a household name. But we should all pay more attention to AIG …

Los Angeles City Council Passes Motion to Screen Insurers for Fossil Fuel Policies

The Los Angeles City Council passed a motion to evaluate the city’s prospective insurance carriers based on their underwriting and investments in fossil fuels.

Coal Exit Policies Add Billions of Dollars to Insurers’ Shareholder Value, Analyst Report Suggests

The following commentary by Peter Bosshard first appeared in Environmental Finance. Climate campaigners have pushed insurance companies to exit the coal sector for many years. They have now received support from an unexpected source: financial analysts. “We think the insurance sector’s most important contribution to ESG is exiting coal underwriting”, a recent report issued by the …

Somerville and Cambridge Join Growing Trend of Cities Calling on Insurance Companies to Stop Insuring and Investing in Fossil Fuels 

Two recent Massachusetts city council resolutions are part of a growing trend of local legislators and fiduciaries pushing insurance companies to take responsibility for their role in the climate crisis.

Massachusetts State Legislators Call on Liberty Mutual to Cut Ties with Fossil Fuels

In an open letter penned to Liberty Mutual CEO David Long, the group of 38 state senators and representatives wrote: “Now more than ever, the insurance sector must accelerate the transition to a low-carbon economy by phasing out fossil fuel insurance and investments. As the fifth-largest property and casualty company worldwide, Liberty Mutual is in a unique position to push for an energy transition at a global scale.”

NYC Pension Funds Demand Insurance Giants Sever Ties to Coal iIndustry

Climate advocates celebrate Comptroller Stringer’s letters to AIG, Berkshire Hathaway, and Liberty Mutual, which urge re-evaluation across fossil fuel sectors

Boulder Becomes First County To Screen Insurance Contracts Based on Fossil Fuel Policies

Boulder County became the first county in the United States to call on insurance companies to stop insuring and investing in fossil fuels, and to announce that it will screen potential county insurance providers for those who continue to support fossil fuels without phaseout plans.

Public Interest Groups Seek Nation’s First Rule Mandating Insurance Companies Disclose the Fossil Fuel Projects They Insure

Insurers Blame Climate Change For Mounting Catastrophe Losses Yet Still Insure the Fossil Fuel Infrastructure That Exacerbates Wildfires, Mudslides and Flooding
LOS ANGELES, CA — More than 60 environmental, consumer and social justice organizations petitioned California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today seeking first in the nation emergency regulations to require insurance companies to disclose the fossil fuel projects they insure, even as climate change-exacerbated catastrophes are costing insurance companies billions.

San Francisco to Insurers: If You Want Our Business, Ditch Fossil Fuels

Sunrise Project | July 24, 2018
SF becomes first US city to push insurance industry to stop insuring coal and tar sands.

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