Latest

Chubb CEO Evan Greenberg receives direct message from activists during US China business event in New York October 15th, 2024 (New York, New York) — Evan Greenberg, CEO of Chubb Insurance, was the main focus for protestors outside of the National Committee on U.S.-China Relations gala event Tuesday evening in Manhattan. Greenberg is the Executive …

Every year, more people across the United States experience climate disasters, forcing them to leave their homes, lose their belongings, and be separated from jobs and family. Meanwhile, home insurance markets are in a mounting crisis–and leaving people across the country behind. Media and policy makers are attuned to this crisis, but most are not …

Banks, and now insurers, drop project plagued with risk from community, cultural, and climate issues. RIO GRANDE, TX, August 6, 2024 — An insurance certificate obtained through a public information act request for Rio Grande LNG no longer lists Chubb as an insurer of the project. The insurance giant dropped the proposed controversial methane gas …

Events and actions will be held from June 24-28 targeting banks, insurers, and supporters of industries polluting gulf communities New York, NY — Community leaders, elders, young people, and families from the U.S. Gulf South will converge on Wall Street to demand that major financial institutions including BlackRock, Bank of America, Citi, Chubb, KKR, Mizuho, …

Cromwell CT – June 20, 2024 – Yesterday, a group of Connecticut climate activists attended the Travelers Championship Golf Tournament Pro Amateur event and handed out golf towels to tournament attendees with the inscription “Dropping Policyholders Is Not a Climate Solution.” More than 100 towels were distributed to the crowd. The New York Times reported …

In Budget Committee Hearing, Senators do a deep dive into the climate crisis’ impact on the insurance industry, finding disturbing systemic impacts that will undermine the system.  WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Budget Committee on the Budget held a hearing this morning detailing the impacts climate change is having in states across the country. …

Insurance giants AIG, Berkshire Hathaway, Chubb, Fairfax Financial, Markel, The Hartford, and Travelers faced shareholder resolutions, questions from concerned investors and activists, and demonstrations outside of their general meetings. Concerned investors and activists focused their attention on these North American insurers in the past month over insurers’ lack of due diligence with respect to Indigenous …

New criteria falls short of aligning with 1.5°C San Francisco – In a SEC filing of “Additional Proxy Soliciting Materials” Chubb quietly updated its oil, gas, and conservation policies. RAN’s analysis, released ahead of Chubb’s Annual General Meeting Thursday, May 16th, has concluded that while the updates are a small improvement, the loopholes and narrow scope result in policies …

Hartford, CT — Today, Connecticut climate activists returned to the Travelers Annual Shareholder meeting to demand the company take real action on climate change and human rights. Activists from Connecticut Citizen Action Group (CCAG) and Third Act CT circled the Marriott Hotel in Downtown Hartford, while inside, activist shareholders engaged with management on the dangers …

As one of the world’s biggest fossil fuel insurers, insurance giants like Travelers can play a pivotal role in reaching global climate goals. As Travelers prepares for its annual general meeting, it faces a critical moment—yet again—to align its practices with the climate and human rights expectations of today’s workforce and Travelers’ community. Climate-Conscious Students …

Today, as the insurance industry convenes for the first Global Sustainable Insurance Summit in Los Angeles, the 32 campaign groups of the Insure Our Future network have sent a letter to the world’s leading fossil fuel insurers, detailing how they can accelerate the transition to a clean and just energy economy.   Demands in the letter …

The ‘Dirty Dozen’ insurers—that restricted coverage in California citing climate risks—have $113B of investments in and $3.6B of underwriting income from fossil fuels. California homeowners face a potentially staggering economic blow due to climate-related insurance non-renewals. Insure Our Future’s analysis finds homeowners could lose between $9.87-32.1 billion in property value as a result of more …

This fact sheet was developed as a companion piece to Analysis: California Homeowners Face Billions in Property Loss from Climate-Related Insurance Non-Renewals. Page 1: Page 2:

Innovative approach by lawmakers in the ‘insurance capital’ has national significance as soaring insurance premiums driven by extreme weather strain household budgets countrywide HARTFORD, CT – Today, the Connecticut General Assembly Environment Committee voted to approve the Governor’s Climate Resiliency bill (SB11) with an amendment that advances a climate resiliency fund to support communities in …

Originally posted on Consumer Federation of America.  Washington, D.C.—A new report by Consumer Federation of America (CFA) reveals that over six million homeowners lack homeowners insurance, leaving them dangerously unprotected from natural disasters and other significant damage that might happen to their homes. The report estimates that 7.4% of all homeowners in the country are uninsured, accounting …

This week has been an incredible global week of action for the Insure Our Future campaign, with thousands of people taking part in over 100 actions across 31 countries in 5 continents, including over 100,000 people taking action online. In-person actions include protests in Japan, South Korea, Nigeria, Uganda, Indonesia, UK, USA, Philippines, Pakistan, Tanzania, …

The insurance industry holds the key to a safer, prosperous future if they act now. Over 100 roups in over 27 countries across 5 continents are holding over 80 demonstrations, marches, direct actions and events this week with a clear message: Insure Our Future, not fossil fuels. The insurance industry is uniquely positioned to drive …

At least 35 different insurance companies are responsible for underwriting liquified methane export terminal projects across the U.S Gulf South, according to a report by Rainforest Action Network and Public Citizen. The analysis, based on documents obtained through open record requests, details the insurance coverage for existing and projected methane gas infrastructure that, if built, will export the …

Report with FOIA information reveals which insurers are part of the biggest fossil fuel buildout of this generation Houston, Texas –  At least 35 different insurance companies are responsible for underwriting liquified methane export terminal projects across the U.S Gulf South, according to a report released today by Rainforest Action Network and Public Citizen. The …

Over 100 frontline and climate groups have written to the biggest banks, insurance companies and private equity backing liquefied methane gas (LNG), demanding they follow the dramatic change in US policy on the sector and to end their financial support. The organizations, including Texas Campaign for the Environment, Sierra Club, Rainforest Action Network and Friends …

Chubb, Liberty Mutual, Sompo revealed as insurers on Rio Grande Valley Methane Projects (Brownsville, Texas) A recent Freedom of Information Act request revealed that Chubb, Liberty Mutual, and Sompo are the insurers behind the Rio Grande LNG project, a proposed methane gas export terminal on the Texas Gulf Coast that would annually emit the equivalent to 44 …

In response to the COP28 agreement to transition away from fossil fuels, Mary Sweeters, Senior Strategist with Insure Our Future, said: “The agreement from nearly 200 countries at COP28 calling for a transition away from fossil fuels affirms what scientists have been saying for years: to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we cannot …

Fifty years after the insurance industry first warned about the impact of climate change, it is continuing to fuel the climate emergency. Today, the international Insure Our Future coalition launched its seventh annual insurance scorecard, analyzing 30 leading global insurers on their fossil fuel and climate policies. It finds insurers are not doing nearly enough. So much …

Fifty years after the industry first warned about the growing risks of climate change it continues to provide insurance that allows new fossil fuel projects to go ahead. Insurers are abandoning customers affected by climate risks, yet most continue to fuel the climate emergency by providing cover for increased oil and gas production. Read the …

Global, 9 November 2023 – Fifty years after the insurance industry first warned about the impact of climate change it is continuing to fuel the climate emergency, the Insure Our Future campaign warns today in its seventh annual scorecard on insurers’ climate policies. The growing frequency and severity of floods, hurricanes, wildfires, droughts and other …

Washington, D.C., 28 September 2023 – New Report shows AIG, Liberty Mutual, Lloyd’s of London, Swiss Re, and Zurich insure at least 41% of U.S. coal output, sometimes violating internal policies aimed at slowing climate change. Global insurance giants continue to underwrite U.S. coal production at alarming rates. While more and more insurance companies are …

NEW YORK — Fifteen years after  American International Group Inc. (AIG) nearly failed due to reckless financial practices, forcing the federal government to respond with a $182 billion bailout, protesters today rallied at the company’s headquarters, calling on the insurance giant to take steps to quickly end its risky underwriting and investments in fossil fuels. …

8 September, Kinshasa – Any company granted exploration and exploitation rights in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) oil auction could find itself without financial protection, according to a report published today by Greenpeace Africa, Insure our Future, Reclaim Finance and Urgewald. If leading insurance and reinsurance companies follow their commitments and their general environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) policies, oil …

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs will take a deep dive into issues plaguing property insurance markets across the country and the impact changes, including from climate change, will impact consumers. Over the past year, several major insurance companies have limited or withdrawn coverage from states dealing with major …

Overview AIG released its 2022 Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) report in July. The report fails to demonstrate progress on its climate commitments. As a major insurance provider for coal, oil, and gas, AIG does not acknowledge how its continued support for fossil fuels actively exacerbates climate-related threats to its business. On March 1, 2022 AIG purported to commit to …

FAIRBANKS, AK – An update to the Gwich’in Steering Committee (GSC) insurance industry scorecard released today reports 20 insurers now have a policy that protects Iizhik Gwats’an Gwandaii Goodlit (“The Sacred Place Where Life Begins”) from oil and gas development. The scorecard tracks global insurance companies’ policies on fossil fuel development in the coastal plain of the Arctic …

In June, as an activist with Connecticut Citizen Action Group, I took to the greens at the 2023 Travelers’ Championship to gain recognition for the global climate emergency and the complicity in that crisis of the corporate interests involved in the tournament. Over the past month alone, I have seen some of the tragic effects …

A new analysis finds that far-right politicians in Texas and Louisiana, who have been attacking the insurance industry’s ability to factor in basic climate risks for their business, have quietly been receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars from the insurance industry itself. As the insurance industry faces billions in climate-related losses, this raises the question …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) today introduced legislation intended to require insurance companies to disclose investments and underwriting of fossil fuels companies. The Polluter Portfolio Disclosure Act aims to increase transparency around how insurance companies worsen the climate crisis, particularly as they abandon insurance customers in states that find themselves on the front lines of …

Farmers Insurance announced today that the company will not renew existing automobile, home, and umbrella policies in Florida. The company’s announcement comes after it gave Florida’s Office of Insurance Regulation notice on Monday, beginning a 90-day warning period for policy holders. Farmers’ decision will impact nearly 100,000 policies. In response, Carly Fabian, insurance policy advocate with Public Citizen’s Climate Program, issued …

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Farmers Insurance, a subsidiary of Zurich Insurance Group, announced in a statement today that the company began limiting new homeowners insurance policies in California on July 3. Shortly after Farmer’s revealed that it would limit new coverage, the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA) called for reform of California’s insurance regulatory framework to make …

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Treasury Department’s Federal Insurance Office (FIO) today released a report on climate-related regulation and supervision of insurers. The report assesses the limitations of existing regulation and includes 20 recommendations. In response, Carly Fabian, insurance policy advocate with Public Citizen’s Climate Program issued the following statement: Alex Martin, Policy Director for Climate and Finance …

CROMWELL, CT – Today (6/21/23), Connecticut Citizen Action Group and the Insure Our Future coalition rallied outside the Travelers Championship Tournament in Cromwell, protesting the company’s investment and underwriting of fossil fuel expansion. For the second year in a row, protestors were accompanied by Hartford’s Proud Drill Drum and Dance Corp, an organization that works …

WASHINGTON, D.C. –  The Senate Budget Committee today called on insurance giants American Insurance Group, Inc. (AIG), Chubb Corp, Liberty Mutual Group, Starr Wright USA, Berkshire Hathaway, State Farm, and Travelers Insurance to disclose their coverage for and investments in fossil fuels and information on how each insurer respects human rights. The Committee’s letter, sent by Chairman Senator Whitehouse …

Senator Whitehouse (D-RI), Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee, and fellow Committee members Senators Wyden (D-OR) and Sanders (I-VT) launched an investigation into how the U.S. insurance industry evaluates climate-related risks, decides to invest in or underwrite fossil fuel expansion projects that drive such risks, and prices policies that insure such projects. In letters sent to AIG, Berkshire …

Watch the Freeport community voice their demands at 11am CT on June 8: HERE June 8, 2023 — As insurers abandon communities facing rising climate threats from the Gulf Coast to California, fears of an uninsurability crisis in the US are growing. However, many of the same companies are making these risks worse by continuing …

Over 140 organizations, representing frontline communities and allies, sent an open letter to the world’s largest insurance corporations, like Liberty Mutual, Chubb, AIG, demanding they stop insuring methane gas export terminals and meet with the community members affected by these projects. More than 20 liquified “natural” gas (LNG) facilities are proposed to be built along the Gulf …

Questions about companies’ plans to address climate change dominate general meetings, shareholder proposals fail to receive majority support At their annual general meetings (AGMs) this year, U.S insurance companies Chubb, The Hartford, and Travelers and their largest shareholders failed this proxy season’s climate test. Concerned investors filed resolutions to address the climate and human rights-related …

Hartford, CT – Traveling over 4,300 miles from Alaska to Connecticut, the Gwich’in Steering Committee delivered a statement today at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Travelers, a major U.S. company with a history of underwriting oil and gas projects. Trillium Asset Management, shareholders of Travelers, invited GSC to speak on behalf of their proposal …

Hartford, CT – Advocates calling for climate action from The Hartford said the insurer and its largest shareholders failed the climate test in light of results of a vote on a climate shareholder resolution at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM) last Wednesday. Shareholders were asked to vote on a resolution filed by Green Century …

Shareholders reject resolutions on climate change and human rights Zurich, Switzerland (May 17, 2023) – Unlike last year, in which 72% of shares cast supported a resolution from As You Sow, shareholders of Chubb Limited (NYSE: CB) did not pass the same measure on if and how it plans to measure, disclose, and reduce its emissions associated …

This factsheet compares Chubb’s new climate commitments against science-based recommendations and global peer insurers’ climate policies. Background: In March, the world’s leading climate science body IPCC issued a “final warning” to scale up rapid action to get on a 1.5 ̊C pathway, by stopping fossil fuel expansion. The same month, Chubb announced new policies stating …

This past week, Chubb, The Hartford, and Travelers released proxy statements urging shareholders to vote against the climate and human rights resolutions on the ballot at their annual general meetings in May. These insurers are facing a growing challenge from investor advocates to curb fossil fuel underwriting, reduce emissions, and respect Indigenous rights, and, in …

Rainforest Action Network’s Assessment of Chubb’s Climate Commitments On March 22, 2023, Chubb announced a new suite of policies to restrict underwriting oil and gas extraction based on conservation and methane emissions criteria. Chubb will not insure oil and gas extraction projects that are located in specific protected areas or do not have evidence-based plans …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 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. …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

Will new CEO Tim Sweeney clean up Liberty Mutual’s climate and human rights record? He may not be a household name, but Tim Sweeney just became a critical decision-maker when it comes to the fate of the fossil fuel industry’s global expansion plans. As of January 1, 2023, Sweeney is the new CEO of Boston-based insurance giant …

In this op-ed, a risk management student argues that the insurance industry could help address the climate crisis by refusing to back environmentally-destructive projects.

Bill McKibben, author, professor, and founder of 350.org, discusses the role that insurers, banks, and asset managers play in contributing to climate change.

Today, at the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) meeting demonstrators called on the U.S. insurance industry to act on climate change by cutting ties with fossil fuels. This was the first NAIC meeting since Chubb became the first U.S. insurer to release a coal policy severely limiting its involvement with the coal industry.

Zurich, Switzerland – Today, Zurich Insurance Group announced an updated fossil fuel policy which commits to cutting both insurance and investment support for coal developers, utilities, mine operators, and companies significantly involved in tar sands or oil shale. The policy will make Zurich the first primary insurer to refuse coverage to tar sands companies as well as companies that are dedicated transportation infrastructure operators for oil sands products, including pipelines and railways.

The insurance industry is on the hook for climate change-related payouts. So you would assume they would not want to make the problem any worse. But they are.

When thousands of experts and practitioners in the insurance industry and risk management field gather later this month, will the conversations reflect the urgency with which we need to address the biggest risk of all – climate change? Will they acknowledge the US insurance industry’s role supporting the drivers of climate change?

By Bill McKibben | May 9, 2017 | La Nacion
RIPTON, VERMONT – Last month, the United Kingdom enjoyed its first full day without the need for coal power since the Industrial Revolution began. That’s remarkable news – and a sign of the future to come as the country that began humanity’s centuries-long romance with burning black rocks is now moving on.

By Jacques Leslie | March 13, 2018 | Los Angeles Times
Despite being part of an industry predicated on anticipating risk, American insurance companies seem distinctly muddled about climate change.