Insurance actions around the UK

March 04, 2024 by Extinction Rebellion

XR UK Nations and Regions rock the insurance industry

In cities and towns across the UK, Extinction Rebellion groups held big insurance companies to account for their part in insuring climate chaos.

If AIG, Tokio Marine, Hiscox, and Zurich thought it was all over after earlier actions on the streets of London, XR made them think again as ‘insurance mayhem’ spread across the country. And it’s not over yet.

Occupations of office lobbies and theatrical protest in Glasgow – pictured on the right are the ‘Oil Slicks’.

Braving wild weather with courage and creativity, rebels took the streets with blockades, rallies, marches, occupations, letters, outreach and street theatre.

Protests were widespread, in leafy Tunbridge Wells, in Leicester, Chelmsford and Chipping Norton. Hundreds filled the streets of Manchester and Birmingham, with song and theatre in Glasgow and Brighton, to Bridgwater and beyond. The people marched with beautiful banners, as the pavements resounded to music and drums. Insurance companies must stop being fossil fuels, they must #InsureOurFutureNOW

Everywhere the demands are simple : stop enabling fossil fuels, respect human rights and a just transition for those most affected by the climate and nature emergency. Insurers have the opportunity to be climate heroes, to change the course of history. Without insurance, the fossil fuel criminals can’t dig for coal in Cumbria, drill for oil and gas or build pipelines like EACOP. They can defuse the ‘carbon bombs‘.

Stop insuring EACOP – one of the ‘carbon bombs’. XR groups coming together in Manchester.

And it didn’t stop there. XR joined with other groups, including Coal Action Network, Tipping Point, Quakers. Mothers Rise Up, Stop EACOP and Just Stop Oil to drive home the point that insuring fossil fuel projects is a risky business, and companies can help save the world if they refuse cover.

In Bristol, XR Bristol and rebels from all over the South West rebels were joined by Just Stop Oil activists to occupy Tokio Marine for 30 hours, including a whole night of rain, hail and cold to demand that TM stop insuring all new oil, gas & coal projects