Insurance Overview
Insurance companies supply services to a wide variety of customers, from everyday consumers to large corporations.
But do they have guidelines or policies as to who they will and won't insure? Do green and ethical considerations feature in insurance companies' risk assessments?
Might they, for example, offer coverage to munitions factories or companies with significant operations in countries with oppressive regimes? Or might they insure others with poor labour or environmental records?
Green and ethical insurance products
Green and ethical insurance products
For home, motor, travel, life and health insurance, there is a small but growing number of green and ethical insurance products available. A selection is below:
- Co-operative Insurance
Insurance type: home, motor, life and health
This provider has a comprehensive ethical engagement policy in place that governs all its insurance decisions. The Co-op's 'ecoinsurance' scheme offers cash incentives as well as environmental pledges. It offsets the equivalent of 20 per cent of the CO2 from every vehicle insured and also offers premium discounts for greener cars. - Climate Sure
Insurance type: travel
Climate Sure calculates the CO2 produced by flying overseas and pays for it to be 'offset' by funding sustainable energy projects. - Green Insurance Company
Insurance type: motor
This provider aims to offset your car's carbon emissions and offers discounts on greener cars/lower mileage. - Naturesave
Insurance types: home, travel, personal accident and illness
This company puts 10% of its personal insurance premiums in a fund (Naturesave Trust) to benefit environmental and conservation projects. It also offers a free environmental performance review for commercial clients and aims to use suppliers that support sustainable business practices. - Ansvar Insurance Co Ltd
Insurance types: home, motor, travel
Insurance is sold to individuals and organisations with a not-for-profit remit.
Your next steps
What do you do now? Check out our guide Next Steps - Insurance for suggestions on how to give your insurance policies a green and ethical makeover as well as the questions you should be asking your current or prospective insurance provider.
Insurance Search
Insurance Provider
Aviva
Green/Ethical Products
- Socially responsible investment funds
Ethical Lending or Insurance
A responsible investment policy is applied to SRI funds. No similar policy was found in relation to who Aviva will or will not insure.
Responsible Lending
Aviva does not lend to its customers.
Financial Exclusion
The company provides internet accessibility tools for disabled customers as well as documentation in Braille, large print and audio-tape.
Environment
Aviva’s environment policy applies across the group and covers the key areas of climate change/energy efficiency and waste management. The policy also contains a commitment to continued improvement in performance.
Carbon Neutral
Aviva’s business operations became carbon neutral in 2007.
Equal Opportunities
Aviva’s group-wide equal opportunities policy address the key areas of gender, race, disability and sexuality.
Women on the Board
19% in senior management positions (2007).
Voluntary Standards & Initiatives
Charitable Giving
No aggregate amount for Aviva was found, however, Aviva’s employees donated £200,000 to charities in 2007 and the ‘Young Lives, Our Future’ campaign partnership with the NCH (children’s charity), which ended in 2007, received over £1m from the company from 2002 to 2007.
Aviva
- Investments
- Insurance (Home, Mortgage Protection, Motor, Travel, Health, Life)
- Student Contents Insurance
