Messaging and Design

Insurance is the Achilles heel of the global fossil fuel industry. It’s what gives companies such as Shell, BP and Exxonmobil the confidence to drill as the planet burns - by covering their operations against financial losses when things go wrong.

Without insurance, major oil and gas projects would not be able to operate.

Just 20 companies insure 70% of fossil fuel projects and a large number of these companies are based in the UK, mostly in the City of London.

Info and resources

To support your own action and media and messaging planning, here’s a briefing on why we are targeting the insurance industry from our allies at the Insure Our Futures coalition.

• We are all spokespeople! - key facts to help with spokes, livestream and outreach.
• Template press release to help local actions.
• Watch the insurance briefing video here (22mins) - Note this 'IOF' video is from earlier in the year, so some situations may have changed, but the basic fundamentals are still valid.
• Company Briefings.
• Background on carbon bomb projects (e.g. EACOP).

IOS Design

XR actions follow the Design Programme and colour scheme for consistency. IOS actions are using a streamlined palette of pink, black and white. Visibility of XR is key, so the symbol and/or logotype should be used wherever possible. You can also download XR fonts here. The pink used in this action is R237 G155 B196 or #ED9BC4.

Hashtags

Please also tag @xrebellionuk or if doing local actions also tag relevant groups/organisation/people who you think might help amplify your action.

#InsureOurSurvival
#ExtinctionRebellion
#StopFloodingUs
#StopEACOP
#RiskyBusiness
#ClimateCriminals

Press coverage from IOS week of actions:

• Extinction Rebellion target insurance giants in City of London - Socialist Worker

• Climate activists in ‘zombie dance’ protest outside insurance offices - The Independant

• Extinction Rebellion danced in Glasgow dressed as 'zombies' while protesting climate change - Daily Record

• Extinction Rebellion blockade Gherkin as more insurance firms targeted - Insurance Times

Banner/Placard Messaging

Insure Our Survival slogan: 'Insure Our Survival, Not Fossil Fuels'

XRUK banner slogans:

Pull the plug on new oil & gas
No New Oil and Gas
Stop Insuring Climate Chaos
You’re a Risky Business
Decide Together: Insure Our Future

Placard suggestions:

Climate Breakdown Cover
Only Fools Insure Fossil Fuels
Stop Insuring Climate Chaos
Insure our Survival No food, no future Boycott ‘name of insurance company’ (only those that have public facing services). Or add an insurance company logo to your placard & include a message for them.

For targeted campaigns in high flood risk areas:

Stop Flooding Us
Paying you (or name of insurer) to flood our homes
Don’t make us The Uninsurables
Floody Hell
Flood Alert
Insuring Oil = Drowning Lives!
Fossil Fuels Get Insurance, We Get Floods!
Insuring Our Future? More Like Drowning It!
Fossil Fuels = Floods. Thanks for the Uninsurable Future!
The floods are Right Here, Right Now