Students from the London School of Economics (LSE), University College London (UCL), King’s College London, Imperial College London, and the University of York have occupied the entrance to the head offices of insurers QBE and Aspen.
The Insure Tomorrow student campaign, supported by the National Union of Students (NUS UK), have endorsed the action and called for additional pressure to be put on insurers to ditch fossil fuels.
Students from some of the UK’s leading universities are intensifying the fight against fossil fuel investments by protesting in front of the head offices of major insurers QBE and Aspen at 30 Fenchurch Street. The protest, organised by the Insure Our Survival student block, is the latest in a series of actions demanding that insurers divest from fossil fuel projects. The Insure Tomorrow campaign, which has garnered support from student leaders representing 1 million students, have joined the student block in urging these insurance companies to prioritise climate responsibility.
The campaign targets insurers’ pivotal role in enabling new fossil fuel projects, asserting that without insurance, these environmentally damaging projects would be unable to proceed. The protestors are calling on QBE, Aspen, and other major insurance players to recognise their impact on the planet and stop underwriting fossil fuel ventures.
An Insure Tomorrow spokesperson commented on the campaign's significance:
“Today’s action shows that students are ready to take matters into their own hands to protect their future. Insurers like QBE and Aspen must realise that their support of fossil fuels is incompatible with a sustainable future. We’re standing here to make it clear that insurance companies can either be part of the solution or continue as part of the problem.”
The protest comes as part of a broader movement, with students mobilising across the UK to raise awareness of how insurance underpins climate-destructive industries. QBE and Aspen are two of several firms identified by Insure Tomorrow as key backers of fossil fuel expansion, and this occupation follows the pledge by students to refuse job opportunities at insurers supporting fossil fuel projects.
Union Officers and student leaders alike are leveraging this momentum, using their platforms to inform and mobilise their peers. The protest action was accompanied by a series of educational workshops and advocacy sessions aimed at amplifying student voices on this issue. Through these activities, the movement hopes to influence the future decisions of the insurance industry’s rising workforce—current students and recent graduates who are now rejecting job offers in fossil fuel-aligned companies.
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Notes to Editors: Contact: pierrick.roger@sos-uk.org PHOTOS AND VIDEOS AVAILABLE TO USE; Social media: @insuretomorrow