Two insurers named as targets in next Extinction Rebellion climate protest offensive

Insurers operating in the UK have been warned to expect a fresh wave of coordinated climate protests in September.

Activist group Extinction Rebellion (XR) has confirmed plans to target companies it says are enabling fossil fuel projects and arms trading.

Its campaign – dubbed Insure Our Survival – is set to run from 8 to 22 September 2025, with large-scale demonstrations confirmed for London on 8 and 9 September and further actions planned nationwide.

XR said the campaign would include coordinated actions in Europe, the Americas, Africa and Asia, with groups in the Global North working alongside those in the Global South to “amplify frontline voices” opposing fossil fuel and arms financing.

Targeted insurers

XR said the campaign will focus on international firms Axa and AIG, saying the call for action is an effort to draw attention to the broader insurance sector’s role in underwriting high-carbon and defence projects.

The group claims fossil fuel and arms insurance represent just 2% to 3% of targeted firms’ portfolios, arguing they could be removed without material financial harm.

Insurers have faced increasing scrutiny from climate campaigners in recent years, with several large players adopting restrictions on coal, oil and gas underwriting in response to public and shareholder pressure. However, XR maintains that such commitments remain inadequate to meet climate goals.

The September actions will form part of XR’s ongoing global pressure campaign, which the group says will continue until targeted insurers commit to stopping fossil fuel and arms underwriting.