QBE’s unanswered questions

Bush fire in Queensland

11 June 2019 It’s not often that an annual general meeting (AGM) can be described as compelling. QBE’s AGM held on 9 May, however, delivered the goods with several questions from the floor resulting in extraordinary exchanges between shareholders and the chairman Marty Becker and CEO Pat Regan. Unfortunately, these … Read More

Suncorp: The last major Australian insurer supporting new coal

Bush fire in Queensland

11 April, 2019 One of Australia’s biggest insurance companies has ended up being the last major insurer still open to providing insurance to (underwriting) new thermal coal projects. Suncorp, which owns brands AAMI, GIO, APIA and Just Car, was put into this embarrassing position after competitor QBE announced an end … Read More

QBE‘s climate credibility up in smoke

Electricity Pylons and smoke stacks

25 February 2019 QBE’s 2018 annual report, released today, disappointingly reveals the insurer will be doing absolutely nothing about its support for dirty fossil fuels for at least two more years – shredding any credibility the company had left when it comes to managing climate risk. This is despite its … Read More

QBE targeted over fossil fuel support as Australia burns

QBE Billboard in Sydney by Market Forces

4 February 2019 As Australians suffer under record-breaking extreme temperatures, bushfires and floods, Market Forces has launched an outdoor advertising campaign demanding Australia’s major global insurance company end its support for the fossil fuel companies driving global warming. Thanks to donations from Market Forces supporters, the billboard on the City … Read More

QBE staff get donuts as QBE scores donuts on climate action scorecard

QBE Sydney Market Forces action 2018

Tuesday 4 December 2018 This morning staff arriving at global insurance company QBE’s head office in Sydney were offered free donuts by Market Forces volunteers. The donuts represent QBE’s shameful zero scores on the international insurance climate scorecard released this week. Twenty-four global insurance companies were rated on their coal … Read More

QBE falling behind competitors on climate action

Monday 3 December 2018 All over the world, the damage humans are doing to our climate is increasingly evident. Heat records are being smashed, droughts are taking their toll, floods and bushfires are costing lives and homes. Both the UN and the International Energy Agency have released reports proving that … Read More

IAG still won’t commit to divest from coal

26 October 2018 “We are feeling the effects of climate change already: we see it in our own industry’s data, which tells us an inescapable truth.” That was CEO Peter Harmer today at Insurance Australia Group (IAG’s) annual general meeting (AGM). His company used the meeting to launch a ‘climate … Read More