Protesters call on Zurich Insurance to drop deals with Shell and General Dynamics

Environmental and humanitarian protesters are taking action against Zurich Insurance Group Ltd ahead of the Davos summit. They’re demanding it drops contracts with Shell, Chevron, Maersk and General Dynamics.

Insurance campaigners rallied at Zurich offices on 15 January, calling for a boycott, flyering, postering and speaking publicly on the insurers’ ties to major non-renewable energy corporations and arms dealers.

Posters pasted to the sides of office walls read ‘I oppose genocide, so I decided to boycott Zurich’ and ‘It has never been easier to transition away from fossil fuels – boycott Zurich.’ Supporting protesters at Zurich offices in the City of London, Croydon and Manchester also rallied online using #BoycottZurich.

Insurance companies – the enablers

Campaign groups around the world are focusing on Zurich as its contracts are necessary for weapons manufacturers, transporters and energy companies to continue trading. Without insurance, these businesses would come to a grinding halt. Graphic designer Daisy Hill confirmed she is taking action against Zurich to:

Take a stand for Palestine and Mother Nature.

She continued:

Many contracts under Zurich Insurance Group Ltd are shocking, and consumers and businesses don’t know what they’re endorsing when they take out insurance with this company. General Dynamics creates 900kg bombs that are being dropped on civilians in Palestine, contributing to genocide. That’s why we should boycott Zurich until they promise to drop these deals.

The Swiss insurer, with branches in 38 countries and a significant presence in the UK, has come under pressure from various groups before. After pressure from insurance campaign groups, including Insure Our Survival, Zurich agreed to stop signing new deals with companies producing fossil fuels in 2024.

Now, multiple organisations, including Insure Our Survival and Boycott Bloody Insurance, are pressuring the insurer to stop renewing its contracts with Shell, Maersk, General Dynamics, Serco, Chevron and all other companies producing oil, gas, coal and arms.

BreakFree Switzerland just released a report documenting Zurich’s investments. As of November 2025, these included $2.5m in General Dynamics and $68m in fossil fuel expansionist Chevron.

Meanwhile, the new youth-led campaign No New Workers also targeted insurers in London today. It disrupted a recruitment conference and called on students to boycott the insurance sector. It pointed out that continuing extraction of fossil fuels depends on the insurance industry. The campaign aims to contribute to the building pressure on insurers to divest from fossil fuels and weaponry.

Featured image via Insure Our Survival