I just came across a green car insurance company in the UK. The Green Insurance Company promises that they will offset your cars carbon emissions by planting trees. I think it's a pretty amazing idea, and I wish more companies would offer something like this. I would personally be happy to pay a little more if I knew my money was going to bettering the planet.
From The Green Insurance Company:
Our offset project
Our initial project is a new forest being planted at St Cyrus near Montrose in Scotland. The site is called Milton of Mathers and can be found just off the A92. The site will cover 4.3 hectares and consists of different species including Oak, Birch and Ash. Our money has enabled the project to go ahead and gives us exclusive rights to use the forest for offsetting CO2 emissions. Although a voluntary project the scheme will be subject to rigid audit to ensure that it delivers on its contractual commitments and that the new forest is being properly managed. We have teamed up with Forest Carbon www.forest-carbon.co.uk to oversee this. The forest will have full access rights and anyone is free to visit it. You may even hug the trees if you so wish.
Here is a list of some of their benefits:
- 100% offset of your car’s emissions
- Up to a further 5% low emission discount if you drive a greener car and/or do lower mileage
- Insure with a company who is environmentally responsible
- 5% of our profits are donated to charity – helping others
I know that some of the car insurance companies in the US are attempting to become more green, but I am not aware of any that offer the benefits this UK company does. Allstate donates $30 to the Arbor Day Foundation with sign ups and offers electronic billing, but you have to sign up for a specific plan, and only customers in Ohio and Colorado are eligible. Neither of those things mean much to me; I can donate $30 on my own, and we currently have electronic billing set up for every bill we get that has that option. Esurance also offers electronic billing and states on their website that they partner with environmental groups. They work with CarbonFund.org to offset the electricity used in their offices, and their claims employees drive hybrids where they are available. This all sounds great, but I am wondering if there are any companies in the US that offer what the company in the UK does, with offsetting its customers emissions. If you know of any, I would love it if you would share with me!
May 30th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
Wow, if I had a car I would want this! The Brits do seem to be ahead of us on lots of green stuff.
June 2nd, 2008 at 8:58 pm
Jen, I want it, too! It's too bad it's only in the UK...
August 24th, 2008 at 11:52 am
I'm still wondering, just how "green" is that. Raising this tree to the stage where it can be planted in the wild, transportation, cultivation, etc -- has anyone coundted the carbon footprint of that?
The real green insurance is the one that either refuses to insure "classical American", oil-hogging, carbon dioxide-spewing cars at all or charges insane rates for that.
August 28th, 2008 at 11:42 pm
Classic, that is a good point about the tree. Don't a lot of oil-hogging cars, such as SUVs, trucks, etc. have high insurance due to rollover risk?
October 13th, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Nice review Stefanie, there are several companies now offering green car insurance in the UK.
Hopefully the US will soon follow suit. I recently blogged about some of the companies offering these policies in the UK to compare what they had to offer.
Here's the post if you'd like to read it: http://the-car-insurance-blog.blogspot.com/2008/09/green-car-insurance-good-idea.html
Personally I think green car insurance could be a really good thing, they just have to make sure the policies are competitvely priced as many households are struggling financially at the moment.
October 20th, 2008 at 3:35 pm
Daniel, thank you for the link to that article! I, too, hope more companies in the US will make more of an effort. Right now it seems they are claiming "green," but not doing a whole lot to prove it.
November 25th, 2008 at 2:46 pm
This should be mandatory for all insurance companies. If the government makes them plant trees for each gas car they insure, there will be two outcomes at least: 1) more forests on our planet and 2) insurance companies will start to invest money in environment friendly technologies to boost progress in zero pollution auto industry (for instance: electric cars), which will eventually allow them to reduce costs on forest planting.
December 3rd, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Wawanesa, that sounds like an awesome idea. There are companies out there that plant a tree for every purchase, why not car insurance companies?
January 8th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
Unfortunately, many of the Green claims are more for publicity than actual planetary benefit. Not to say this company is not actually planting trees. Just that they will probably stop planting those trees once the buzz dies down.
February 17th, 2009 at 10:44 pm
I think this is also a fantastic idea. I was also reading how a company in philadelphia is using carbon in garbage to make oil and coal. The gases used in the process are recycled back in the system as energy. No nasty emissions!
One day we might actually not have to drill in the ground to get our resources. Wouldn't that be nice?
February 26th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Paying a little in this insurance will not hurt. As long as they are doing what they promise. As for us, we should help them out too. Keeping our cars well maintained will reduce the carbon dioxide we releasing. Thats a little step to a better environment.
March 8th, 2009 at 6:22 pm
That makes me think that an automobile company should do that as well. "Buy our car, and we will plant enough trees to off-set its carbon-footprint for life. "
Or perhaps, make it a requirement for those who import or create oil. Greenhouse effect problem solved.
March 12th, 2009 at 3:44 am
Amazing idea. It is really very helpful environment. Thanks for information.
March 12th, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Wow, if I had a car I would want this! The Brits do seem to be ahead of us on lots of green stuff.
April 10th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
1800insurance.com, I completely agree. It can be hard to tell if a company really means what they're saying, or if they are saying it to make money.
Scott, that would be very nice!
Wheelywheel, that is definitely something we should be doing. A small step towards making a difference.
Cheap Car Insurance, I'm not sure how well that would work, but it wouldn't be too difficult on their parts!
April 20th, 2009 at 4:36 pm
This is a very cool idea... Anything like this in the US?
May 12th, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Planting trees to offset carbon emissions is such an amazing idea. I wish someone would also offer this type of green car insurance in the US.
May 13th, 2009 at 3:25 pm
You've research into green car insurance is inspiring. Although lower emissions haven't yet impacted the cost of auto insurance, I believe it could be possible someday to provide drivers with rate reductions for their premiums based on the amount of pollution they emit. Can you imagine what would happen if consumers were actually held responsible for the pollution they emit from their vehicles? Everybody would be driving smart cars and hybrids!
May 28th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
That is a awesome idea. and at the same time paying attention in nature. Great!!! All d companies should apply this. I would.
June 1st, 2009 at 12:18 pm
That is a great marketing idea. In these times with "Green" "Co" etc being big catch phrases.
July 25th, 2009 at 10:32 am
Yeah, it's surprised to see green car insurance company. Stephanie, I think in modern times people are more committed than governments to reduce carbon emissions in some ways and it's nice to see and I like their idea of offsetting our carbon emissions but it would be much more great if there are environmental friendly cars with very less carbon emission and then get your car insured with this company. Wonderful article because I didn't know about this company.
July 30th, 2009 at 3:05 pm
I have seen some attempts of insurance companies in the states trying to go green but this UK companies even gives you benefits? That's simply great.
July 31st, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Fascinating concept. It'd be an interesting thing to try in the States; the benefits are plenty and the downsides few
August 3rd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
Such a wonderful, responsible idea.
August 14th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
I agree this is good idea, for not only insurance companies, but all companies. Giving back to the environment should be a priority for everyone. Last century was the century of destroying the earth. This century should be the century of cleaning it up.
I also think many companies talking about being environmental friendly are doing it for the publicity. Everyone knows companies are in business to make money, and if they have to pretend to be "green" to make money, than that is what they will do.
September 1st, 2009 at 8:48 pm
I've always been interested in green insurance companies. I wonder if they get tax breaks because they are helping out the environment. I think that was the case if you bought a hybrid so many years back. Not sure about now though.