IAG-backed NRMA Insurance (NRMA) has launched a new environmentally friendly program that allows motor insurance customers to offset the carbon emissions their cars produce every year.
Called “Carbon Offset Program,” this industry-first program enables customers to enter their car make, model, and how far they drive each year into the program’s website to receive an estimate on the amount of carbon produced by their car and the cost to offset it every year. Customers may then pay the carbon offset as a one-off payment, with the full amount going to carbon offset projects, including bush regeneration in Australia, renewable energy investment, and rainforest protection.
“We are proud to launch this program to help our customers reduce their own carbon footprint – with all funds going to important projects that will help to capture carbon in the atmosphere. It forms part of our commitment as a business to work towards net zero emissions by 2050,” said NRMA group executive Julie Batch.
With the help of its parent company IAG, NRMA is already taking steps to reduce its carbon emissions and launch environmentally friendly initiatives. Most recently, it introduced the South Australian State Emergency Service (SASES) as its first principal partner to amplify the state’s preparedness programs for extreme weather events.
Commenting on the new program and the insurer’s environmentally friendly solutions, Batch said: “As an insurer, we see the impacts of climate change playing out through more frequent and severe weather events that have a devastating impact on our customers and the community.
“We see these impacts firsthand when we are on the ground helping our customers recover and rebuild after these events. That’s why NRMA Insurance is focused on helping to reduce the impacts of climate change and severe weather on our customers.”
The Carbon Offset Program is backed by Tasman Environmental Markets, which will distribute the collected funds to the carbon offset projects. It is currently available only to passenger vehicle customers, but NRMA aims to extend it to other vehicles in the future.
