Introducing a Blue & Green friend: ETA Insurance

Each day we’re introducing one, two or three of our new affiliate friends. If you click through the link in this article, the link is tracked and may generate a small payment to us. Sometimes the payment is per click, per user, per application, per accepted application or any combination of the above. That payment funds us so we can grow and encourage even more readers to live, spend and invest sustainably. Today it’s the turn of ETA Insurance.

The ETA are ethical providers of cycle insurance, breakdown cover, travel insurance and carbon offsetting. For every policy they sell, they make a donation to their charity, the ETA Trust, which campaigns for a safer and more sustainable transport future. The ETA is a carbon-neutral provider of vehicle breakdown, bicycle and travel insurance for the environmentally concerned consumer.

The Environmental Transport Association was established in 1990 as an ethical provider of green, reliable travel services. Twenty five years on, they continue to put concern for their environment at the heart of all they do.

In 1994 they founded a charity, the ETA trust, to campaign for a more sustainable, safe, and healthy transport future. For every cycle insurance policy, vehicle breakdown policy and travel insurance policy they sell, they make a donation to the ETA trust.

They became a carbon-neutral company in 2002, and continually seek further ways to reduce their ecological impact. They also assist their customers to offset the carbon emissions from their own lifestyles, and in doing so, fund vital projects to reduce environmental impacts around the world.

Cycle Insurance

As an organisation, they know cycling can have a hugely positive effect on public health, road safety and the environment. They do all they can to support its uptake by providing fully comprehensive insurance policies that replicate the level of cover that motorists have come to expect when they buy ‘fully comp’ car insurance.

Over the last 15 years, their own team of cyclists has developed a cycle insurance policy to cater to novice and veteran cyclists alike. It’s why they were the first organisation in Britain to develop a nationwide breakdown service for bikes and why it’s included as standard in every cycle insurance policy they sell. Likewise, they think it’s desirable for cyclists to be covered by third party insurance, so every policy comes with £1m of protection at no additional cost.  For more of what they offer cyclists, see here.

They don’t just sell cycle insurance; they celebrate life on two wheels. As part of their campaigning for better conditions for cyclists in Britain, they build custom bikes that make a point and generate national debate. If you haven’t already seen the BOND bike or The Hornster, check out the links.

Breakdown Cover

With over 5,000 recovery trucks at their disposal, and an average response time of only 39 minutes, their breakdown service is efficient, reliable and competitively priced.

Where they differ from the household name providers is that they’ve made a conscious decision not to have a large and fuel-thirsty fleet of their own. Instead, they handpick the best local garages and mechanics around Britain and the rest of Europe and send them to your assistance wherever you break down. They believe it’s more efficient, environmentally friendly and helps supports local communities and economies, too.

Furthermore, they offset the carbon emissions of the recovery trucks when they go out to assist you, reducing the impact your breakdown has on their environment. Learn more about their protection for motorists here.

Travel Insurance

Their travel insurance is rated by Which? as better overall than cover from American Express, Barclays and Tesco. But there are other things that set them apart.

The way we travel is a significant factor in how much carbon we are responsible for as individuals; it’s why so much of the work of their charity, the ETA trust, revolves around sustainable transport. Every time you choose their travel insurance you have the opportunity to offset the carbon emissions associated with your trip. They invest only in Gold Standard carbon offset schemes at home and abroad and choose only projects that would not have been possible without support.

Carbon Offsets

They work with climate and development experts ClimateCare to invest in Gold Standard projects that rely on this finance to cut carbon and improve people’s lives.

Projects they support include the award-winning LifeStraw Carbon for Water project which provides safe water to more than 4 million people in Kenya, and the largest cook stove project in Ghana, Gyapa Stoves.