For the past several years, rising auto insurance premiums have pushed millions of Americans to compare rates and switch providers in search of savings. While premium increases have begun to moderate across much of the country, consumers are still shopping for auto insurance at historically high levels.
According to the latest LexisNexis Insurance Demand Meter, nearly half of all U.S. auto insurance policies were shopped at least once during the past year, a remarkable level of activity that continues to reshape the insurance marketplace.
The second quarter of 2026 showed that while shopping activity remains elevated, its growth has begun to slow. Consumers are still actively exploring alternatives for their current insurance, but the reasons driving that behavior appear to be evolving.
Auto insurance shopping remains near record levels
U.S. auto insurance shopping grew 1.4% year over year during the second quarter of 2026, while new policy purchases increased 3.3%. Both figures were lower than the previous quarter, suggesting that growth is cooling, but not disappearing.
What makes this noteworthy is that shopping volumes themselves remain extremely high. Americans continue to compare rates, gather quotes and evaluate their options at levels that surpass most previous years.
| Metric | Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| Quarterly Year-over-Year shopping growth | 1.4% |
| Quarterly Year-over-Year new policy growth | 3.3% |
| Annual shopping rate | 47.2% |
| States with positive shopping growth | 42 |
Source: LexisNexis Insurance Demand Meter U.S. Q3 2026
The annual shopping rate was 47.2%, meaning nearly half of all policies in force were shopped at least once in the past 12 months. While slightly below the previous quarter’s record, it remains one of the highest levels ever recorded.
Insurance premium increases are slowing
One reason shopping growth may be easing is that insurance premium pricing itself is becoming more balanced nationwide.
Among rate changes implemented by U.S. auto insurance carriers during the quarter, 38% were increases, 36% were decreases, and 27% were unchanged. Among the nation’s largest auto insurers, decreases and unchanged rates outnumbered increases.
For consumers, this represents a meaningful shift from the steep price increases that characterized the market over the past several years.
Yet, lower rates have not eliminated the desire to shop.
Consumers are increasingly motivated by convenience, aggressive advertising campaigns, easy online comparison tools and the belief that a better deal may still exist. Shopping has become a regular habit for many households rather than simply a reaction to rising prices.
Digital shopping continues to gain ground
Perhaps the clearest sign of changing consumer behavior is where people are choosing to shop.
Six years ago, U.S. drivers were fairly evenly divided among direct insurers, exclusive agents and independent agents. Today, direct-to-consumer insurance companies account for nearly half of all shopping activity.
The table below shows second-quarter numbers by distribution channel.
| Distribution Channel | Growth Rate |
|---|---|
| Exclusive agents | 6.8% |
| Direct insurers | 4.6% |
| Independent agents | -6.4% |
The exclusive-agent channel experienced the strongest growth, while independent agents continued to decline. At the same time, direct insurers maintained a significant share of shopping activity.
For consumers, the explanation is simple: comparing auto insurance quotes online has never been easier. Digital tools allow policyholders to receive quotes in minutes, compare coverage options and switch providers with less effort than ever before.
The shopping experience increasingly mirrors other online purchases, from booking travel to comparing mortgage rates.
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A regional story: New York and New Jersey lead the nation
While shopping activity remains widespread, some U.S. states are seeing much faster growth than others.
New York posted the highest shopping growth rate in the country at 13%, followed closely by New Jersey at 12.5%. Both states significantly outperformed the U.S. national average.
Meanwhile, California experienced a notable reversal, moving from one of the strongest-performing states earlier in the year to a decline in shopping growth during the second quarter.
Even so, shopping activity remained broadly positive nationwide. Forty-two states recorded year-over-year growth, compared with 37 states in the previous quarter.
The takeaway: While local market conditions differ, consumers across much of the country continue to actively explore auto insurance alternatives.
A surprising trend among older drivers
One of the most unexpected findings involves older Americans.
For the 14th consecutive quarter, drivers aged 66 and older recorded the strongest shopping growth among all age groups. This demographic posted a 4.1% increase in shopping activity, outpacing every younger segment.
| Age Group | Shopping Growth for Q2 2026 |
|---|---|
| 66+ | 4.1% |
| 56-65 | 1.6% |
| 45-55 | 1.1% |
| 36-45 | 0.4% |
| 26-35 | -0.7% |
Quarter-over-quarter comparison. Source: LexisNexis® Insurance Demand Meter U.S. Q3 2026
Historically, older policyholders have tended to remain with their insurers longer than younger consumers. That pattern appears to be changing.
Drivers aged 66 and older represented 14.6% of all U.S. auto insurance shoppers in 2020. By 2026, their share had grown to 16.7%. While that increase may seem modest, it reflects millions of additional shopping decisions among a group once known for loyalty and stability.
Are life changes driving shopping activity?
There may also be another notable insight for the 66-and-older-aged cohort — the connection between an MLS listing and an auto insurance shopping event.
A study by LexisNexis Risk Solutions found that seniors who listed their homes for sale were significantly more likely to shop for auto insurance. Among drivers aged 66 and older, shopping rates were approximately 53% for those with a home listing, compared with roughly 43% for those without one.
The difference translates into an increased risk of the policyholder leaving their insurer, too. Older consumers who listed their homes and shopped for auto insurance had an attrition rate of 23.2%, compared with 19.7% among shoppers without an MLS listing.
The implication is that major life events such as relocating, up- or downsizing or moving closer to family often trigger a broader review of financial products, including insurance.
For insurers, these signals can help identify households that may be considering change. For consumers, they illustrate how major life transitions frequently create opportunities to re-evaluate coverage and pricing, considering what an individual or household needs to be protected.
Is this a new era of auto insurance shopping?
The auto insurance marketplace is entering a new phase, and one thing is clear: Auto insurance shopping is no longer an occasional response to rising insurance rates. It is becoming a more prevalent dynamic in the modern insurance landscape.
For drivers, that’s generally good news. Increased competition can create more opportunities to find better pricing, improved coverage options and carriers that better fit individual needs.
For insurance companies, the challenge is different. Success increasingly depends on understanding customer behavior, delivering competitive pricing and creating seamless shopping experiences for a population that has never been more willing to explore its options.
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