J.D. Power finds consumers are collecting a historic number of quotes when shopping for auto insurance in its newest U.S. Insurance Shopping Study. 

The 20-year-study finds that consumers collected an average of three-and-a-half quotes before making a decision when shopping for insurance. 

Digital channels, such as insurer mobile apps, are making the quote process easier for consumers, according to the study.

“Many customers are downloading apps from competing carriers just to shop rates, and nearly half (48%) of new auto policies are now purchased digitally (up from 36% just five years ago), making digital channels the new front door for insurers to bring new customers into the fold,” a press release on the study says. 

As auto insurance increases are cooling, customers are no longer panicking, with the share of customers shopping for auto insurance declining from 57% to 53% year over year. 

Yet, shopping remains at historic levels. 

“We’re moving from a crisis-driven market to a digital‑ and AI‑driven market,” said Stephen Crewdson, J.D. Power insurance intelligence managing director, in the release. “Even as rate pressure eases, customers are getting more quotes than ever because mobile apps and AI tools make it so much easier to compare options and understand coverage.”

He adds that shoppers who use AI are more likely to switch insurers and feel more confident in their choice. He points to this as a sign that AI is likely explaining coverage options and trade-offs more clearly than traditional methods. 

“The battleground now is how clearly and confidently insurers can show up in those digital spaces and AI‑driven interactions,” Crewdson said.

Most consumers are focused on auto insurance, the study found. It also found consumers move on if the auto insurance rate isn’t competitive, meaning they don’t learn about other products a provider offers, such as home or life insurance.

About 20% of consumers are using a usage-based insurance (UBI) policy, according to the study. However, 30% of recent shoppers and 34% of those buying from a new insurer are enrolled in UBI. 

“Overall, 44% of customers who recently shopped say UBI is important in their shopping process, underscoring its move into the mainstream,” the release states. “At the same time, just over one-third (36%) of recent shoppers say they are interested in buying embedded insurance that is sold directly through the automobile dealer or manufacturer, especially among younger generations.”

The study also found some states are shopping more often than others, including Oklahoma, Mississippi and Texas. Other states, like New Hampshire and Vermont, are slowing down faster on shopping.

Consumers ranked Erie Insurance as having the most satisfying insurance experience, followed by Nationwide and Allstate. 

The study is based on responses from 12,437 insurance consumers who requested an auto insurance price quote from at least one competitive insurer in the previous six months. The study was fielded from January 2025 through January 2026.

A recent Lexis Nexus report that explores Q1 of 2026 found U.S. auto insurance shopping and new business growth shifted from “hot” to “warm” in Q1 2026.

Year-over-year (YOY) shopping growth decreased to 3.2%, turning negative in March, down from an increase of 6.9% in Q4 2025.

New policy growth dropped to 3.6%, and shopping remained significantly elevated relative to historic levels. This was down from a 7.1% increase in Q4 2025, which sat closer to levels seen in mid-2025, LexisNexis found.

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Photo courtesy of glegorly/iStock

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