Distracted Driving, Policy Shopping, Bodily Injury Redefine Auto Insurance Risk, according to 2026 LexisNexis U.S. Auto Insurance Trends Report

The LexisNexis®2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Trends Report reveals significant increases in driving violations, insurance policy shopping and bodily injury claim

ATLANTA, May 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, LexisNexis® Risk Solutions released its 2026 LexisNexis U.S. Auto Insurance Trends Report. Published annually, the report aggregates and analyzes auto insurance market data from prior years, including driving behavior, policy shopping activity, impact of changing rates, vehicle mix dynamics and key claims metrics.

Key findings from this year's Auto Insurance Trends Report include:

• Distracted driving violations are up 57% since 2022, with increases of 70% or more among drivers aged 36-45 and 66 and older.
• Insurance is now a key factor in vehicle purchase decisions for 56% of consumers, reflecting its growing role in the total cost of vehicle ownership.
• Policy shopping reached historic highs in Q4 2025, with more than 47% of policies-in-force shopped at least once in the previous 12 months.
• The mix of vehicles on U.S. roads is becoming more complex, with 15% of vehicles now more than 20 years old, while newer vehicles (model year 2020 or newer) represent 30% of the insured population.
• Bodily injury (BI) claims now account for more than 26% of total claims dollars, up from less than 20% in 2022, as BI frequency and severity continue to rise.

Download the 2026 LexisNexis Auto Insurance Trends Report.

Driving behavior shifts as violations and distracted driving remain elevated
Overall, traffic violations have returned to pre-pandemic levels and remain elevated, with growth now surging in minor violations. At the same time, the number of miles driven has increased by only 2%, indicating changes in driver behavior – not in miles driven – are responsible for the increase in violations in addition to a change in traffic enforcement patterns.

Surprisingly, it's not just younger drivers aged 16 to 25 who are driving distracted. Distracted driving violations are up by 57% across all age groups compared to 2022 (see Chart: Distracted Driving- by Age). Over the same time period, distracted driving violations increased by 70% or more among age groups 36 to 45, while those 66 and older increased to 73%.

Consumers consider the total cost of ownership when shopping for insurance and vehicles
In response to four years of sustained rate increases, many policyholders adjusted their coverage to manage insurance premiums. For example, the share of policies with deductibles of $1,000 or greater increased from 23% in 2022 to 33% in 2025. Price sensitivity is carrying over to vehicle purchasing decisions, where insurance costs are capturing a larger portion of the total cost of ownership. A LexisNexis Risk Solutions survey of 3,000 auto insurance customers revealed that insurance cost (56%) is second only to the importance of monthly payment (63%) in vehicle purchase decisions.
(see Chart: Auto insurance cost is a key consideration in the purchase of a new vehicle).

"Auto insurers continue to navigate a market that is becoming more complex across nearly every dimension," said Jeff Batiste, senior vice president and general manager, U.S. auto and home insurance, LexisNexis Risk Solutions. "Driving behavior continues to evolve, consumers are more price sensitive and increasingly willing to shop policies, and claims outcomes are being reshaped by bodily injury severity trends. Insurers must remain agile as market conditions evolve. They should apply more precise segmentation and pricing using richer data, such as comprehensive violations data, holistic insurance scores as well as industry benchmarking and shopping data, to be better positioned to manage risk and identify growth opportunities."

Vehicle mix complexity continues to introduce new challenges for risk assessment
The broader range of older and newer vehicles on the road can result in more complex and less predictable risk profiles. Newer vehicles are more likely to have advanced safety technologies, such as automatic emergency braking, contributing to more favorable insurance claim frequency trends. However, when claims do occur, these same features can increase repair complexity and material costs.

Bodily injury costs and severity trends continue to reshape insurance claims outcomes
Claims outcomes are increasingly influenced by rising bodily injury (BI) costs and evolving material damage trends. While collision frequency has declined, BI loss costs continue to rise, driven by increases in both BI frequency and severity. BI claims accounted for a larger share of total claims dollars, rising from 20% in 2022 to more than 26% in 2025. At the same time, the balance between BI and property damage claims shifted from 24 per 100 in 2022 to 29 in 2025, reflecting rising BI frequency. With BI becoming an increasingly larger portion of the loss, claims outcomes are becoming more complex and variable.

Visit the 2026 LexisNexis Auto Insurance Trends Report for more insights on driving behavior, consumer insurance policy shopping activity, vehicle ownership trends and insurance claims outcomes. These trends can help insurers as they seek to improve segmentation, enhance underwriting precision and navigate a more complex, rapidly evolving market landscape. For more information about LexisNexis Risk Solutions auto insurance solutions, click here.

About LexisNexis^® Risk Solutions
LexisNexis^® Risk Solutions provides customers with information-based analytics and decision tools that combine public and industry-specific content with advanced technology and algorithms to assist them in evaluating and predicting risk and enhancing operational efficiency. Headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia, the company has offices throughout the world, serves customers in more than 190 countries and territories and is part of RELX. For more information, please visit LexisNexis Risk Solutions. 

Media Contacts:
Annalysce Baker
LexisNexis Risk Solutions
Phone: +1 678.436.1579
[email protected]

SOURCE LexisNexis Risk Solutions