Older policyholders and direct-channel shoppers generated the strongest lift in US auto insurance shopping in Q3 2025, with consumers aged 66 and older posting more than 10% year-over-year growth and direct distribution reporting a 14.1% increase, according to the latest US Insurance Demand Meter from LexisNexis Risk Solutions.
The firm reported a 6.4% year-over-year rise in shopping overall for the quarter, compared with 9.4% in Q2. New policy activity increased 2.8% from a year earlier after recording 3.6% in the previous quarter. Agency results varied: exclusive agencies recorded -0.8% growth and independent agencies reached 2.8%. The annual shop rate held at 46.5%, the same level seen in Q2.
The uptick among older policyholders aligns with broader national trends. CBS News reported record interest in auto insurance shopping in 2025, driven by premium increases that pushed many longtime customers to seek lower prices.
J.D. Power’s 2025 US Insurance Shopping Study found that 57% of US auto insurance customers shopped in 2024, the highest level in the 19-year history of the study. The firm linked the rise to rate activity that accelerated in 2024, along with increased consumer sensitivity to pricing.
Bundled, high-value customers have also become more active shoppers. J.D. Power reported in May 2025 that these historically stable customers - who typically keep policies longer - are now switching more frequently after absorbing earlier rounds of premium increases. One-third of shoppers in the study sought auto and home bundles.
Geographic results in the LexisNexis report show 15 states and the District of Columbia registering higher quarter-over-quarter shopping growth, compared with Q2 when only Wyoming posted an increase. New Jersey recorded a 16% rise, followed by California at 11% and Texas at 10%.
Rate filings in Q3 showed a mix of outcomes: about one third of submissions were decreases averaging -4.2%, 35% were increases averaging +5.1%, and 31% were rate-neutral. J.D. Power noted separately that consumer interest in alternatives such as embedded insurance has risen, with 37% of auto insurance customers expressing interest in policies sold through auto dealers or manufacturers.
Jeff Batiste, senior vice president and general manager for US auto and home insurance at LexisNexis Risk Solutions, said the quarter shows that long-tenured customers continue to shop actively and that direct distribution remains a strong channel for insurers seeking to maintain engagement with policyholders.
