What the 2026 LexisNexis Auto Insurance Report Means for Your Premium
LexisNexis data feeds pricing algorithms for over 80% of U.S. auto insurers. The company's 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Trends Report, released May 19, contains several findings that directly affect what drivers pay — from distracted driving surges to policy shopping records to rising bodily injury costs. Here is what the data shows and what you should do about it.
Distracted Driving Is the Dominant Trend
Distracted driving violations are up 57% since 2022 across all age groups, according to the report. The steepest growth is among drivers aged 36 to 45 at 70% and drivers 66 and older at 73%. Overall traffic violations have returned to pre-pandemic levels and remain elevated, even though miles driven have increased by only about 2% since 2022. This means changes in driving behavior and enforcement — not more driving — are driving the increase.
Modern vehicle touchscreens are a contributing factor. Adjusting screen controls requires 5.5 seconds of attention, more than three times the time required for analog interfaces, according to the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute. As more vehicles replace physical buttons with touchscreen controls, the distraction problem is likely to worsen.
For insurers, more violations mean more granular risk data. Carriers can now price for distracted driving risk at the individual level, particularly through telematics programs that detect phone motion and screen interaction during trips.
Bodily Injury Costs Are Reshaping Claims
Bodily injury claims now account for more than 26% of total claims dollars, up from less than 20% in 2022. Both BI frequency and severity are rising. The report identifies this as one of the most significant structural shifts in the auto insurance market.
Higher BI severity means larger payouts per claim, which flows into higher premiums for all policyholders. Unlike property damage, where repair costs can be controlled through parts and labor pricing, BI costs are driven by medical inflation, litigation trends, and nuclear verdicts — factors that are harder for insurers to manage.
Policy Shopping Has Reached Historic Levels
Nearly half of in-force policies — 47% — were shopped at least once in the past year, a record high. From 2022 to 2025, total shopping volume grew 35.7%, and the behavior has expanded into historically stable consumer segments. Retention dropped 4.7 points from Q1 2022 to Q4 2025.
Consumers are also adjusting coverage to manage costs. The share of policies with deductibles of $1,000 or higher climbed from 23% in 2022 to 33% in 2025. More drivers are taking on higher risk retention to keep premiums affordable.
For you, this means insurers are competing harder for customers who shop. The gap between the most expensive and cheapest quote for the same driver profile can exceed $800 per year. Shopping your policy at every renewal is the single most effective way to avoid overpaying.
Telematics Integration Is Accelerating
21% of U.S. auto policies now have a telematics component, up from 14% in 2024. LexisNexis has launched a telematics data exchange that allows carriers to share driving data across programs. This means data collected by one insurer's telematics program may be accessible to other carriers when you shop for a new policy.
If you have used a usage-based insurance program like Progressive Snapshot or State Farm Drive Safe and Save, your driving data may persist in LexisNexis databases after you leave that carrier. Ask prospective insurers whether telematics data from your prior programs affects your quote.
ATTract Score Model Updates
The LexisNexis Attract credit-based insurance score, used by carriers for over two decades, has been updated. Recent payment history now carries increased weighting, while long-term credit utilization has reduced weighting. This means drivers who have improved their payment behavior in the past 12 months will see faster improvement in their insurance scores than under the previous model.
The Attract 5.0 update also results in fewer no-score returns, meaning more consumers can be scored even with thinner credit files.
Vehicle History Data Has Expanded
Odometer verification and salvage title tracking give insurers more data points. Accurate self-reported mileage works in your favor — if you drive less than your policy assumes, you may be overpaying. Hidden salvage titles, where a vehicle was declared a total loss and rebuilt without proper disclosure, are increasingly detected through LexisNexis data. If you unknowingly buy a rebuilt salvage vehicle, your insurer may deny coverage or charge a substantially higher rate.
Insurance Costs Influence Vehicle Purchases
56% of consumers now say insurance is a key factor in vehicle purchase decisions, up significantly from prior years. As average full-coverage premiums remain above $2,500 per year, the cost of insuring a specific model is becoming a meaningful input in the car-buying decision. High-theft vehicles, EVs with expensive battery packs, and vehicles with poor safety ratings carry insurance costs that can add hundreds per month to ownership.
What You Should Do
Request your LexisNexis consumer disclosure report annually. Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to one free report every 12 months. The report contains your CLUE claims history up to seven years, your ATTract insurance score, vehicle history data, and any telematics data LexisNexis holds.
Check for errors. A claim attributed to the wrong person, an incorrect loss amount, or a telematics data point from a previous owner can all inflate your premiums. Disputes must be investigated within 30 days, and corrections are sent to all carriers that received the incorrect data.
If you have used a telematics program, ask your prospective insurer whether that data follows you. If your credit has improved, re-quote — the ATTract model now reflects recent payment improvements faster. A 15-minute annual check of your LexisNexis data can save hundreds of dollars per year.