If you haven’t shopped your car insurance lately, consider what happened to drivers who did.
In a LexisNexis Risk Solutions survey of 3,000 drivers, more than half of those who shopped in the past year found a lower rate. They rarely gave anything up to get it.
Of the drivers who found a cheaper policy, 63% kept the same coverage and 30% ended up with better coverage or a lower deductible.
LexisNexis released the survey in October 2026.
What keeps most drivers in place
Among shoppers who switched, 86% said price was part of the reason. Among those who shopped and stayed, 85% gave a reason tied to their rate, most often that their current policy was still their best option. Only 17% mentioned liking their insurer.
As Jeff Batiste, senior vice president and general manager, auto and home, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, explains in a summary of the findings:
“Consumers are increasingly treating auto insurance as an ongoing value comparison, not a one-time renewal decision. Our research shows that many auto insurance shoppers are open to switching, but price and perceived value ultimately determine whether they stay or leave.”
Staying put, in other words, is usually a pricing decision too. Many of those who stayed had checked and found their current price held up.
Shopping doesn’t always mean leaving, either. Of the drivers who went in determined to switch, 74% did. Among those who were merely open to it, a quarter switched.
It doesn’t take a big rate hike
Rate increases were the most common reason drivers started shopping, named by 49% as their main trigger. Life changes like a move, a new job or a new baby barely registered by comparison.
The increase didn’t have to be dramatic, either. Half of shoppers said a hike of 20% or less was enough to get them looking.
And once drivers switch, they tend to keep watching. Among switchers whose new rate held steady, 89% said they’d shop again if it went up.
A bundle won’t necessarily stop drivers from switching
Bundling has long been seen as a way for insurers to hold on to customers, LexisNexis notes. In the survey, it didn’t do much.
Bundled shoppers switched at nearly the same rate as everyone else, 29% versus 34%. Ninety-one percent of bundled drivers who switched landed a lower rate, and 40% of bundled shoppers went in open to breaking up their bundle.
A bundle discount can still be the better deal. The only way to know is to price your coverage both ways.
Longtime customers are shopping too
Drivers 66 and older have historically been among the most loyal policyholders. LexisNexis looked at those who shopped in the past year after going more than a decade without it.
Nearly three-quarters said rates drove them back into the market. About half said an increase of 20% or less would be enough to do it. Almost 1 in 5 now plan to shop regularly, whatever happens to their rate.
If you’re retired and driving less, your premium may also still be priced for a commute.
Most drivers in the survey compared several offers before deciding, and only 15% stopped at one quote. If you haven’t checked since your last renewal, compare car insurance quotes and see whether your price still holds up.
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