Consumers less satisfied if forced to switch channels during auto insurance inquiry

Consumers who have to switch channels for a single auto insurance inquiry are less satisfied and less likely to renew, the JD Power 2026 U.S. Auto Insurance Study found. 

According to the study findings, nearly half (46%) of consumers used multiple interaction channels in the past 12 months. However, their experience is only meaningfully disrupted when channel switching is required to resolve a single inquiry. 

“The market has clearly shifted from a pricing crisis to an experience challenge,” said Stephen Crewdson, JD Power managing director of insurance business intelligence, in a press release. “Rates are stabilizing, but many customers still say their interactions aren’t seamless—especially when they must switch channels to resolve a single inquiry—even as a seamless cross-channel experience has become the single most impactful driver of satisfaction in the study.” 

Twenty-one percent of consumers reported a forced cross-channel interaction and a corresponding drop in perceived seamlessness, the study found. 

Agents resolved 91% of cross-channel inquiries once engaged; 66% of the inquiries were not resolved once they went to the website. 

The study also found that only 58% of customers say they completely understand their auto policy and what it covers, down 4% from the 2025 study. 

Those who do understand their policy have an overall satisfaction that is 127 points higher than those who do not. They also are more likely to recommend and renew with their insurer. 

The largest impact of policy understanding is seen in satisfaction with price coverage (+141). It is the second-most impactful dimension in the study and the lowest-performing area for insurers. 

Overall customer satisfaction with auto insurers is unchanged year over year at 644 on a 1,000-point scale, the study found. 

Satisfaction with price for coverage improved 3 points as 30% of customers report insurer-initiated premium increases, and more say they received multiple discounts, useful policy information, and avoided payment fees. 

“When customers experience an insurer-initiated premium increase, satisfaction with price for coverage falls by 155 points to 486 compared with those customers whose premiums stayed the same or decreased,” the study says. 

JD Power also found that one-third of auto insurance shoppers now turn to AI tools when comparing coverage, and those who do are significantly more likely to switch insurers. 

A recent J.D. Power U.S. Insurance Shopping Study found that consumers are collecting a historic number of quotes when shopping for auto insurance

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.

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