Insurance Shopping Bucked Traditional Year-End Slump, Remaining Elevated in Q4 2025
Rhea-AI Summary
TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) reports that consumers now shop for insurance year-round, with elevated shopping in Q4 2025 contrary to historical seasonal declines. Auto insurance shopping rose 11% YoY and property insurance rose 5% YoY. The report highlights low shopping intensity for most consumers and demographic, geographic, and distribution drivers.
TransUnion notes agents, generation, and rural zip-code effects on shopping behavior and recommends proactive retention measures and branded call solutions to improve answer rates and loyalty.
Positive
- Auto insurance shopping +11% YoY in Q4 2025
- Property insurance shopping +5% YoY in Q4 2025
- Majority (77%) shop 1–2 insurers, implying easier retention opportunities
- Branded Call Display solution may improve answer rates and retention
Negative
- Low shopping intensity: less than 25% contact three or more insurers
- Generational gap: Boomers/Silent score seven points lower in shopping intensity
- Rural consumers: lowest 20% populated zip codes score four points lower in intensity
Key Figures
Market Reality Check
Peers on Argus
TRU is up 2% while peers are mixed: CBOE (+2.14%), NDAQ (+1.93%), MSCI (+0.43%), but FDS (-1%) and MORN (-1.66%). Momentum scanner flags SPGI down 10.40% without news. This pattern suggests a stock-specific move rather than a broad sector shift.
Historical Context
| Date | Event | Sentiment | Move | Catalyst |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 03 | Consumer intent report | Positive | -12.5% | Vehicle purchase-intent data indicating strong consumer plans and rising used-car supply. |
| Feb 02 | Acquisition announcement | Positive | -2.3% | Deal to buy RealNetworks’ mobile division to enhance voice and messaging solutions. |
| Jan 28 | Industry award | Positive | -1.1% | Gold award recognition for branded call solution and documented client answer-rate lifts. |
| Jan 15 | Gig risk report | Negative | -0.3% | Report highlighting fraud and identity risks from rented or sold gig accounts. |
| Jan 14 | AI partnership | Positive | +1.8% | AI marketing partnership delivering improved model fit and reduced false positives. |
Recent history shows several positive or strategic announcements followed by flat-to-negative price reactions, with only select partnership/news items seeing supportive moves.
Over the last month, TransUnion issued multiple data- and solution-focused updates. On Jan. 14, an AI marketing partnership with Actable coincided with a 1.83% gain, but subsequent news and reports on gig worker risks, awards, an acquisition, and auto purchase intent often saw mild to sharp declines, including a 12.47% drop on Feb. 3. Today’s insurance-shopping report continues the data insights theme, now alongside modest pre-news strength and mixed prior reactions.
Market Pulse Summary
This announcement highlights persistently elevated insurance shopping, with auto activity up 11% and property up 5% year-over-year in Q4 2025. It underscores TransUnion’s role in analytics, shopping-intensity insights, and trusted call solutions such as branded displays. In context of recent data-focused reports and product wins, investors may watch how demand for telematics-enabled discounts, cyber protection, and call authentication evolves across insurers and consumer segments.
Key Terms
telematics technical
AI-generated analysis. Not financial advice.
TransUnion’s latest quarterly report finds regular insurance shopping the new normal
CHICAGO, Feb. 10, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Insurance shopping is now a routine activity for consumers rather than a rare event prompted by a car or home purchase. TransUnion (NYSE: TRU) analysts drew this conclusion after tracking three years of steadily increasing insurance shopping rates in the quarterly Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report.
Most recently, 2025 fourth quarter data showed that elevated shopping levels continued throughout a season in which shopping rates typically decline. Auto insurance shopping was up
“At this point we can safely say that regular insurance shopping is just the new normal,” said Patrick Foy, senior director of strategic planning for TransUnion’s insurance business. “Part of the reason we think this will continue for the foreseeable future is that it’s driven by how people shop as well as why.”
The report noted that economic pressures are driving consumers to find ways to reduce household expenses. At the same time, insurers are investing heavily in marketing and setting competitive rates. Additionally, online shopping tools and experiences make it very easy for consumers to quickly find out if they can lower their insurance rate.
Why shopping intensity matters
The report included a shopping intensity index to measure how many different insurers a consumer considers when shopping. While consumers shopped more frequently, most exhibited low shopping intensity. Less than one quarter shopped with three or more insurers—either to be sure they were getting the lowest rate possible or to find niche coverage offerings.
The remaining
- Baby Boomers and Silent Generation consumers scored seven points lower in shopping intensity compared to Gen Z, likely due to brand loyalty and inertia;
- Consumers living in the
20% least populated zip codes exhibited shopping intensity that was four points lower than average, likely explained by limited local options; - Shoppers who began shopping with an agent had four points lower shopping intensity than those who started in direct channels, highlighting the impact of relationship-driven sales models.
Whether it’s due to brand loyalty, personal relationships or just limited options, each of these consumer groups represents higher lifetime value potential for their respective insurers. Enhancing their customer experience through proactive communication strategies can drive improvements in both acquisition and retention, according to the report.
“Getting in front of existing customers before they start shopping can create a significant opportunity for retention,” said Foy. “This is a chance for insurers to understand what their customers want and present them with options for potential discounts through telematics, and additional coverage options, like cyber protection.”
The report noted that insurers can use solutions like TransUnion’s Branded Call Display to show the brand name and logo and reason for the call. Doing so helps consumers trust that the call is legitimate and can entice them to answer.
Read the full Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report here.
Click here to learn more about TransUnion’s Trusted Call Solutions that can increase answer rates and improve the customer experience.
About TransUnion’s Insurance Personal Lines Trends and Perspectives Report
This quarterly publication examines trends in the personal lines insurance industry, including shopping, migration, violation, credit-based insurance stability and more. The Trends and Perspectives Report research is based almost entirely on TransUnion’s extensive internal data and analyses. It includes information on insurance shopping transactions from June 2024 to December 2025. However, the report excludes shopping data from insurance customers in California, Hawaii (auto), Massachusetts (auto), and Maryland (property), where credit-based insurance scoring information is not used for insurance rating or underwriting.
About TransUnion (NYSE: TRU)
TransUnion is a global information and insights company with over 13,000 associates operating in more than 30 countries. We make trust possible by ensuring each person is reliably represented in the marketplace. We do this with a Tru™ picture of each person: an actionable view of consumers, stewarded with care. Through our acquisitions and technology investments we have developed innovative solutions that extend beyond our strong foundation in core credit into areas such as marketing, fraud, risk and advanced analytics. As a result, consumers and businesses can transact with confidence and achieve great things. We call this Information for Good® — and it leads to economic opportunity, great experiences and personal empowerment for millions of people around the world. http://www.transunion.com/business
| Contact | Dave Blumberg TransUnion |
| david.blumberg@transunion.com | |
| Telephone | 312-972-6646 |
FAQ
What did TransUnion report about insurance shopping trends in Q4 2025 for TRU?
How does shopping intensity vary by generation according to TransUnion (TRU)?
What does TransUnion say about agent versus direct-channel shopping intensity for TRU?
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