Car insurance is creeping up again across most states

Auto premiums fell for much of 2025. That break is over. Fox Business reported on an Insurify analysis showing rates rose about 1% in the first half of 2026, with increases projected in 32 states by year end. The drivers behind it are the same ones carriers have been flagging for two years: repair bills climbing faster than general inflation, and weather claims that keep arriving.

Florida and Texas already sit near the top of the national premium tables, so a small national bump lands on a big local number. Two habits protect you. First, read your renewal declaration page instead of letting it auto-pay, because the increase shows up there before it shows up in your bank account. Second, check the discounts you may have stopped qualifying for or never claimed at all: paid-in-full, multi-policy, low annual mileage, a teen driver who has since moved out, safety features on a newer vehicle. Raising a comprehensive deductible is another lever, as long as you can cover it after a hailstorm.

If your renewal came in higher than last year, an independent agent can re-shop the same coverage across several carriers and tell you whether the increase is the market or just your carrier.