The insurance industry has seen a significant jump in premiums over the past few years, despite some decline in crash rates. The recent report from ATRI, the research arm of the American Trucking Associations, highlights the impact of this trend on the industry.
According to the report, the average annual increase in the commercial auto segment, which is the term for truck insurance, rose an average of 8.3% between 2017 and 2025. This is significantly higher than the U.S. inflation rate during that time, which was 3.9%.
The report also notes that the fourth quarter of 2025 saw a sequential increase in commercial auto premiums of 6.6%, making it one of the highest increases among all lines of business tracked by the Council of Insurance Agents and Brokers.
This trend is likely due to rising crash rates, which have been on the rise since 2009. The report cites research by AM Best, which found that distracted driving is a factor in these increasing crash rates.
However, despite this increase in premiums, insurance companies are not seeing significant profits. The combined ratio for commercial auto insurance has exceeded 100 every year since 2014, meaning insurers have been continuously paying out more in claims than they collect in premiums.
The report also notes that the pandemic boom of the early 2020s led to an influx of inexperienced truck drivers, which is another contributor to rising claims and claim severity.
In fact, fatal crashes have taken a turn for the better over the past few years, with non-fatal crashes with injuries being mostly steady after falling sharply during the pandemic.
The report's findings are likely to have significant implications for the insurance industry, as companies look to adapt to changing market conditions and rising costs.
A webinar on the report's findings will be held on June 2, providing further insight into the impact of these trends on the industry.
The increase in premiums is likely impacted by rising crash rates, which have been on the rise since 2009.
