A lot of you know much of this information but many of you might not. Nationally, the average premium rate is going up about 3%. That’s without traffic violations on a record.  

So knowing what a ticket costs in insurance terms is kind of important. 

An analysis by S&P Global Market Intelligence has Progressive overtaking State Farm as the nation’s largest private passenger auto insurer. Progressive’s direct written premiums for the 12 months ending March 31, 2026 hit $70.2 billion. 

That’s approximately $1.5 billion more than State Farm’s figure of $68.7 billion. The company has been the top auto insurer since 1942. That means this is the first time since World War II that State Farm isn’t the biggest auto insurer of them all. 

OPTIS Partners tracks mergers and acquisitions. The company notes the numbers dropped 8% in the first half of 2025 when compared to the first half of 2024. There were 319 of them compared to 2024’s figure of 345. 

The second quarter saw the most activity with 168 deals. That’s up 11% over 2024’s second quarter. 

AI chatbots are quickly becoming part of the modern insurance agency. From answering routine customer questions to assisting with internal workflows, these tools offer a practical way to help improve responsiveness and streamline operations. Used thoughtfully, they can enhance the client experience and allow agency personnel to focus on more complex, value-driven work.

At the same time, agencies should approach this technology with caution. Insurance remains a highly regulated industry, and the duties of a licensed agent do not change simply because a task is performed by a chatbot instead of a person. A key point worth emphasizing is that a chatbot’s capability does not define its appropriateness. Just because a chatbot can perform a function does not mean it should – particularly when that function involves professional judgment.

The insurer Travelers says ransomware attacks in the first quarter of 2026 were very close to an all-time record for a quarter. There were 2,405 reported ransomware attacks just 2% off of the record that was set in the fourth quarter of 2025. It was up 7% over the fourth quarter of 2024. 

Sadly — and very frightening — Travelers notes ransomware claims grew by 80% between 2022 and now. 

Nationwide released a survey a few weeks ago that perfectly fits the now, annual, vacation season in the United States. It’s not a pretty picture. 

Mark McGhiey is the Commercial Risk Management Leader at Nationwide. He said some important conclusions were reached in the survey. 

When market conditions tighten, marketing should become more disciplined—not disappear. Insurance professionals are navigating higher client expectations, heavier rate pressure, and increased competition for attention. Pulling back entirely can weaken visibility at the very time clients need guidance and reassurance. 

A better approach is to focus on efficient, high-impact activity. In a slower economy, the goal is to protect your brand, strengthen relationships, and concentrate on marketing efforts that support retention, referrals, and profitable growth. The following ideas are practical ways to stay visible without overspending.

Late spring and summer are packed with milestone moments—graduations, weddings, moves, and new beginnings. For insurance professionals, these events create natural opportunities to start timely, helpful conversations with clients. A quick social post, a short newsletter feature, a personalized email, or a phone call can go a long way in helping clients understand how major life changes may affect their insurance coverage and protection needs. 

Here are a few timely examples to discuss with clients:

A couple of weeks ago the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the Sunshine Protection Act by a 48-1 vote. If it passes the House, and if it manages to work its way through the Senate, President Trump will likely sign it into law. 

And there’s a good chance all of that will happen. Both the House and Senate have made this a bipartisan effort. The House has 32 cosponsors and in the Senate there are 18. 

A survey of risk managers at companies with at least $500 million in annual revenue, found 80% of them experiencing employee theft, fraud and embezzlement. The report notes threats driven by AI is melding with traditional schemes. 

Billing fraud tops the list for 36% of the respondents. Check fraud impacted 23% of the firms and 19% cited payroll fraud as the top issue. Cash and non-cash theft sat at 23%. 

Spring is the season for prep. Gardeners plan, gather supplies, and put in the work now to enjoy results later. 

They review what worked, choose what to plant, start seedlings, and take inventory. Then it’s time to till, fill, and plant. 

At the start of Wildfire Awareness Month (isn’t that something we should be aware of every month?) PG&E has introduced new technology into its wildfire prevention efforts. The company says its new Continuous Monitoring Center will assist in finding problems on the power grid. 

PG&E vice president of wildfire mitigation, Andrew Abranches notes the new Continuous Monitoring Center will look for sparks, outages and ignition and other problems on the power grid before they become a dangerous wildfire.