Key stat: 24.9% of US internet users searched for auto insurance information online, nearly double the 14.3% who looked up a new vehicle, according to an August report from Comscore.

Beyond the chart:

• Price pressure explains the volume. Auto insurance switching climbed to 4.5% in Q2 2026 and the median annual premium among customers who changed insurers topped $3,200, according to JD Power and TransUnion, with affordability now deciding which policyholders move and which stay put.
• Meanwhile, insurers are chasing that demand into new front doors. Liberty Mutual built an auto-quoting app inside ChatGPT, turning the chatbot into a live distribution channel rather than a referral source.

Use this chart: Drop this in your auto media plan when budget skews toward vehicle launches. The biggest auto search audience is shopping for coverage, not cars. Use it to argue for insurance and ownership-cost content, and show it to anyone still treating quotes as a bottom-funnel play.

Related EMARKETER reports:

• Telematics Insurance 2026 (EMARKETER subscription required)
• AI Visibility Index: Financial Services Q2 2026 Insights (EMARKETER subscription required)