Insurers Boost Home Ad Spending 84% in 2026
MediaAlpha data shows insurers are advertising in roughly twice as many state markets as they did in 2023.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Insurance
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Insurers advertising on MediaAlpha's marketplace in both 2025 and 2026 increased home insurance ad spending 84% in January-September 2026 over the same period in 2025. Home insurance searches totaled 122 million over those nine months, the highest in the platform's data going back to 2016.
Why it matters
The spending shift tracks state-level changes in insurance markets, including storm recovery, wildfire-related rule changes, and Florida's shrinking state insurer Citizens. For U.S. homeowners, the surge signals where competition for new customers is increasing and where it is declining.
MediaAlpha first-party data shows a 84% rise in insurer home ad spending in January-September 2026 versus 2025, with Texas drawing about 19% of spending. The report does not state whether growth will continue beyond Texas, Georgia, and California.
The players
MediaAlpha
MediaAlpha is an online insurance marketplace that connects consumers with insurers and publishes data on advertising and search trends.
Citizens Property Insurance
Citizens Property Insurance is Florida's state-backed insurer of last resort, whose shrinking policy count has reshaped the state's private insurance market.
The details
Insurers now advertise in about twice as many state markets each month as they did in 2023. Georgia became the platform's second-largest state by insurer ad spending, with average monthly spending per insurer there rising 148% from a year earlier.
Timeline
December 2024: California finalized rules allowing wildfire catastrophe models in rate-setting, and insurer spending rose.
January-September 2026: Insurer home ad spending rose 84% over the same period in 2025.
July 1, 2027: Illinois will begin reviewing insurance rate changes.
Market Landscape
Insurers pulled advertising from Florida after Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024 but returned to Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina within months. Florida's share of insurer spending fell from about half in late 2023 to about 5% in 2026 as state insurer Citizens shrank.
Homeowners in states where insurers are heavily advertising may see more competitive shopping options when renewing policies. Shoppers already holding a policy, which made up 62% of those sharing status, can compare offers before their next renewal.
The takeaway
Homeowners should compare quotes from several insurers, especially when their state's market is changing. Checking renewal offers against new competitors can reveal savings before premiums rise.
What happens next
Illinois will begin reviewing insurance rate changes on July 1, 2027.
Further reading
For more on how carriers are competing for customers, see Insurance coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Manila times.
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