Total Loss Auto Claims Weigh on Insurance Customer Satisfaction

Business Wire

Amica Ranks Highest in Customer Satisfaction in JD Power Auto Claims Study

Customer satisfaction is improving for repairable claims as repair shop backlogs ease and cycle times improve
26% of auto insurance claims are total losses, creating a drag on customer satisfaction
Among total loss claimants with loans on their vehicles, 25% receive payouts that are less than they currently owe

TROY, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
How satisfied are auto insurance customers in that moment of truth when they need to file a claim? According to the JD Power 2026 U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study,^SM released today, that depends on whether the damage is repairable or not. This year, overall customer satisfaction with the auto insurance claims process improves 4 points (on a 1,000-point scale) when damages are repairable but declines 12 points when vehicles are deemed a total loss, marking a third consecutive year of declining satisfaction for total loss claims. Overall, 26% of auto insurance claims were classified as total losses in 2026, up from just 16% four years ago as vehicle repairs become more costly, more customers keep their vehicles on the road longer and higher deductibles remove smaller repairs from the claim process.

“A complex mix of trends are conspiring to make this an incredibly challenging market environment for managing auto insurance claims customer satisfaction,” said Mark Garrett, director of global insurance intelligence at JD Power. “On the positive side, rates are coming down and repair cycle times have improved dramatically, so customers who can have their vehicles fixed are showing high levels of satisfaction with the claims experience. However, persistent affordability challenges have many customers keeping vehicles longer or making changes to their policy, such as dropping rental coverage or taking on higher insurance deductibles. Additionally, many customers are upside down on their auto loans, which means the payoff in a total loss scenario can be less than they owe on their vehicles. All of these can make for a poor customer experience in the event of a total loss.”

Following are some key findings of the 2026 study:

Overall satisfaction split based on vehicle repairability: The overall auto claims customer satisfaction score is 700, which is unchanged from last year. Satisfaction scores diverge sharply, however, depending on whether the vehicle is able to be repaired. Overall satisfaction improves 4 points year over year when vehicles are repaired and declines 12 points year over year when vehicles are deemed a total loss. Satisfaction with total losses has continued to trend down for a third consecutive year, declining 46 points since 2023.
Effects of total losses exacerbated by macroeconomic trends: More than one-fourth (26%) of auto insurance claims resulted in a total loss in 2026, up from just 16% four years ago. Total loss customer satisfaction scores are lowest (490) when the amount paid by the insurer does not cover the amount the customer still owes on their vehicle loan. Among total loss customers with loans on their vehicles, 25% received payouts that were less than what they owed on their vehicle.
Repair cycle times improve significantly: When vehicles can be repaired, the likelihood of getting them repaired quickly is getting much easier. Claim volumes are down sharply, so shops have more capacity for repair work, resulting in average repair cycle times of just 15.3 days through the first quarter of 2026, a reduction of 10 days from the first quarter of 2024.
Room to improve on cross-channel communications: Overall customer satisfaction scores are highest (804) when customers completely agree that their insurer provided a seamless experience across channels. Satisfaction scores are lowest (390) when customers disagree with that statement, which often results from not understanding explanations, using multiple channels to ask questions or digital tools not working as expected. Currently, insurers are delivering a seamless cross-channel experience just 54% of the time, one of the lowest-performing key performance indicators in the study.

Study Ranking

Amica ranks highest in overall customer satisfaction with a score of 775. Nationwide (743) ranks second and Automobile Club of Southern CA (AAA) (740) ranks third.

To view the complete rankings, visit: http://www.jdpower.com/pr-id/2026111.

The U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study examines the auto claims experiences of customers from the largest insurance providers throughout the United States across eight dimensions (in order of importance): trust; fairness of settlement; people; time to settle claim; communication; ease of resolving claim; ease of starting claim; and digital channels. The 2026 study is based on responses from 8,261 auto insurance customers who settled a claim within the past nine months prior to participating in the survey. It was fielded from September 2025 through August 2026. The study excludes claimants whose vehicle incurred only glass/windshield damage or was stolen, or who only filed a roadside assistance claim.

For more information about the U.S. Auto Claims Satisfaction Study, visit https://www.jdpower.com/business/u-s-auto-claims-satisfaction-study-acs/.

About JD Power

JD Power delivers mission-critical data, analytics and intelligence that help businesses improve customer experience and operational performance with confidence and clarity. Using proprietary, comprehensive data–including millions of consumer interactions and authoritative automotive datasets–combined with advanced analytics, artificial intelligence and deep industry expertise, JD Power enables leaders to respond to market shifts, make smarter decisions and drive measurable performance improvements.

As an objective source of deep insight into real-world customer interactions with brands and products, JD Power provides the independent intelligence organizations need to anticipate change, strengthen customer engagement and advance growth. Learn more at JDPower.com.