Most Commercial Lines Saw Year-over-Year Renewal Rate Increases in Q4

Premium renewal rate changes for nearly all commercial insurance lines continued to increase year over year during the fourth quarter of 2025, according to the latest results from the Ivans Index.

Workers compensation was the lone exception to the trend.

Compared to the third quarter of 2025, general liability, commercial property, and umbrella all experienced increases in average premium renewal rates during the fourth quarter. Commercial auto, businessowners policy (BOP), and workers compensation experienced quarter-to-quarter decreases, Ivans said.

Fourth-quarter premium renewal rate changes by line of business included the following.

• Commercial auto. The fourth-quarter average premium renewal rate for commercial auto averaged 6.97 percent, a decrease from the third quarter's average of 7.60 percent. October saw the fourth quarter's highest rate of change averaging 7.57 percent, with the quarter's lowest average rate in December at 6.46 percent.
• Businessowners policy. The BOP premium renewal rate change averaged 7.52 percent in the fourth quarter. The quarter's high was 7.58 percent in December while the low was in November at 7.46 percent. The fourth quarter's average premium renewal rate was down from 7.55 percent in the third quarter.
• General liability. The average premium renewal rate for general liability experienced a significant increase in the fourth quarter to 7.23 percent from 5.89 percent a quarter earlier. October saw the quarter's lowest average rate change at 7.04 percent with the highest increase in December with a 7.52 percent average.
• Commercial property. The premium renewal rate for commercial property averaged 8.01 percent during the fourth quarter, up from 7.64 percent in the third quarter. The quarter's high was 8.34 percent in December while the low was 7.61 percent.
• Umbrella. The average premium renewal rate change for umbrella insurance saw a slight quarter-to-quarter increase in the fourth quarter to 9.49 percent from 8.99 percent during the prior period. The highest average rate increase of the quarter was in December at 10.07 percent, while the low was in November at 9.18 percent.
• Workers compensation. Workers compensation saw an average premium renewal rate decrease of 1.61 percent in the fourth quarter, down from a third-quarter decrease of 1.42 percent. The highest workers compensation rate change of the fourth quarter was in December with a 1.52 percent decrease, while the quarter's lowest rate was in December with a 1.77 percent average decrease.

"The commercial insurance market remains firm overall, though renewal trends suggest it is gradually moving off the peak conditions of recent years," Kathy Hrach, senior vice president of product management, Ivans, said in a statement.

Released monthly, the Ivans Index measures premium renewal rate change year over year for individual, consistent policies across the most commonly placed commercial lines. The index analyzes more than 120 million data transactions, reflecting activity from more than 38,000 agencies and over 700 insurers and managing general agents nationwide.