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Animal collisions dominate comprehensive auto losses in multiple states
Farmers’ three-year analysis of August 2023 through July 2026 finds deer-season driven losses peak from October to December, with states like Montana at 74% of comprehensive losses tied to wildlife.
Farmers’ analysis of auto insurance claims shows animal collisions are the leading driver of comprehensive coverage losses in several states, with wildlife acting as a defining peril in particular regions. In Montana, 74% of all comprehensive losses from 2023 through 2026 were linked to animal collisions, followed by Michigan at 72%, Iowa at 71%, South Dakota at 70%, and North Dakota at 68%, with Farmers using state share of comprehensive losses rather than raw claim counts.
The report highlights geographic clustering, with six of the top 10 states concentrated across the Upper Midwest and Northern Plains, spanning the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, and Michigan. It also points to additional high-share markets including West Virginia at 66%, Wyoming at 65%, New York at 64%, and Kansas at 63%, attributing the pattern to dense rural road networks and higher deer populations.
Farmers said this has practical implications for agents handling personal auto renewals, especially because comprehensive coverage is optional in most states. The analysis notes that many customers trimmed or dropped comprehensive after full-coverage premiums rose 46% between 2022 and 2024, potentially leaving policyholders more exposed to the peril that dominates their state’s comprehensive loss profile.
The study also ties the risk to a predictable calendar window, saying animal collision losses occurred most often from October through December during the period reviewed. Farmers reported that in some states, animal collision losses were recorded only during those three months yet still made up the majority of comprehensive loss causes statewide for the year, putting September and October renewals at the center of coverage adequacy checks.