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Motor vehicle tort filings reach record high as cases outpace claims
In 2024, filings totaled 6,809, while 52.4 percent of disposed cases from 2015 to 2024 settled out of court, a pattern that can affect how insurers price and reserve auto liability.
Motor vehicle tort lawsuits are increasing much faster than the overall federal civil court workload, according to a new analysis from the Insurance Information Institute, Triple-I, and the Casualty Actuarial Society, CAS.
The study finds federal motor vehicle tort filings rose to 6,809 in 2024, the highest annual figure in its dataset dating back to 1995. From 2014 to 2024, filings grew at a 5.0 percent compound annual growth rate, while overall federal civil case frequency declined at a 0.9 percent CAGR.
The report says the divergence has not been explained by accident frequency, with litigation outpacing underlying claims rather than tracking them. It also notes motor vehicle tort cases settle at more than double the rate of civil cases overall, with 52.4 percent of disposed cases from 2015 to 2024 ending in out of court settlements.
The analysis adds that only 7.1 percent of disposed motor vehicle tort cases received a judgment disposition, versus 27.4 percent for civil cases overall, and says the high settlement rate shapes how carriers price and reserve.