Kin, a digital-first insurer focused on direct-to-consumer personal lines coverage, has announced the rollout of auto insurance in Florida and Texas, marking the company’s first entry into the auto insurance market.

The newly introduced auto coverage can be purchased either on its own or bundled with Kin’s homeowners insurance. Customers who choose to bundle may receive discounts of up to 20% on auto premiums, along with streamlined policy management and broader protection, according to the company.

A Kin spokesperson confirmed that this is the first state launch of auto insurance in the company’s history. While the product is designed primarily for existing homeowners insurance customers, it is not limited to bundled purchases and can be bought as a standalone policy. Kin also said it plans to expand bundled auto and home insurance offerings to additional states, though it did not disclose a specific timeline or locations.

The launch coincided with two industry developments: the release of Kin’s survey on insurance bundling among homeowners and a new J.D. Power outlook report identifying 2026 as a critical year for the auto insurance sector.

Insights From Kin’s Bundling Survey

Kin’s survey of 1,000 homeowners found that 61% currently bundle their home and auto insurance policies. Among those who bundle, the most commonly cited motivations were lower pricing (70%) and convenience (69%).

For homeowners who do not bundle, the most frequent reason—selected by 24%—was a preference for using multiple insurance providers, even if that meant sacrificing convenience. Other reasons included previous attempts to bundle that did not result in savings (22%), lack of bundling options from their current insurer (18%), limited awareness of bundling benefits (19%), and not knowing bundling was available (17%).

Kin said the new Florida and Texas bundles are aimed particularly at the 18% of respondents who indicated that bundling is not currently an option with their insurers, while also addressing cost concerns that survey participants identified as a priority.

“Our customers in Florida and Texas told us they wanted the ability to bundle auto and home insurance, so we made it a priority to bring this product to market,” said Sean Harper, founder and CEO of Kin. He added that offering auto insurance alongside home coverage helps protect customers from state-specific risks—such as Florida’s high number of uninsured drivers and Texas’s severe storm exposure—while keeping insurance affordable and easy to manage.

Survey findings also showed that 49% of non-bundlers would consider bundling for a 10% discount, while 39% would do so for the maximum 20% discount Kin plans to offer.

Kin’s Caution on Bundling Decisions

Despite promoting bundling, Kin advises consumers to carefully evaluate coverage before combining policies. In a blog post discussing the survey results, the company noted that bundling is not always the lowest-cost option.

“While bundling discounts are often the most affordable option for home and auto policies, in some cases, a specialized auto insurance company combined with a separate, specialized home insurance company could still be cheaper overall,” the post stated. The company also emphasized the importance of reviewing policy details and not compromising coverage—such as limits, deductibles, or key endorsements like water backup or roof replacement—solely to obtain a multipolicy discount.

J.D. Power: Auto Insurance Switching on the Rise

In its outlook report, J.D. Power highlighted that long-developing trends in the auto insurance market may intensify in 2026. One key finding is the record-high number of drivers shopping for auto insurance in 2025, with 57% comparing options, up from 49% the year before.

Historically, shopping activity did not always translate into switching insurers. However, J.D. Power noted that customers are now finding more competitive pricing, which could place additional pressure on carriers in the coming year.

The report suggests that widespread rate increases previously limited consumers’ ability to find lower premiums. Now, as insurers become more competitive, customers are increasingly willing to switch providers.

Although overall customer satisfaction remained stable in 2025, 29% of policyholders still changed insurers. Notably, customers who typically show strong loyalty—particularly those who bundle multiple policies—are now among the least likely to renew. Only 51% of these customers said they would definitely stay with their insurer, according to midyear survey results.

Communication and Digital Engagement Key for 2026

J.D. Power urged insurers to proactively explain the reasons behind premium increases to reduce customer churn. Without clear communication, some consumers are turning to artificial intelligence tools to better understand insurance terminology, pricing, and quotes.

The report noted that AI is becoming increasingly influential in the shopping process and could reshape customer behavior, potentially widening the gap between insurers and policyholders.

Looking ahead, J.D. Power emphasized that insurers must find effective ways to deliver personalized information about premiums and coverage. The report, titled “Rate Pressure, Customer Retention and Digital Engagement Top Insurance Industry Challenges for 2026,” also examined growing consumer reliance on digital channels over agents and the ongoing challenges insurers face in gaining acceptance for usage-based insurance products.