Auto insurance reform continues to make headlines, but Matthew Turack (pictured), group president of insurance at CAA Club Group, believes the biggest shift underway isn’t the technical mechanics of the reform itself. Instead, it’s the growing urgency for clearer communication and better consumer understanding.
As affordability pressures rise and economic uncertainty continues, he sees the industry reaching a moment where transparency and education matter more than ever.
Turack said the most meaningful progress in auto reform has been the renewed focus on helping drivers understand what their coverage actually includes. He described the current environment as a rare opportunity for insurers and brokers to bring consumers into the conversation, explain coverage options in practical terms, and build a level of understanding that has historically been missing.
In his view, reforms give the industry a chance to clarify what different coverages mean, what risks they address, and how consumers can make decisions that reflect their own comfort levels.
“What reforms really give us is a chance to bring consumers in, educate them on the coverages, and help them make informed decisions.”
He emphasized that the more drivers understand their policies, the better they can navigate affordability pressures without unintentionally exposing themselves to unnecessary risk. For Turack, this education-first approach is not simply a benefit of reform – it is quickly becoming a necessity in a market where expectations are shifting faster than products can be updated.
A large part of Turack’s outlook centres on the broader forces shaping consumer behaviour. Inflation, shifting interest rates, global uncertainty, and a rising cost of living have made people more anxious about financial stability. When insurance becomes one more cost they must manage, the desire for clarity grows stronger. Turack believes consumers are looking for something that feels predictable and understandable in a moment when many aspects of their financial lives feel unsettled. Insurance, he said, can play that stabilizing role when communicated well.
He described this moment as the convergence of several movements: a challenging macroeconomic environment, affordability concerns, ongoing changes to the auto product itself, and a general sense of instability around global economic and political developments. When those dynamics overlap, consumers naturally search for guidance and reassurance.
“Consumers are asking: what can I understand better, and what will give me safety and security while the world around me feels less secure?”
Turack believes insurers and brokers are uniquely positioned to provide that, not by offering guarantees, but by offering knowledge and dependable expertise.
For him, choice is one of the most critical components of auto reform, but only if consumers truly understand what they are choosing. Affordability means different things to different households, and Turack stressed that savings always come with context. Some changes reduce costs without altering risk, while others require consumers to take on more exposure. In his view, the industry’s role is to make those trade-offs clear so consumers can make decisions that fit both their budgets and their comfort levels.
Turack said he does not see barriers in the reform process. Whether it is explaining optional coverages, outlining different levels of protection, or helping consumers understand how much risk they are willing to take on, he believes the moment is well-suited for insurers and brokers who want to rebuild trust and strengthen relationships.
“I don’t see barriers. I see an opportunity to either embrace the change or miss it.”
The emphasis, he said, should be on providing solid information and dependable guidance during a time when many people feel uncertain about financial pressures.
He also pointed to the importance of customization. The industry now has a clearer path to helping drivers tailor their policies in a way that reflects their habits, needs, and financial realities. Turack believes that when consumers are educated and well-informed, they gain a sense of control over what can often feel like an opaque and mandatory expense. That sense of control, he said, is essential to improving consumer outcomes, especially during an affordability crisis. As reform continues to unfold, he expects the demand for personalized explanations and tailored policy structures to grow even stronger.
