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A surge in costly litigation is driving insurance premiums higher in Missouri, according to a state report that trucking and business groups hope will spur long‑sought tort reforms.

Missouri’s Data Analytics Office within the Department of Commerce and Insurance found that the state’s legal environment continues to inflate insurance costs, create economic inefficiencies and limit market stability despite previous rounds of legislative reform.

“Missouri families are already feeling the impact of rising insurance costs, and lawsuit abuse is only worsening the problem,” DCI Director Angela Nelson said. “When litigation tactics push awards far beyond reasonable damages, those costs don’t just disappear — they show up in higher premiums for consumers and businesses across the state.”

The 26‑page report, titled “Lawsuit Abuse: An Insurance Case Study — Part One,” cited an estimated per‑person “tort tax” of $1,216 tied to $7.6 billion in lost economic output and $384 million in lost state revenue. Researchers warned that a civil justice system prone to unpredictable outcomes and outsized awards distorts how economic and human resources are allocated statewide.

Premiums are already reflecting those pressures, however. 91��Ƶowners’ insurance costs are climbing 8% to 12% annually in the state, and medical malpractice rates have risen more than 10% for six years straight.

The report also notes that private‑passenger auto liability has produced $43 billion in underwriting losses nationwide — with Missouri carriers filing for double‑digit increases in recent years. According to DCI, litigation tactics in Missouri — including third‑party funding arrangements and strategies aimed at influencing juries — increase the likelihood of high‑dollar verdicts.

The report highlighted nine tort‑reform measures passed from 2015 to 2023 but said additional updates are needed. It pointed to recent sweeping reforms in Georgia and Florida as models that have improved market stability, expanded carrier participation and strengthened several insurance lines.

“Missouri has previously enacted litigation/tort reforms — such as non‑economic damage caps starting at $400,000, venue restrictions and stricter punitive damage standards — but St. Louis remains ranked the 6th‑worst ,” the report stated, a reference to the annual report produced by the America Tort Reform Foundation that lists the most litigious areas in the nation.

Both DCI and the latest Judicial Hellholes analysis cited a nuclear‑verdict case in St. Louis in which a court refused to overturn a $462 million award against trailer manufacturer Wabash despite “significant issues at trial.” Although the court later reduced the award to $120 million, the company settled the case in October 2025 rather than pursue an appeal.

DCI argues that Missouri can adopt reforms that better align liability with fault, curb abusive litigation tactics and improve predictability for insurers.

“If these trends continue, Missourians and businesses will continue to see higher premiums, have fewer insurance options, and suffer broader economic consequences,” Nelson said. “Without meaningful reforms, the impact of lawsuit abuse will continue to grow, and all Missourians will ultimately pay the price through higher insurance premiums.”

The trucking sector — long a target of high‑stakes litigation — welcomed the report’s findings.

Tom Crawford, president and CEO of the Missouri Trucking Association, said the DCI analysis adds an influential voice to growing calls for comprehensive tort reform. “While many Missourians may have learned something new by the recent DCI report, truckers were not surprised on the impact of lawsuit abuses and rising costs for Missouri consumers. We’ve been living it for decades,” Crawford said.

He added that MoTA members hope the report accelerates legislative action “to rein in these abuses.”

Nelson said the path forward is clear: lawmakers can take steps now to prevent further erosion of market stability. “Strategic reforms that promote fairness and transparency in the legal system will stabilize the insurance market, protect consumers and strengthen Missouri’s economy,” she said.