How Georgia’s lawsuit reforms are paying off one year later

Those costs didn’t stay in the courtroom. They showed up everywhere else.

When liability expenses rise, they are passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for consumer goods, more expensive insurance premiums, and fewer services. It’s a hidden tax that affects everything from groceries to childcare to transportation.

That’s why the reforms signed into law on April 21, 2025, mattered.

Here’s how insurance rates are falling

Credit: Handout

Credit: Handout

Under the leadership of Brian Kemp and state lawmakers, Georgia took meaningful steps to restore balance to its legal system, while preserving the right of every Georgian to seek justice when they’ve been wronged. The goal was simple: Rein in abuse without undermining legitimate claims.

One year later, the early results are not just encouraging, they are measurable. Insurance costs are beginning to stabilize and, in many cases, decline.

Over the past year, my office has approved significant auto insurance rate reductions across multiple major car insurance carriers.

Back in November of 2025, I announced over $400 million in savings for State Farm customers, with the average family seeing about $190 in savings per insured vehicle. In addition, the company returned nearly $279 million to families through a dividend, representing approximately $135 back per insured vehicle. And it doesn’t end with just one company.

A recent filing from Allstate includes a 5% reduction in private passenger auto insurance rates, impacting tens of thousands of Georgia drivers and generating an estimated $17.7 million in savings.

At the same time, additional filings approved for Liberty Mutual and Safeco customers delivered further relief, with reductions of 5.7% for Liberty Mutual and between 4.9% and 5.1% across Safeco entities.

And recently, my office approved a rate decrease of 10% for Travelers, resulting in more than $40 million in savings for Georgia families.

I could continue on about another half-dozen companies that have reduced their rates, but you get the point.

Together, these shifts reflect a clear and developing trend: a more competitive insurance market that provides real savings for families as we continue our fight for affordability. These results didn’t happen in a vacuum. They are the hard-fought rewards of sustained, coordinated efforts to restore balance to Georgia’s insurance market.

Divert funds from legal defense to public services

Georgia’s legal climate is also improving in ways that send a broader signal. After years of being labeled a “judicial hellhole,” the state has been removed from the American Tort Reform Association’s list — a clear sign that reforms are restoring fairness and predictability to the system and encouraging a healthier marketplace.

And the impact is being felt beyond the private sector. Consider the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority (MARTA), which recently reported a $2.8 million drop in casualty and liability costs, citing a reduced risk profile following last year’s reforms. That’s not a projection, that’s real money. The dollars saved can now go toward improving transit service instead of paying out litigation costs.

MARTA’s $2.8 million in savings is a reminder that lawsuit abuse doesn’t just affect businesses, it affects public resources as well. Every dollar spent on excessive litigation is a dollar that could be invested in services, infrastructure, or community needs.

This is what reform looks like when it works.

It doesn’t make headlines overnight. It doesn’t solve every challenge immediately. But over time, it changes incentives, reduces costs, and creates a more stable environment for families, businesses, and taxpayers alike.

Of course, the work isn’t done.

Maintaining this progress will require continued focus to ensure the system remains balanced and that the gains we’re seeing today are not reversed. But one year in, the direction is clear.

At a time when affordability remains at the forefront for Georgia families, these reforms are delivering exactly what they were designed to do: lower costs, increase opportunity, and protect consumers.

That’s something to be proud of, and an example for other states to follow.

John F. King is a retired two-star major general, former police chief, and Georgia’s current insurance and safety fire commissioner. He is running for reelection in 2026.