Tech, Trends, and Transformation in the Northeast

Before we even pull out of the driveway for our road trip across the Northeast, the checklist starts. Phone charged. GPS set. Trunk stocked with a snow brush, jumper cables, and extra layers, because in the Northeast, you plan for all four seasons—even if the sun is out.

We begin our drive along Maine’s rocky coastline, where lobster rolls are served warm with butter. The road dips through New Hampshire’s granite hills, past sturdy houses that look immovable until winter and spring runoff test them. In Vermont, we’ll slow to admire the sugar maples that line the roads. Crossing into Massachusetts, traffic thickens and Dunkin’ cups multiply. Triple-deckers and brownstones crowd the streets, each with stories and plumbing that span generations. Rhode Island comes and goes quickly, but at least we’re never too far from the water. In Connecticut, colonial homes and commuter corridors blur together.

Then we’ll keep an eye out for pedestrians. New York and New Jersey bring tunnels, tolls, and traffic that force us to stay alert. We skirt Pennsylvania’s old mill towns and courthouse squares, drift past Delaware’s quieter beach routes, and grab a lump crab cake with extra Old Bay in Maryland’s waterfront communities. The road narrows through Washington, D.C., where we’ll stretch our legs on a stroll past the monuments while go-go music fills the air, before visiting Virginia’s historic battlefields. Finally, we cross into West Virginia, carefully navigating rugged terrain and winding roads.

So, settle in. We’ll be rerouting around storms and traffic and occasionally pulling over to reassess the route.

Surviving Severe Snow Days and Surging Floodwaters

Nothing says the Northeast quite like packing on layers, keeping snow brushes in the trunk year-round, and knowing exactly which neighbor has a generator that always starts. Some regions brace for the big one—the Northeast braces for the next one.

In 2025, winter weather brought a series of powerful storms that left a lasting impact across the Northeast. From heavy snow and ice to coastal flooding and widespread outages, the events felt like hitting a stretch of road with back-to-back construction zones.

• A widespread blizzard in January 2025 swept across the Mid-Atlantic, causing heavy snow and ice, significant power outages, travel disruptions, and water supply issues in Virginia. 
• Winter Storm Harlow dropped 6–15 inches of snow and ice across southern West Virginia, Delaware, Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland, leading to downed trees and widespread power outages. 
• A Nor’easter swept up the Eastern Seaboard in October with heavy rain, strong winds, coastal flooding, emergency declarations, travel disruptions, and at least one fatality in New York City.

In the spring of 2025, parts of Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania were hit with deadly flash flooding—resulting in water rescues, damaged homes, and businesses.

By summer, New York and New Jersey experienced dangerous flooding. A stalled storm system unleashed intense rainfall across the Northeast, resulting in flash floods that inundated major roadways, submerged subway stations, and stranded vehicles. Governors in both states declared states of emergency for affected counties.

Charm, Character, and Rising Risk for Historic Homes

From a brownstone stoop in Brooklyn Heights to a salt-air-weathered colonial in coastal Maine, Northeast homes are rich in character—and layered with risk.

Analysts estimate the average annual premium for a $1 million home is $7,412. Vermont, New Hampshire, Washington, D.C., New Jersey, Massachusetts, Delaware and Maine are among the most affordable states for homeowners’ insurance, with average premiums under $4,500 a year. Meanwhile, residents in Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and Virginia have annual premiums ranging from about $4,800 to $7,000. In New York City and Boston, insurance professionals see water claims stack up like traffic on a rainy Friday during rush hour. A leak from upstairs or a burst pipe in an aging building may lead to higher deductibles and tighter terms—especially for those living in condos and co-ops.

Seasonal and secondary homes—from Cape Cod and Nantucket to the Hamptons, coastal Maine, and the Delaware shore—face added scrutiny. Roof age, construction type, and occupancy patterns now matter more than ever. Guidance from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety helps explain why insurers are cautious: older roofs and traditional materials struggle under today’s weather patterns. Wood shake roofs are being looked at more critically due to poor wind and hail resiliency. 

Auto Insurance: Congestion, Collisions, and Cost Reality

Back on the road, the lanes tighten and the pace picks up. We’re merging onto I-95, threading through Jersey barriers while the EZ-Pass gets us through another toll plaza. This is where Northeast driving becomes a full-contact sport—dodging delivery vans in Manhattan, navigating rotaries outside Providence, squeezing into a parking spot between two Subarus in Burlington, and crawling bumper-to-bumper through the Baltimore Harbor Tunnel. Around here, a “quick errand” can turn into an hour-long commitment.

Dense traffic, aging infrastructure, and distracted driving all converge in this stretch of the trip. By late 2025, the national monthly average for full-coverage premiums was around $179. Drivers in New Jersey, New York, D.C., Maryland, Delaware, Rhode Island, and Connecticut pay some of the highest premiums for minimum coverage in the country . This may reflect dense traffic, high claims frequency, and elevated medical and repair costs. Conversely, auto insurance in New Hampshire was ranked as the most affordable at the end of 2025, at just $82 a month for full coverage.

After a nationwide auto insurance increase of around 15% in 2024, rates continued climbing into early 2025 before leveling off later in the year. Meanwhile, New Jersey, New York, and D.C. are projected to have some of the highest rate hikes in 2026—between 5% and 10%.
 

Multi-Million-Dollar Liability Losses

From the bustling streets of New York City to the cobblestone charm of Philadelphia and the harbor views of Baltimore, 2025 saw several jury verdicts in the tens of millions of dollars. Nuclear verdicts—jury awards exceeding $10 million—continued to influence underwriting discussions in both personal and commercial cases.

New York City ranks second in the country as what the American Tort Reform Foundation refers to as a “Judicial Hellhole.”  The organization cites three verdicts that paid out more than $900 million in 2025. The American Tort Reform Association estimates New Yorkers pay $2,318 every year to cover excessive tort costs. Additionally, a New York jury awarded plaintiffs $1.4B in a sexual assault case against an Oscar-nominated director.

Philadelphia courts took the number five spot on the list of worst jurisdictions for nuclear verdicts in the U.S. In 2025, a Pennsylvania man was awarded $2.2 billion after suing the makers of Roundup weed killer for allegedly causing his cancer.

In Baltimore, a jury awarded more than $1.5 billion in a talc baby powder case against Johnson & Johnson, one of the largest verdicts of the year nationwide.

A jury awarded a former Virginia teacher $10 million after she was shot by an elementary school student who brought a gun to school.

These outcomes fuel social inflation, driving higher umbrella requirements, tighter underwriting, and increased demand for excess liability coverage across the region.

Cyber Risks on the Road

It’s time to pull over and recharge. Phones are plugged in, Wi-Fi is connected, and emails are synced before the next leg. That quick pit stop is a reminder that no matter where you are on this trip, you’re connected—for better or worse.

In 2025, cyber incidents showed that population size doesn’t limit exposure. Small towns, like those we’re passing through, were hit just as hard as major metros.

• Healthcare cyberattacks continued to be prevalent, with several of the top 10 breaches reported to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services occurring in Connecticut, Virginia, and Maryland.
• New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania rank among the top 10 states with the highest reported losses.

New Rules of the Road

Some changes come quietly but still alter the journey. In 2026, several states across the Northeast are introducing new rules that, while subtle, will reshape how coverage and claims are managed. 

Delaware established an Automobile Insurance Reform Task Force to address rising automobile insurance costs and issued AI use guidance to insurers.

New Jersey increased mandatory auto liability limits to $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident in 2026.

In New York, a uniform definition of “hurricane” across homeowners policies begins in February, providing consistency in how deductibles are applied statewide.

Rhode Island's Senate Bill 84 prohibits casualty insurance companies from imposing premium surcharges or penalties on policyholders for asking questions about their policy terms. The bill aims to prevent insurers from penalizing people shopping around or clarifying coverage details.

Virginia’s SB 1154 took effect in 2025, prohibiting policyholders from assigning or transferring their fire insurance policy claims or benefits to another person without the written consent of their insurance company. Additionally, SB 112 increases mandatory minimum auto liability coverage.

Driving into the Sunset

The sun starts to dip as we near the final stretch. We’ve logged the miles and the meals—through coastal fog, lake-effect snow, and traffic jams— and we’ve learned that the most experienced travelers know when to pull over and ask the locals for directions. At Marsh McLennan Agency Private Client Services, we’re here to help you map out a protection plan for every mile ahead. Whether you’re commuting daily or navigating a new route, we’re here to help you get the right coverage for your journey.