Following steady gains from 2009 to 2012, the auto insurance market has reached a plateau as consumers are curbing their insurance shopping, according to the new TransUnion Auto Insurance Shopping Index.

"This tells us that despite the fact internet usage continues to rise, consumers are not fundamentally changing how they shop for auto insurance," says Mark McElroy, executive vice president of TransUnion's insurance business unit. "Attracting new consumers in a very competitive insurance market can be difficult, and our results emphasize the need for continued innovation to attract the right consumers."

The industry saw growth ranging from 5% to 8% from 2009 through 2012, but there was no change from 2012 through 2014 with figures hovering around 16.8%. However, some states in the Southeast — such as Texas (+13%), Mississippi (+12%), Alabama (+11%) and Georgia (+10%) — experienced strong growth when it came to shopping for auto insurance. The largest declines occurred in Florida (-14%), Arizona (-12%) and Michigan (-11%).