Consumer behavior in 2025 proved unpredictable, fast-moving, and increasingly shaped by external shocks — from the adoption of AI to geopolitical tensions. A recent Similarweb analysis of global search behavior highlights how quickly interest surged, cooled, and reappeared across various industries, offering valuable insights for insurers assessing emerging risks and long-term exposure trends.

AI Adoption Accelerated — Along With Concern

Interest in artificial intelligence remained high throughout 2025, but it evolved unevenly. Searches for generative AI tools surged, followed by increased demand for AI detection and verification technologies. This pattern reflects a broader concern around authenticity, compliance, and accountability as AI-generated content becomes more common. For insurers, this trend signals growing relevance for governance, professional liability, and technology-related risk frameworks — particularly in education, publishing, and enterprise environments.

From Brand Loyalty to Cost Sensitivity

Search data revealed a notable shift away from branded queries toward generic, outcome-driven terms, particularly in the retail and apparel sectors. Consumers appeared less loyal to specific brands and more focused on affordability and function. This behavior aligns with broader economic pressure and suggests sustained sensitivity to pricing, which may influence claim frequency patterns tied to consumer goods, supply chains, and warranty-related exposures.

Lifestyle and Wellness Risks Are Changing Shape

Wellness-related searches told a mixed story. Interest in traditional mindfulness and meditation declined, even as overall wellness spending reached record levels. At the same time, demand rose for experimental anti-aging treatments and alternative lifestyle products, including non-alcoholic beverages. These trends suggest a shift toward personalized, sometimes unregulated solutions — an area that may present evolving liability, product risk, and health-related considerations.

Sustainability Remains a Long-Term Signal

Search interest in sustainable fashion and eco-friendly products continued to grow, reinforcing sustainability as a structural trend rather than a short-term cycle. For insurers, this ongoing shift may influence underwriting considerations related to materials, manufacturing practices, supply chains, and regulatory compliance, particularly as environmental disclosures and standards expand.

Short-Term Spikes Highlight Event-Driven Risk

Several trends demonstrated how quickly consumer attention responds to external events. Oil price searches spiked sharply during periods of geopolitical tension before dropping just as quickly. Seasonal travel behavior, such as increased staycation interest, followed similar patterns. These short-lived surges underscore the importance of preparedness for sudden demand changes, market volatility, and event-driven risk scenarios.

What This Means Looking Ahead

The data from 2025 reinforces a consistent theme: consumer behavior is increasingly reactive, fragmented, and data-informed. Interest shifts quickly, often driven by uncertainty, cost pressure, or technological change. For insurance professionals, these patterns highlight the value of monitoring early demand signals, reassessing exposure assumptions, and remaining flexible as new risks emerge and existing ones evolve.

Understanding how and why consumer interest changes is not about predicting the next trend — it’s about recognizing how volatility itself has become a defining feature of the risk environment.

A second atmospheric river is forecast to bring heavy rain, flooding concerns, and significant mountain snow to California through Christmas Day. According to AccuWeather, the pattern follows weeks of atmospheric river impacts across the Pacific Northwest and will shift southward, affecting much of California during the peak travel period.

Two primary atmospheric rivers are expected to transport large amounts of Pacific moisture into the state this week. As a result, incidents of flooding, mudslides, and road washouts are expected to expand from Northern California into Central and Southern California. In extreme cases, the storms may pose risks to life and property.

Timing and Geographic Focus

The first atmospheric river is already underway and will continue to impact Northern and Central California into Wednesday. Meanwhile, a second system is forecast to develop Tuesday night and persist through Christmas Day, concentrating on Central and Southern California. Beyond Christmas, lingering moisture is expected to trigger additional rounds of showers and mountain snow.

Rainfall Totals and Flooding Risks

Through Wednesday, the Sacramento Valley and San Francisco Bay region are expected to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain, with locally higher amounts. AccuWeather reports that San Francisco may receive one to two times its historical December rainfall average by next weekend.

In the Coast Ranges and Sierra Nevada, particularly on west- and southwest-facing slopes, rainfall totals are forecast to range from 4 to 12 inches, with a Local StormMax of 20 inches. At times, multiple inches of rain may fall within hours, overwhelming drainage systems and causing small streams and short-run rivers to overflow. As soils become saturated, the risk of debris flows, hillside collapses, and road washouts will increase.

From Tuesday night through Christmas night, the second atmospheric river will deliver rain of varying intensity across Central and Southern California. The Los Angeles basin is forecast to receive 2 to 4 inches of rain. Downtown Los Angeles recorded 5.53 inches of rain in November, nearly seven times its historical average. While December has remained dry so far, the upcoming storm may produce one to two times the city’s average December rainfall of 2.48 inches.

On the southwest-facing hillsides of the Transverse Ranges, rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches are expected. Even the Southeastern California desert areas may receive between 0.25 inches and 1 inch of rain. As in Northern California, urban flooding, mudslides, and washouts remain concerns.

Travel and Aviation Disruptions

As heavy rain and gusty winds affect major hubs including San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, airline delays and flight cancellations are expected. AccuWeather notes that these disruptions may ripple across the national airline industry as displaced aircraft and crews require rescheduling.

Wind and Coastal Impacts

The storm responsible for the atmospheric rivers may rapidly intensify offshore. AccuWeather meteorologists note that the system has the potential to become a bomb cyclone, though its impacts will be significant regardless of whether it meets formal criteria.

Strong winds are forecast along the Northern and Central California coast, with frequent gusts of 50 to 70 mph and higher gusts over mountain ridges and gaps. The AccuWeather StormMax for wind is 130 mph in elevated terrain. Along the coast, heavy wave action is expected, with overwash possible on Southern California beaches.

These winds may cause sporadic to regional power outages. Loose outdoor items, including holiday decorations, could become hazards. Crosswinds may also increase the risk of rollovers for high-profile vehicles.

Significant Snowfall in the Sierra Nevada

As colder air moves in, snow levels will drop across the Sierra Nevada and the Siskiyous. While Donner Pass along Interstate 80 may see rain mixed with a couple of inches of snow through Tuesday, heavier snowfall is expected from late Wednesday through Friday.

During that period, 1 to 2 feet of snow may accumulate at pass levels, potentially bringing travel to a standstill. Over the course of the week, AccuWeather projects that at least 10 feet of snow could fall across higher ridges and peaks in the Sierra Nevada.

While ski resorts benefit from natural snowfall during the holiday season, excessive accumulations may block access roads to resorts at higher elevations.

Conditions After Christmas

Late this week and into the weekend between Christmas and New Year’s, the overall moisture supply will diminish. However, enough residual moisture will remain to produce periodic showers statewide. With colder air in place, snow showers will continue in the Sierra Nevada and may also affect Southern California mountain passes, including portions of Interstate 5 and Interstate 15.

The same stormy pattern will continue to deliver rain and mountain snow to Oregon and Washington, where recent atmospheric rivers have already produced heavy precipitation. Ongoing moisture may worsen small-stream flooding at the local level. In addition, some Pacific moisture will extend inland, bringing valley rain and mountain snow to the Intermountain West into next weekend.

For the insurance industry, the evolving weather pattern underscores the potential for widespread travel disruptions, localized flooding, wind damage, and winter weather impacts during one of the busiest periods of the year.