The Insurance Information Institute has announced that legal service providers spent more than $2.5 billion on nearly 27 million advertisements in 2024. This surge in trial lawyer advertising is suggested to be driving frivolous lawsuits in Colorado and other states.
According to the American Tort Reform Association (ATRA), advertising by legal service providers has grown dramatically since 2017, reflecting an industry-wide escalation in trial lawyer marketing. ATRA’s 2025 white paper indicates that excessive exposure to such ads can distort public perception of litigation, encouraging meritless or opportunistic lawsuits. The Insurance Information Institute emphasized that this dynamic is particularly problematic in states like Colorado, where rising lawsuit frequency is increasingly linked to insurance cost pressures.
The ATRA report further details that legal service providers spent over $2.5 billion on 26.9 million ads in 2024—a record high. Television advertising alone reached 16.4 million placements in 2023, marking a 44% increase compared to 2017 levels. The report also highlights that since 2017, the number of radio ads has jumped 261% to 6.8 million, while outdoor advertising, including billboards, has risen by more than 260%. These numbers reveal how traditional broadcast and outdoor marketing remain powerful tools for legal firms seeking mass exposure.
An analysis published by Insurance Journal suggests that the growth in legal advertising is driving up litigation-related costs that ultimately affect consumers through higher insurance premiums. The report cites the Insurance Information Institute’s findings that states with higher legal advertising volumes tend to experience elevated claims activity and slower claims resolution times. Insurance Journal also notes that insurers in Colorado and neighboring states have identified trial lawyer marketing as a “systemic cost driver,” compounding the financial pressures on regional insurance markets.
According to its official website, the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public understanding of insurance and risk management. Founded in 1960 and headquartered in New York, Triple-I provides objective data and analysis to consumers, policymakers, and industry leaders. The organization’s research frequently addresses legal system abuse, highlighting how excessive litigation and advertising contribute to rising costs in the insurance ecosystem.
