According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle insurance are 7,504.38% higher in 2026 versus 1947 (a $37,521.90 difference in value).
Between 1947 and 2026: Car insurance experienced an average inflation rate of 5.64% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, car insurance costing $500 in the year 1947 would cost $38,021.90 in 2026 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.44% during this same period, inflation for car insurance was higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Car insurance, over time, for $500 beginning in 1947. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1947 | $500.00 | - |
| 1948 | $580.34 | 16.07% |
| 1949 | $671.08 | 15.63% |
| 1950 | $635.50 | -5.30% |
| 1951 | $637.99 | 0.39% |
| 1952 | $760.03 | 19.13% |
| 1953 | $876.03 | 15.26% |
| 1954 | $870.34 | -0.65% |
| 1955 | $837.96 | -3.72% |
| 1956 | $811.98 | -3.10% |
| 1957 | $871.41 | 7.32% |
| 1958 | $996.66 | 14.37% |
| 1959 | $1,062.84 | 6.64% |
| 1960 | $1,096.64 | 3.18% |
| 1961 | $1,107.32 | 0.97% |
| 1962 | $1,101.62 | -0.51% |
| 1963 | $1,113.01 | 1.03% |
| 1964 | $1,151.08 | 3.42% |
| 1965 | $1,249.29 | 8.53% |
| 1966 | $1,373.11 | 9.91% |
| 1967 | $1,413.68 | 2.95% |
| 1968 | $1,444.99 | 2.21% |
| 1969 | $1,577.71 | 9.18% |
| 1970 | $1,794.05 | 13.71% |
| 1971 | $1,997.22 | 11.32% |
| 1972 | $1,989.40 | -0.39% |
| 1973 | $1,954.53 | -1.75% |
| 1974 | $1,955.59 | 0.05% |
| 1975 | $2,065.19 | 5.60% |
| 1976 | $2,660.83 | 28.84% |
| 1977 | $2,980.71 | 12.02% |
| 1978 | $3,067.89 | 2.92% |
| 1979 | $3,237.26 | 5.52% |
| 1980 | $3,502.35 | 8.19% |
| 1981 | $3,668.16 | 4.73% |
| 1982 | $3,904.07 | 6.43% |
| 1983 | $4,285.16 | 9.76% |
| 1984 | $4,619.63 | 7.81% |
| 1985 | $5,090.02 | 10.18% |
| 1986 | $5,766.08 | 13.28% |
| 1987 | $6,243.95 | 8.29% |
| 1988 | $6,686.24 | 7.08% |
| 1989 | $7,111.44 | 6.36% |
| 1990 | $7,594.65 | 6.79% |
| 1991 | $8,177.48 | 7.67% |
| 1992 | $8,773.48 | 7.29% |
| 1993 | $9,252.06 | 5.45% |
| 1994 | $9,598.99 | 3.75% |
| 1995 | $10,003.91 | 4.22% |
| 1996 | $10,412.04 | 4.08% |
| 1997 | $10,742.95 | 3.18% |
| 1998 | $10,857.53 | 1.07% |
| 1999 | $10,838.31 | -0.18% |
| 2000 | $10,961.78 | 1.14% |
| 2001 | $11,449.26 | 4.45% |
| 2002 | $12,450.19 | 8.74% |
| 2003 | $13,426.20 | 7.84% |
| 2004 | $13,799.81 | 2.78% |
| 2005 | $14,084.12 | 2.06% |
| 2006 | $14,166.31 | 0.58% |
| 2007 | $14,224.73 | 0.41% |
| 2008 | $14,582.38 | 2.51% |
| 2009 | $15,243.27 | 4.53% |
| 2010 | $16,019.62 | 5.09% |
| 2011 | $16,595.00 | 3.59% |
| 2012 | $17,185.13 | 3.56% |
| 2013 | $17,907.77 | 4.20% |
| 2014 | $18,668.62 | 4.25% |
| 2015 | $19,667.41 | 5.35% |
| 2016 | $20,885.96 | 6.20% |
| 2017 | $22,498.34 | 7.72% |
| 2018 | $24,165.53 | 7.41% |
| 2019 | $24,382.24 | 0.90% |
| 2020 | $23,255.03 | -4.62% |
| 2021 | $24,138.05 | 3.80% |
| 2022 | $26,039.29 | 7.88% |
| 2023 | $30,572.32 | 17.41% |
| 2024 | $35,999.06 | 17.75% |
| 2025 | $38,132.82 | 5.93% |
| 2026 | $38,021.90 | -0.29%* |
* Not final. See inflation summary for latest details.
** Extended periods of 0% inflation usually indicate incomplete underlying data. This can manifest as a sharp increase in inflation later on.
Raw Consumer Price Index data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics for Motor vehicle insurance:
| Year | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 | 1953 | 1954 | 1955 | 1956 | 1957 | 1958 | 1959 | 1960 | 1961 | 1962 | 1963 | 1964 | 1965 | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | 1973 | 1974 | 1975 | 1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
| CPI | 11.710 | 13.592 | 15.717 | 14.883 | 14.942 | 17.800 | 20.517 | 20.383 | 19.625 | 19.017 | 20.408 | 23.342 | 24.892 | 25.683 | 25.933 | 25.800 | 26.067 | 26.958 | 29.258 | 32.158 | 33.108 | 33.842 | 36.950 | 42.017 | 46.775 | 46.592 | 45.775 | 45.800 | 48.367 | 62.317 | 69.808 | 71.850 | 75.817 | 82.025 | 85.908 | 91.433 | 100.358 | 108.192 | 119.208 | 135.042 | 146.233 | 156.592 | 166.550 | 177.867 | 191.517 | 205.475 | 216.683 | 224.808 | 234.292 | 243.850 | 251.600 | 254.283 | 253.833 | 256.725 | 268.142 | 291.583 | 314.442 | 323.192 | 329.850 | 331.775 | 333.143 | 341.519 | 356.998 | 375.180 | 388.655 | 402.476 | 419.400 | 437.219 | 460.611 | 489.149 | 526.911 | 565.957 | 571.032 | 544.633 | 565.313 | 609.840 | 716.004 | 843.098 | 893.071 | 890.473 |