According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle insurance are 7,960.22% higher in 2024 versus 1946 (a $39,801.09 difference in value).
Between 1946 and 2024: Car insurance experienced an average inflation rate of 5.79% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, car insurance costing $500 in the year 1946 would cost $40,301.09 in 2024 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.62% during this same period, inflation for car insurance was higher.
In the year 1946: Pricing changed by 19.54%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for car insurance during the 1946-2024 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1946 (8.47%), inflation for car insurance was much higher.
Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Car insurance, over time, for $500 beginning in 1946. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:
| Year | USD Value | Inflation Rate |
|---|---|---|
| 1946 | $500.00 | 19.54% |
| 1947 | $564.10 | 12.82% |
| 1948 | $680.77 | 20.68% |
| 1949 | $756.73 | 11.16% |
| 1950 | $702.88 | -7.12% |
| 1951 | $737.50 | 4.92% |
| 1952 | $881.73 | 19.56% |
| 1953 | $987.50 | 12.00% |
| 1954 | $977.88 | -0.97% |
| 1955 | $934.62 | -4.42% |
| 1956 | $913.46 | -2.26% |
| 1957 | $999.04 | 9.37% |
| 1958 | $1,139.42 | 14.05% |
| 1959 | $1,209.62 | 6.16% |
| 1960 | $1,237.50 | 2.31% |
| 1961 | $1,247.12 | 0.78% |
| 1962 | $1,235.58 | -0.93% |
| 1963 | $1,260.58 | 2.02% |
| 1964 | $1,330.13 | 5.52% |
| 1965 | $1,461.54 | 9.88% |
| 1966 | $1,555.77 | 6.45% |
| 1967 | $1,597.12 | 2.66% |
| 1968 | $1,634.62 | 2.35% |
| 1969 | $1,776.26 | 8.67% |
| 1970 | $2,019.97 | 13.72% |
| 1971 | $2,248.89 | 11.33% |
| 1972 | $2,240.01 | -0.39% |
| 1973 | $2,200.81 | -1.75% |
| 1974 | $2,201.92 | 0.05% |
| 1975 | $2,325.44 | 5.61% |
| 1976 | $2,995.93 | 28.83% |
| 1977 | $3,356.14 | 12.02% |
| 1978 | $3,454.14 | 2.92% |
| 1979 | $3,644.97 | 5.52% |
| 1980 | $3,943.42 | 8.19% |
| 1981 | $4,130.18 | 4.74% |
| 1982 | $4,395.71 | 6.43% |
| 1983 | $4,825.07 | 9.77% |
| 1984 | $5,201.55 | 7.80% |
| 1985 | $5,731.14 | 10.18% |
| 1986 | $6,492.23 | 13.28% |
| 1987 | $7,030.33 | 8.29% |
| 1988 | $7,528.48 | 7.09% |
| 1989 | $8,007.40 | 6.36% |
| 1990 | $8,551.41 | 6.79% |
| 1991 | $9,207.47 | 7.67% |
| 1992 | $9,878.70 | 7.29% |
| 1993 | $10,417.53 | 5.45% |
| 1994 | $10,808.06 | 3.75% |
| 1995 | $11,264.05 | 4.22% |
| 1996 | $11,723.74 | 4.08% |
| 1997 | $12,096.15 | 3.18% |
| 1998 | $12,225.22 | 1.07% |
| 1999 | $12,203.40 | -0.18% |
| 2000 | $12,342.46 | 1.14% |
| 2001 | $12,891.27 | 4.45% |
| 2002 | $14,018.49 | 8.74% |
| 2003 | $15,117.23 | 7.84% |
| 2004 | $15,538.09 | 2.78% |
| 2005 | $15,858.36 | 2.06% |
| 2006 | $15,950.81 | 0.58% |
| 2007 | $16,016.49 | 0.41% |
| 2008 | $16,419.20 | 2.51% |
| 2009 | $17,163.34 | 4.53% |
| 2010 | $18,037.48 | 5.09% |
| 2011 | $18,685.33 | 3.59% |
| 2012 | $19,349.80 | 3.56% |
| 2013 | $20,163.46 | 4.20% |
| 2014 | $21,020.14 | 4.25% |
| 2015 | $22,144.74 | 5.35% |
| 2016 | $23,516.78 | 6.20% |
| 2017 | $25,332.27 | 7.72% |
| 2018 | $27,209.46 | 7.41% |
| 2019 | $27,453.47 | 0.90% |
| 2020 | $26,184.28 | -4.62% |
| 2021 | $27,178.51 | 3.80% |
| 2022 | $29,319.23 | 7.88% |
| 2023 | $34,423.26 | 17.41% |
| 2024 | $40,301.09 | 17.08%* |
* 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 | 1935 | 1936 | 1937 | 1938 | 1939 | 1940 | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 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 |
| CPI | 8.900 | 8.900 | 8.900 | 8.900 | 8.900 | 8.800 | 9.000 | 9.900 | 9.000 | 8.700 | 8.700 | 10.400 | 11.733 | 14.160 | 15.740 | 14.620 | 15.340 | 18.340 | 20.540 | 20.340 | 19.440 | 19.000 | 20.780 | 23.700 | 25.160 | 25.740 | 25.940 | 25.700 | 26.220 | 27.667 | 30.400 | 32.360 | 33.220 | 34.000 | 36.946 | 42.015 | 46.777 | 46.592 | 45.777 | 45.800 | 48.369 | 62.315 | 69.808 | 71.846 | 75.815 | 82.023 | 85.908 | 91.431 | 100.362 | 108.192 | 119.208 | 135.038 | 146.231 | 156.592 | 166.554 | 177.869 | 191.515 | 205.477 | 216.685 | 224.808 | 234.292 | 243.854 | 251.600 | 254.285 | 253.831 | 256.723 | 268.138 | 291.585 | 314.438 | 323.192 | 329.854 | 331.777 | 333.143 | 341.519 | 356.997 | 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 | 838.263 |