Car insurance priced at $500 in 1977 $5,128.40 in 2023

Car Insurance Inflation Calculator

$

Prices for Car Insurance, 1977-2023 ($500)

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, prices for motor vehicle insurance were 925.68% higher in 2023 versus 1977 (a $4,628.40 difference in value).

Between 1977 and 2023: Car insurance experienced an average inflation rate of 5.19% per year. This rate of change indicates significant inflation. In other words, car insurance costing $500 in the year 1977 would cost $5,128.40 in 2023 for an equivalent purchase. Compared to the overall inflation rate of 3.57% during this same period, inflation for car insurance was higher.

In the year 1977: Pricing changed by 12.02%, which is significantly above the average yearly change for car insurance during the 1977-2023 time period. Compared to inflation for all items in 1977 (6.50%), inflation for car insurance was much higher.

Price Inflation for Motor vehicle insurance since 1935

Consumer Price Index, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Years with the largest changes in pricing: 1976 (28.83%), 1948 (20.68%), and 1952 (19.56%).

View price changes for other categories
Wine at home · Airline fares · Fresh fruits · Seattle, Washington · More

Buying power of $500.00 since 1977

Below are calculations of equivalent buying power for Car insurance, over time, for $500 beginning in 1977. Each of the amounts below is equivalent in terms of what it could buy at the time:

YearUSD ValueInflation Rate
1977$500.0012.02%
1978$514.602.92%
1979$543.035.52%
1980$587.498.19%
1981$615.324.74%
1982$654.886.43%
1983$718.849.77%
1984$774.937.80%
1985$853.8310.18%
1986$967.2213.28%
1987$1,047.388.29%
1988$1,121.607.09%
1989$1,192.956.36%
1990$1,273.996.79%
1991$1,371.747.67%
1992$1,471.747.29%
1993$1,552.015.45%
1994$1,610.193.75%
1995$1,678.134.22%
1996$1,746.614.08%
1997$1,802.093.18%
1998$1,821.321.07%
1999$1,818.07-0.18%
2000$1,838.791.14%
2001$1,920.554.45%
2002$2,088.488.74%
2003$2,252.187.84%
2004$2,314.882.78%
2005$2,362.592.06%
2006$2,376.360.58%
2007$2,386.150.41%
2008$2,446.142.51%
2009$2,557.014.53%
2010$2,687.245.09%
2011$2,783.753.59%
2012$2,882.753.56%
2013$3,003.974.20%
2014$3,131.604.25%
2015$3,299.145.35%
2016$3,503.556.20%
2017$3,774.027.72%
2018$4,053.687.41%
2019$4,090.040.90%
2020$3,900.95-4.62%
2021$4,049.073.80%
2022$4,368.007.88%
2023$5,128.4017.41%
2024$5,956.8616.15%*

* 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:

Year193519361937193819391940194119421943194419451946194719481949195019511952195319541955195619571958195919601961196219631964196519661967196819691970197119721973197419751976197719781979198019811982198319841985198619871988198919901991199219931994199519961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024
CPI8.9008.9008.9008.9008.9008.8009.0009.9009.0008.7008.70010.40011.73314.16015.74014.62015.34018.34020.54020.34019.44019.00020.78023.70025.16025.74025.94025.70026.22027.66730.40032.36033.22034.00036.94642.01546.77746.59245.77745.80048.36962.31569.80871.84675.81582.02385.90891.431100.362108.192119.208135.038146.231156.592166.554177.869191.515205.477216.685224.808234.292243.854251.600254.285253.831256.723268.138291.585314.438323.192329.854331.777333.143341.519356.997375.180388.655402.476419.400437.219460.611489.149526.911565.957571.032544.633565.313609.840716.004831.669

Adjust car insurance prices for inflation

Start with the inflation rate formula:

CPI in 2023 / CPI in 1977 * 1977 USD value = 2023 USD value

Then plug in historical CPI values from above. The CPI for Motor vehicle insurance was 69.808 in the year 1977 and 716.004 in 2023:

716.004 / 69.808 * $500 = $5,128.40

Therefore, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, $500 in 1977 has the same "purchasing power" as $5,128.40 in 2023 (in the CPI category of Motor vehicle insurance).


Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking the Consumer Price Index for Motor vehicle insurance in 1935. In addition to car insurance, the index produces monthly data on changes in prices paid by urban consumers for a variety of goods and services.

» Read more about inflation and investment.