Carriers
Last Year's $1,000 of Car Insurance Costs $950 Now
By Insurance Wire Staff, . Insurance Wire.
Prices for motor vehicle insurance were 5.0% lower in September 2026 than a year earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics consumer price index. Put plainly, $1,000 of car insurance a year ago costs $950 for the same thing today.
Overall consumer prices rose 3.7% over the same twelve months, so motor vehicle insurance moved slower than everything else.
The numbers
| Change over the year | What last year's $1,000 costs now | |
|---|---|---|
| Motor vehicle insurance | -5.0% | $950 |
| Health insurance | -9.0% | $910 |
| Tenants and household insurance | +3.0% | $1,030 |
| All consumer prices | +3.7% | $1,037 |
*Consumer price index for all urban consumers, U.S. city average, not seasonally adjusted, September 2026 against September 2025. The index measures the price of the same coverage or service, not what any one household pays. Health insurance is measured indirectly, from insurers' retained earnings, so it can fall while the premiums people pay rise.
Insurance Wire publishes this reading every month when the new price index is released. Data is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The dollar figures are Insurance Wire's own calculation and may be cited with a link to this page.
Insurance Wire provides news and information, not insurance, legal, or financial advice. Consult a qualified professional about your specific needs.