Bank of America economists predict relief in soaring auto insurance costs, which have been a major driver behind inflation. The bank sees factors such as higher vehicle prices, increased repair costs, and more accidents returning to normal levels as contributing to the rise in insurance premiums. However, they also note signs of insurers returning to profitability, which could potentially slow the rate of increase in costs. Sales prices for new and used vehicles have been trending lower, and repair and maintenance services costs were flat in April despite being up from a year ago. While auto insurance costs continue to soar, the rate of increase may slow in the near future.
In April, motor vehicle insurance costs rose 1.8% on a monthly basis and were up 22.6% from a year ago, marking the largest annual increase since 1979. With auto insurance having a weighting of nearly 3% in the Consumer Price Index (CPI), it is a significant component affecting inflation. Although prices are not expected to fall, the rate of increase is likely to decrease moving forward. Overall CPI inflation ran at a 3.4% annual rate in April, down from its highest level in more than 40 years in mid-2022. This could potentially give the Federal Reserve more confidence to start cutting rates later in the year, with market pricing indicating an expected first rate cut in September.
The Federal Reserve primarily uses the Commerce Department’s measure of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) as its inflation barometer, where auto insurance has a smaller weighting compared to the BLS’s CPI. This could mean that any disinflation in auto insurance costs may have a lesser impact on inflation as a whole. If Bank of America’s forecast for insurance disinflation holds true, the Fed may be more inclined to start its cutting cycle. Until then, the Fed is expected to keep rates steady. The potential easing of auto insurance costs could play a key role in the Fed’s decision-making process regarding rate cuts.
A major contributing factor to the surge in auto insurance premiums has been underwriting losses in the industry, which have been passed on to consumers. However, signs of insurers returning to profitability could indicate a shift in the trend. The recent trends suggest that while premiums may not decrease, the rate of increase is expected to slow down. This gradual slowdown in the rise of insurance costs, coupled with other economic factors such as lower vehicle prices and flat repair costs, could help alleviate some of the pressure on consumers facing high inflation rates. It remains to be seen how these potential changes will impact overall inflation and the Fed’s future monetary policy decisions.
