A Guide to Car Insurance in Illinois

There are two ways to answer this question: the legal way, and the personal way.

Don’t worry, we’re going to answer both ways. Let’s start with the legal one. 

Minimum Coverage Requirements in Illinois

It is illegal to drive without insurance and doing so will result in legal and financial penalties. Plus it’s incredibly dangerous, so please just get proper insurance.

Each state lays out its own minimum coverage requirements which describe the absolute minimum amount of coverage that drivers are legally obligated to carry. The car insurance requirements in Illinois are as follows:

• $25 000 per person and $50 000 per accident for Bodily Injury Liability Coverage 
• $20 000 per accident for Property Damage Liability Coverage 
• $25 000 per person and $50 000 per accident for Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage. 

That’s how much car insurance coverage you have to carry. But this doesn’t necessarily describe how much car insurance you should carry, which brings us to the personal answer to our question. 

Evaluating Car Insurance Needs

Each and every person comes from different circumstances, so it’s only natural that their insurance needs will be different too.

For most people, insurance experts recommend a full coverage car insurance policy. In addition to the minimum coverage requirements, full coverage policies also provide coverage for…

• Damages to vehicle caused in an accident (Collision Coverage) 
• Damages to vehicle due to other causes such as weather or vandalism (Comprehensive Coverage 

A full coverage policy offers a decent amount of coverage at an affordable price, which is why it’s the most commonly recommended. 

There are also additional coverages that you can purchase to flesh out your Illinois auto insurance policy: 

• Loan/lease payoff: this coverage provides additional protections for loaned or leased vehicles by factoring in the depreciated value of the vehicle since the loan was initially taken out.
  
• Medical and funeral services: this coverage helps pay for medical expenses incurred due to an accident and, if needed, funeral expenses as well.  
• Rental car reimbursement:this coverage applies to the cost of renting a vehicle while yours is being repaired or replaced.
  
• Roadside assistance: this coverage provides access to roadside services in situations such as a flat tire or dead battery.  
• Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage: this coverage applies when the other party does not have sufficient insurance to pay for the property damages they are at fault for.
  

When choosing a car insurance policy, you have to consider your budget alongside the coverages you’d find most useful. Speaking to an insurance expert (like us at Consumer Coverage!) can help you make an informed decision.