that meets the state’s minimum liability requirements of $25,000/$50,000 bodily injury liability per person/accident and $20,000 property damage liability per accident. You’ll also need to carry $25,000/$50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) coverage per person/accident.

Illinois auto insurance law states that all registered vehicles must be insured with at least the following amounts of coverage:

Type of car insurance coverage	Minimum insurance limit
Bodily injury liability (per person)	$25,000
Bodily injury liability (per accident)	$50,000
Property damage liability (per accident)	$20,000
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (per person/per accident)	$25,000/$50,000

Here’s what each of those covers:

Bodily injury liability

helps cover the cost of injuries and lost wages for the other party if you are at fault in an accident.

Property damage liability

helps cover the cost of property damage for any other parties involved where you are the at-fault driver in an accident.

If you purchase more than the state minimum UMBI limits, you’ll also be required to purchase underinsured motorist bodily injury (UIMBI) coverage. This will cover the difference between the other driver’s insurance limits and yours if their insurance limits are lower than yours.

Explore different types of coverage and how they impact the cost of your insurance with the Jerry app.

When you request quotes with

Jerry

, it’s easy to adjust your preferred coverage levels right from the app.

Is minimum coverage the most cost-effective option?

Sticking to the state minimum liability coverage limits will get you the lowest rates on your auto insurance policy, but that doesn’t mean it’s the best value.

Liability coverage only pays for property damages or medical expenses for the other party if you cause a car accident—and if those damages exceed your liability limits, you could be sued for the remainder of those bills.

On top of that, liability insurance won’t pay for any of your own damages or medical bills.

To protect yourself after an accident, it’s best to raise your liability limits to at least $100,000/$300,000 bodily injury per person/accident and $100,000 property damage per accident.Also, consider adding comprehensive and collision coverage to help cover damage to your vehicle.

if you lease or finance a vehicle, your bank or lender will require you to purchase physical damage coverage—comprehensive and collision insurance—on top of liability insurance.

Average cost of insurance in Illinois

The average monthly cost for minimum liability auto insurance coverage in Illinois is around $109 or $1,310 annually. In the case of full coverage insurance, the average monthly cost in Illinois is approximately $166, totaling $1,993 per year.

But it’s hard to know how much you’ll pay based on an average. Your car insurance rate is based on several factors, including your driving record, where you live, the vehicle you drive, your age, the coverage you choose, and more.

To find the best rates on your insurance coverage, use an

insurance comparison app

Jerry

to shop for quotes.

When you get rates from several different providers, you’re more likely to find an insurance company that offers low rates to drivers who fit your profile.

Optional coverages in Illinois

In addition to liability and uninsured motorist coverage, you can add the following

types of insurance

to your policy:

Collision insurance

: Covers the cost of damage to your vehicle due to a collision with another vehicle or stationary object.

Comprehensive insurance

: Helps cover the cost of non-collision-related damage to your vehicle resulting from things like theft, vandalism, floods, hail, and more. Comprehensive coverage will cover most things collision insurance doesn’t.

Medical payments (MedPay)

: Covers medical expenses for you and your passengers after an accident.

Gap insurance

: If you lease or finance a new vehicle and it’s totaled in a crash, gap insurance covers the difference between how much your car is worth at the time of the incident (the actual cash value) and how much you still owe on your car loan.

Roadside assistance: Also called

towing and labor coverage

, roadside assistance helps cover the costs of standard roadside assistance services, like towing, battery changes, or gas delivery.

Note that some types of optional coverage, like collision and comprehensive insurance, require a deductible.

Penalties for driving without insurance in Illinois

Penalty	First and second offense	Subsequent offenses
Fine	$500 to $1,000; additional $1,000 fine for driving a vehicle while the license plates are suspended for a previous insurance violation	$1,000; additional $1,000 for driving with suspended plates due to an insurance violation; additional $2,500 fine if you've been convicted twice and involved in an accident
Driving privileges	Vehicle registration suspended until proof of insurance is provided	Vehicle registration suspended for up to 4 months
Other penalties	$100 license reinstatement fee	$100 license reinstatement fee; required to provide proof of financial responsibility ( SR-22 certificate ) for three years

If you’ve been driving without insurance, you may find it difficult to find a provider that will be willing to cover you. If you can’t find car insurance coverage, contact an insurance agent and ask about the Illinois Automobile Insurance Plan (ILAIP), a program that helps high-risk drivers get insurance.

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FAQs

What car insurance is required in Illinois?

To legally drive in Illinois, you must carry $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, and $20,000 in property damage liability per accident, as well as $25,000/$50,000 in uninsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI) coverage.

What are the insurance requirements for a financed car in Illinois?

In addition to the state’s liability limits, most lenders will require you to carry comprehensive and collision insurance.

Is it illegal to not have car insurance in Illinois?

Yes, it’s illegal to drive without at least the state minimum liability insurance in Illinois.

Do you need a driver’s license to get car insurance in Illinois?

Yes—like most states, you can get car insurance in Illinois without a driver’s license, but you may need to go through a more specialized insurance provider to do so, and your car insurance policy will usually limit coverage to a licensed primary driver.