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Illinois will begin verifying car insurance electronically, starting July 1. The program is meant to lower the number of uninsured drivers on the state’s roads.
The new verification system will follow national standards set by the Insurance Industry Committee on Motor Vehicle Administration.
Learn more about the verification program, how it will benefit Illinoisians, and how to find cheap car insurance in the state below.
Illinois will make it easier than ever to verify you're insured | Twenty20
Illinois’ electronic insurance check
13 WREX reports that the new Illinois Insurance Verification System (ILIVS) will verify drivers’ car insurance at random at least twice a year. If the system can’t verify your insurance, a request will be sent to you to prove you have the minimum insurance the state requires.
Insurance companies and the Secretary of State’s office are working together to launch the program.
Jesse White, Illinois’ Secretary of State, told 13 WREX what he hopes the new system will communicate to drivers. "The message is simple," he said, "if you don’t have auto insurance, get covered now. It is the law."
Most drivers won’t have to do anything since ILIVS conducts its process automatically. Anyone whose insurance can’t be verified will be sent a reference number to send to their insurance company. But if they can’t prove they have insurance, they’ll be slammed with a license plate suspension and a $100 reinstatement fee.
Why everyone benefits when we all have insurance
Making sure drivers have insurance saves everyone money, from the government and the legal system to individual drivers. That’s because uninsured motorists cost the rest of society a lot of money.
People without car insurance compel others to buy uninsured motorist coverage. The more uninsured motorists there are, the more expensive UM becomes.
Insurance companies determine their rates based on the risk that a claim will be made. So logically, if there are a lot of uninsured drivers in your area, you are more likely to need to make a claim under your UM, and your rate will increase.
Uninsured drivers also negatively affect other types of car insurance. Premium rates change from state to state, but in Oklahoma, where in 2014 the rate of uninsured drivers was a shocking 25.9 percent, the average minimum coverage costs $82 a month. For a primarily rural state, this is a lot.
How to find the right car insurance for the right price
Whether you live in Oklahoma or Illinois, having uninsured motorist coverage is a good idea. In Illinois, the law actually requires you to include it in your policy.
With all these different requirements and factors from state to state, finding the right coverage at a good price can be pretty tricky. But it gets a lot easier when you use Jerry.
Jerry is your ultra-talented car insurance broker for life. No need to sit across from him at a desk—Jerry is an app! It takes less than a minute to sign up and you’ll be presented with competitive rates from up to 45 top providers. Don’t lose coverage, find savings with Jerry.
