Illinois Auto Insurance
All drivers must meet minimum car insurance requirements in Illinois and the penalties for driving with no insurance carry hefty punishments. Drivers who are found driving with no car insurance will be fined for the offense and also have their car’s license tags temporarily taken away. Getting the tags back will cost even more money, not to mention the exposure to personal liability without insurance coverage.
In Illinois all drivers are required to possess at least a minimum of $20,000 in liability insurance for injuries incurred by one individual in the event of an accident, $40,000 in liability insurance for injuries incurred by more than one person in the event of an accident, and $15,000 in general property damage coverage. These minimum requirements are actually quite low and, whenever possible, drivers are strongly encouraged to take out policies in greater amounts in order to ensure that they are adequately protected in the event of an accident.
How much does car insurance cost in Illinois?
The average car insurance rates for Illinois drivers is approximately $1,235 per year. This is lower than the national average of $1,440, making it possible for almost all drivers to adopt an insurance policy of some type. It is also important to note that there are many Illinois drivers who pay below the average amount to insure their vehicles. Those who qualify for certain discounts, have good driving histories, older than 24, and who take the time to shop around for car insurance tend to pay lower rates. If you do not have a good driving history there are a still a number of high risk car insurance companies to compare. Overall Illinois has one of the most competitive markets for car insurance in the nation regardless of your driving history.
Auto Theft in Illinois
Unfortunately, Illinois is home to quite a bit of car theft and/or vandalism. As such, owning a luxury vehicle or any high cost vehicle that is more likely to get stolen will cause your insurance premiums to go up. The Illinois car insurance industry has compiled a list of the most commonly stolen and/or vandalized vehicles. The list includes the Honda Civic, the Oldsmobile Cutlass, the Dodge Caravan, the Ford Taurus, the Chevrolet Van, the Toyota Camry, the Pontiac Grand Prix, the Chevrolet Cavalier, the Buick Century, the Jeep Cherokee, and the Grand Cherokee.
If you own one of these vehicles, you might think that you are out of luck and will have no choice but to pay higher insurance premiums. Fortunately, however, this is not the case. By choosing to install anti-theft features on your high risk vehicle, you can qualify for special discounts and cause your insurance premiums to go down. Anti-theft features that commonly qualify car owners for this discount include car alarms, steering wheel locks, kill switches, hood locks, tire locks, vehicle tracking systems, gearshift locks, and crook locks.
Of course, not every car insurance provider will be willing to offer you the anti-theft discount but there are many that will so always shop around and try to find a car insurance company who offers the type of discounts you need. Never feel like you have to settle for a high premium or be denied the car insurance discounts you deserve; instead, simply take your business elsewhere. There are lots of car insurance companies in Illinois that would be glad to have you as a customer.
Also, if your vehicle has these anti-theft features installed and your car insurance company has not offered you a discount, don’t just assume they won’t grant you the discount. A lot of times, you have to be the one to speak up and ask about your discount. While some car insurance companies will purposefully not tell you about discounts in order to make more money, it is more common that the provider simply does not know you have installed these special features on your car. If you already have them at the time you open your policy, be sure to bring them up. If you get them later on, after you have already opened a policy with the provider, then be sure to let your provider know. You can’t expect your insurance company to read your mind, after all, and you have to take the initiative and speak up.
Who has the best car insurance rates in Illinois?
This will certainly depend on who you ask. Companies like GEICO and State Farm may be the best car insurance company for you while other drivers may prefer Progressive or Liberty Mutual. The only way to find the best car insurance company is to shop around, compare auto insurance companies and find the best one for you unique profile. Get started comparing car insurance quotes today – simply enter your ZIP code above.
