How Much Is Illinois Car Insurance?

Ever wonder how much drivers in Illinois pay for car insurance? Check out the average price that most people pay and see if you can find a cheaper rate.

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Affordable Car Insurance in Illinois

You’re a smart, savvy shopper. We get that. You don’t visit the airport when you need to book a trip, you use TripAdvisor.com or Expedia.com. Car insurance is no different. We’ll help you quickly figure out who offers the best car insurance in Illinois for your smart, savvy self.

We are carrier-neutral because our customer is you. Have no fear of the unknown after reviewing the data points provided here, especially when purchasing car insurance for the first time. You will be armed and prosperous! And then you can get on with your life.

Cheapest Auto Insurance Rates in Illinois

Carriers look at multiple variables when determining your insurance rate. Your age, location, driving history, and state requirements are all factors in determining the price you pay. We used our in-house reporting to determine the companies that offer the cheapest car insurance rates in Illinois. Clearcover came in with the lowest rate currently available in Illinois at $65.44 per month. Followed by Mercury Insurance at $67.00 per month and Direct Auto at $79.95 per month.

Lowest Rate

Clearcover

$65.44
Highest Rate

American Family

$320.88
Average Rate

Illinois

$112
RankCompanyAvg monthly rate
1 Clearcover $65.44 / month
2 Mercury Insurance $67.00 / month
3 Direct Auto $79.95 / month
4 Pekin Insurance $95.14 / month
5 Auto-Owners Insurance Co $111.33 / month
6 State Farm $112.92 / month
7 Travelers $113.01 / month
8 Country $114.10 / month
9 SECURA Insurance $115.18 / month
10 Nationwide $117.08 / month
11 Mercury $123.49 / month
12 Hastings Mutual Insurance Co $126.32 / month
13 Grange Mutual $130.21 / month
14 USAA $139.89 / month
15 Rockford Mutual Insurance $150.23 / month
16 First Chicago Insurance $155.70 / month
17 Encompass $164.41 / month
18 Liberty Mutual $167.75 / month
19 National General Value $171.29 / month
20 Automobile Club of Missouri $190.88 / month
21 Farmers $203.84 / month
22 Metropolitan $219.55 / month
23 State Auto $230.54 / month
24 NatGen Custom 360 $241.46 / month
25 Allstate $250.80 / month
26 Auto Club Group $253.36 / month
27 Dairyland $260.66 / month
28 Hanover $267.76 / month
29 Safe Auto $294.95 / month
30 American Family $320.88 / month

Top 10 Cheapest Cities for Car Insurance

If you are lucky enough to live in one of these cities you are likely paying some of the lowest car insurance rates available in Illinois. According to our data, Effingham comes in at the cheapest at only $75.18 per month. Other cities that made the top 10 list include Pontiac at $75.59 per month, Kewanee at $76.24 per month, and Macomb at $77.35 per month.

RankCityAvg monthly rate
1 Effingham, IL$75.18 / month
2 Pontiac, IL$75.59 / month
3 Kewanee, IL$76.24 / month
4 Macomb, IL$77.35 / month
5 Galesburg, IL$78.25 / month
6 Robinson, IL$78.48 / month
7 Canton, IL$78.56 / month
8 Lawrenceville, IL$79.59 / month
9 Streator, IL$79.73 / month
10 Rantoul, IL$81.52 / month

Top 10 Most Expensive Cities for Car Insurance

These top 10 cities ranked as the most expensive places in Illinois for car insurance. Location is a big factor when determining the price you pay for car insurance and these cities came in at the top. Bridgeview is the most expensive city in Illinois at $136.51 per month. Second and third place goes to Cicero at $135.18 per month and Chicago at $134.67 per month.

RankCityAvg monthly rate
1 Bridgeview , IL $136.51 / month
2 Cicero , IL $135.18 / month
3 Chicago , IL $134.67 / month
4 Burbank , IL $134.50 / month
5 Elmwood Park , IL $131.38 / month
6 Harvey , IL $129.66 / month
7 Dolton , IL $129.45 / month
8 Calumet City , IL $128.76 / month
9 Glenwood , IL $128.71 / month
10 Markham , IL $128.59 / month

Average Quotes by Top Companies

Rates can vary wildly from company to company. Here is a quick look at a few rates from some of the top car insurance companies in Illinois.

Compare Recent Car Insurance Quotes in Illinois

SmartFinancial helps thousands of drivers every day find and compare the best car insurance rates available. Here is a list of some recent quotes that we recently found for drivers in Illinois.

CompanyMonthly rateVehicle
Metlife $1082017 Lincoln Navigator
21st Century $722017 Mitsubishi Outlander
Metlife $1712020 Honda Accord
Infinity $742012 Toyota Camry
Foremost Auto $1142012 Chrysler 200
General $1042016 Toyota Scion Fr S
Safeco $1062019 Mazda CX 5
Everest $1572018 Nissan Sentra
Dairyland $1162017 Mazda CX 5
Liberty Mutual $652010 Chevrolet Impala
Infinity $392005 Pontiac Vibe
Liberty Mutual $992013 Kia Rio

Methodology

The statistics listed on this page are from our own in house reporting. We track and record quotes that carriers have provided based on various criteria. The rates and averages shown on this page should only be used as an estimate.

Minimum Car Insurance Coverage in Illinois

In Illinois, you are legally required to obtain liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage. Both are for your protection if you are deemed “at fault” in an accident that causes injury and lost wages to another driver or passengers in another vehicle (whether or not the other driver is insured or is underinsured). Liability coverage pays up to the amounts listed below.* It also pays for damages to the other driver’s vehicle. Trust us, you’d want this coverage even if it wasn’t legally required!

Since Illinois is a “fault” or “tort” state, your carrier will pay for accident damages only once you are found responsible for causing the accident. You can also be sued by the other driver if found at fault. Consider this: $20,000 is the maximum payment for property damage in Illinois but you collide with a $35,000 vehicle. If you are found at fault, you are on the hook for any damages beyond $20,000. Between this and the high cost of medical care, we recommend you carry more than the minimum required coverage!

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$25,000

Bodily injury coverage per person

Maximum payment for serious or permanent injury or death to a single person

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$50,000

Bodily injury coverage per accident

Maximum payment for serious or permanent injury or death to multiple people

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$20,000

Property damage per accident

Maximum payment for all damaged property in an accident caused by you

While not legally required, drivers can also elect to carry full coverage insurance. 

Since you are smart and savvy, you should know that there are instances where your lender will require you to carry one of the optional coverages listed below (typically collision and comprehensive).

Optional Coverage in Illinois

  • Auto Loan/Lease (or "gap")
  • MedPay
  • Comprehensive
  • Collision
  • Personal Injury Protection
  • Uninsured Drivers
  • Rental Car
  • Customized Parts and Equipment
  • Emergency Road Service
  • Towing and Labor
  • Travel Expenses

Coverage for those who cannot afford or have otherwise been denied) auto insurance in Illinois is available through the Illinois Automobile Insurance Plan (ILAIP). For a list of requirements, visit ILAIP’s website.

Illinois Car Safety

You’re on your way to finding a great car insurance rate, but what else do you need to know? Illinois auto insurance comes with its own unique set of laws. You are not only a smart, savvy shopper but a good citizen, so we have outlined the most important driving and insurance laws in Illinois for you.

Driving in Illinois with a blood alcohol content (including that from medications) at or below the set limits WILL put you at risk of being arrested for driving under the influence. The consequences are real, and they are as harsh as you would suspect. 

Texting and driving in Illinois can also have extreme consequences. Watch this video with your family to understand that what we often think is just a safe, quick glance could mean permanent damage, our own death or even homicide. The fact is, a one-second glance away from the road is what the Journal of Adolescent Health has deemed safe, but the average text message takes five seconds. You wouldn’t drink and drive, so don’t text and drive either.

While it might seem like all of these driving laws go without saying, the statistics tell us otherwise. SmartFinancial encourages you to avoid all non-driving activities while driving. Keep yourself, your passengers and other drivers safe by limiting your road activities strictly to driving while driving.

Car Safety for Illinois Kids

The Illinois Child Passenger Protection Act requires that all kids under the age of 8 be properly secured in a Federally approved car seat or booster seat. Up to age 1 and 20 pounds, babies should ride in a rear-facing car seat. It should be installed in the back seat; if a back seat is unavailable, the front passenger seat may be used, provided it doesn’t have an enabled airbag.

It’s safest to continue using the rear-facing car seat up to age 2, or whenever the child reaches the manufacturer’s weight and height limit. Then, use a front-facing car seat with a harness system until the child reaches its size limit. After that, a belt-positioning booster seat is appropriate.

The booster seat should be used until the child outgrows its size limit, although under State law it’s only required up to age 8. However, children can’t usually be properly restrained by a vehicle’s built-in seat belts until reaching 4′ 9” tall. At this height, kids can sit up straight in the seat with their knees bent over the front, with the shoulder strap crossing their shoulder and chest and the lap belt passing over their upper thighs.

It’s against the law in Illinois to knowingly endanger a minor. It’s also against the law to leave a child 6 or younger unsupervised in a vehicle by someone who’s at least 14 years old for more than 10 minutes. A first-time violation of this law is a class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to $2,500 in fines and 1 year’s imprisonment.

Children are at risk of injury, abduction, violence, hypothermia, and hyperthermia when left alone in a vehicle. Interior temperatures can reach extreme levels and become dangerous—even potentially fatal—in under half an hour. Don’t leave kids (or pets) unattended in a vehicle.

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307

Fatal Accidents Testing Positive for Drug Involvement in Illinois

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292,437

Annual Distracted Driving Related Crashes in Illinois

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28

Years in Illinois Prison for Vehicular Homicide Caused by a Drunk Driver

Driving Green in Illinois

With more than 305,842 miles of scenic road to cover, there is a large amount of driving being done in Illinois. Here’s how you can do your part to “drive green.”

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Smog

If your vehicle is registered in certain zip codes in these Northeastern Illinois counties, get your emissions testing done every two years. All others are exempt.

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Littering

Avoid fines, highway litter control and/or jail time by not breaking the Illinois littering laws.

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Clean Air Cars

Pay no more than $18 per registration year to renew your electric vehicle license plates in Illinois. Click here for more information. Electric and diesel-powered vehicles are also exempted from emissions testing. Check with your chosen auto insurance company about green vehicle discounts! For more information on Illinois’ efforts (and nationwide efforts) to promote hybrid and electric vehicles, visit www.ncsl.org.

Illinois Car Insurance FAQ

Is my credit score a factor when obtaining car insurance in Illinois?

Yes and, unfortunately, car insurance companies in your state do not have to reveal to you how they are going about setting your rate. Here are a few things you can do to keep your rate down.

Does Illinois offer a good-driver discount?

It is always best to ask you selected car insurance company about good-driver and other discounts to obtain cheap auto insurance in Illinois! Possible discounts include:

  • Accident-Free
  • Claims-Free
  • Teen Driver
  • Multi-Car
  • Distant Student
  • Alternative Fuel
  • Homeowner
  • Defensive Driver
  • Good Student
  • Anti-Lock Brake
  • Anti-Theft Device
  • Multiple Line
  • Passive Restraint
  • Vehicle Safety

For more ways to obtain cheap car insurance in Illinois, visit the Illinois Department of Insurance website.

Does Illinois allow the use of digital insurance cards?

Yes! Thanks to Bill SB1775, getting pulled over in Illinois is slightly less panicky since you don’t have to locate the hard copy of your insurance card for the officer. BUT, be mindful of unlocking your phone to access your digital insurance card before the officer has determined whether you were cell-phoning and driving!

What happens if my coverage lapses?

Since ;liability insurance is a minimum requirement in your state (and most others), there are penalties for being caught driving without it. The fines are as high as $1,000 according to the Illinois Secretary of State, so don’t take the chance!

What are Illinois's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) percentage limits under the state's driving under the influence (DUI) laws?

It is illegal for an individual to operate a motor vehicle in Illinois with the following BAC percentages:

.08%+ @ 21 years old or older
.04%+ for commercial vehicle drivers
.01%+ @ < 21 years old

What are the chemical test refusal penalties in Illinois?

Refusal to submit to a chemical test leads to a 12 month driver’s license suspension in Illinois on the first offense, 36 months in subsequent offenses.

What are the consequences of being convicted of a DUI?

If convicted of a DUI, say goodbye to being financially savvy, and quite possibly, to your freedom. If arrested, you’ll face varying degrees of jail time, fines, driver’s license suspensions, community service, DUI school and reinstatement requirements. The financial obligations extend beyond the DUI ticket to court costs, attorney fees, higher insurance rates, SR-22 filing and the installation of an Ignition Interlock Device (IID) to serve as a breathalyzer test each time you start your vehicle.

For more information on Illinois’ drinking and driving laws, refer to the Illinois State Police website.

What is uninsured motorist coverage and is it required in Illinois?

Uninsured motorist coverage protects you from damage caused by other drivers without insurance and hit-and-runs. It is an optional coverage!

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