Illinois Car Insurance Requirements

Updated July 9th, 2018

Minimum car insurance in Illinois

Illinois requires two types of auto insurance: Liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage. But for many people the state minimums are too low to be sufficient. Let's look at the insurance options in Illinois so you can find the right coverage.

Minimum Illinois liability insurance:

If you cause an accident, liability insurance covers damage and injuries you cause. Likewise, if someone hits you, you can make a claim against their liability insurance. This type of coverage is the foundation for auto insurance policies. In Illinois you must buy liability coverage limits of at least:

$25,000 bodily injury per person.
$50,000 bodily injury per accident.
$20,000 property damage per accident.

This is written as 25/50/20.

Minimum uninsured motorist (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage:

UM and UIM are required in Illinois. If you're hit buy a driver who has no liability insurance or not enough, you can turn to your UM/UIM coverage. This insurance can be tricky to understand in Illinois. Here's what to know:

The minimum UM coverage limits are $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident (25/50) for injuries.
UIM coverage limits must match your UM limits. So if you buy coverage of 100/300 for UM, your UIM must be 100/300.
If you have no collision coverage, insurance companies in Illinois must offer you uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD). You can reject it. This is similar to UM but covers your property damage rather than injuries. For example, if an uninsured driver rear-ends you, you could make a claim on your UMPD.
If you buy UMPD, the minimum coverage is $15,000 or the value of your car, whichever is less. So if your car is worth $10,000, that's your UMPD coverage limit.
UMPD claims have a mandatory $250 deductible. That's the amount deducted from your insurance claims check.

Optional car insurance in Illinois

Here are other auto insurance types that you can add.

Medical payments (MedPay): MedPay covers car accident injuries and funeral expenses for anyone driving or riding in your car. It doesn't matter who caused the accident. It also covers you if you're hit by a car while walking or riding in someone else's car. It's available in Illinois but not required.

Comprehensive coverage: This covers the theft of your vehicle or damage from fire, hitting an animal, weather such as hail, flood, vandalism, falling objects and explosions. You're probably required to have comprehensive coverage if you have a car loan or lease.

Collision coverage: This pays for damage to your car from by hitting another car or an object, like a sign post. You're probably required to have collision coverage if you have a car loan or lease.

Rental reimbursement: This pays a certain amount for a rental car if your car is in the shop because of a car accident.

You must show an insurance ID card (or other proof of financial responsibility) in Illinois when:

Law enforcement requests it.

Penalties for not having Illinois auto insurance

Operating a vehicle without insurance: business offense that carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, as well as a three-month license suspension.
Operating a vehicle with suspended registration for noninsurance: business offense for the first offense and a misdemeanor for subsequent offenses.
The penalty for any conviction for operating with a suspended-for-noninsurance registration is a fine of $1,000 to $2,000.
Use of counterfeit insurance cards is a Class 4 felony.
Submission of false proof requires suspension of registration for six months and a $200 reinstatement fee.
Operating a vehicle without insurance: petty offense that carries a fine of $500 to $1,000, except that a person convicted of a third or subsequent violation is guilty of a business offense, and is required to pay a fine of $1,000.

Source: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

Consumer complaints against auto insurance companies in Illinois

Each state's department of insurance handles complaints against insurance companies. A "complaint ratio" number is meant to show the number of complaints relative to an insurer's size. Shown below are national complaint ratios for the largest car insurance companies in Illinois.

DUI laws in Illinois

First offense

The first offense in Illinois is a class A misdemeanor. If convicted, you could face the following penalties:

License revocation for one year (two years if you're under age 21) and suspension of vehicle registration.
If you had with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of .16 or more -- in addition to any penalties or fines -- a mandatory minimum fine of $500 and mandatory minimum 100 hours of community service.
If you committed the DUI while transporting a child under age 16 -- in addition to any penalties or fines -- possible imprisonment of up to six months, mandatory minimum fine of $1,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.
If you committed the DUI while transporting a child under age 16 and were involved in a crash that resulted in bodily injury to the child (which is an Aggravated DUI and a Class 4 felony -- in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions -- mandatory fine of $2,500 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.
Installation of an ignition interlock for the period of license suspension.

Second offense

The second offense is a class A misdemeanor. If convicted, you could get:

Mandatory minimum imprisonment of five days or 240 hours of community service.
Revocation of driving privileges for a minimum of five years for a second conviction within 20 years.
Suspension of vehicle registration.
If committed with a BAC of .16 or more -- in addition to any fines or penalties -- mandatory imprisonment of two days with a mandatory minimum fine of $1,250.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16 it's an Aggravated DUI and Class 4 felony.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16 and involved in a crash that resulted in bodily injury to the child it's an Aggravated DUI and Class 2 felony. In addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory fine of $5,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.
Installation of an ignition interlock if you receive a Restricted Driving Permit.

Third offense (Aggravated DUI)

The third offense is a class 2 felony. If convicted, you could face:

Fines up to $25,000.
Possible imprisonment of three to seven years.
Revocation of driving privileges for a minimum of 10 years and suspension of vehicle registration.
If you had a BAC of .16 or more -- in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions -- mandatory imprisonment for 90 days and mandatory minimum fine of $2,500.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16 -- in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions -- mandatory fine of $25,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.
Installation of an ignition interlock if you receive a Restricted Driving Permit.

Fourth offense (Aggravated DUI)

The fourth offense is a class 2 felony. If convicted, you may face:

Fines up to $25,000.
Possible imprisonment of three to seven years.
Revocation of driving privileges for life and suspension of vehicle registration.
If you had a BAC of .16 or more, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory minimum fine of $5,000.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory fine of $25,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.

Fifth offense (Aggravated DUI)

The fifth offense is a class 1 felony. If convicted, you could get:

Fines up to $25,000.
Possible imprisonment of four to 15 years.
Revocation of driving privileges for life and suspension of vehicle registration.
If you had a BAC of .16 or more, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory minimum fine of $5,000.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory fine of $25,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.

Sixth or subsequent offense (Aggravated DUI)

The sixth and/or subsequent offenses are a class X felony. If convicted, you may face:

Fines up to $25,000.
Imprisonment of six to 30 years.
Revocation of driving privileges for life and suspension of vehicle registration.
If committed with a BAC of .16 or more, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory minimum fine of $5,000.
If committed while transporting a child under age 16, in addition to any other criminal or administrative sanctions, a mandatory fine of $25,000 and 25 days of community service in a program benefiting children.

Refusing to submit to chemical testing in Illinois

First offense

Drivers who refuse to submit to chemical testing in Illinois will have their driving privileges revoked for a minimum of one year. You may be eligible for a Monitoring Device Driver Permit (MDDP) and allowed to operate a vehicle that has a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device (BAIID).

Second and subsequent offenses

Refusals to submit to chemical testing within five years of the prior offense will result in driving privileges revocation for three years.

DUI penalty source: Office of the Illinois Secretary of State and the National Conference of State Legislatures

Distracted driving laws in Illinois

Prohibits drivers from using hand-held cell phone while driving	Yes
All cellphone ban	Yes
All cellphone use banned for novice drivers	Drivers under age 19
Text messaging ban while driving	All drivers
Source: Governors Highway Safety Association