Car Insurance in Illinois

What does Illinois car insurance actually require?

You must carry liability insurance on every car you own. Liability pays for the harm you cause to other people. It does not pay for your own car or your own injuries.

The Illinois minimum is called 25/50/20. In plain terms:

• $25,000 for each person you injure.
• $50,000 for all injuries in one crash.
• $20,000 for other people’s property, such as their car or a fence.

Illinois also makes you carry uninsured-motorist coverage for bodily injury, with the same 25/50 limits. This is the part many guides miss. If a driver with no insurance, or a hit-and-run driver, hurts you, your own policy pays your injuries up to those limits.

Collision and comprehensive coverage, which repair your own car, are not required by law. Your lender will ask for them if you have a car loan. The state insurance regulator says adding them generally about doubles a premium, so on an older car it is worth doing the math.

The state’s own guide also warns that the minimums may not fully protect you from a lawsuit. We agree with the warning, and the next section shows why.

Is 25/50/20 enough if you cause a serious crash?

Often it is not. Here is an example with made-up numbers.

You run a red light. The other driver needs $60,000 of hospital care, and their car is a $30,000 total loss. With minimum limits, your insurer pays $25,000 toward the medical bills and $20,000 toward the car. You owe the remaining $35,000 and $10,000, which is $45,000 out of your own pocket. That can mean a court judgment against you, and wages or savings can be targeted.

With 100/300/100 limits, the same crash costs you nothing beyond your deductible. Many guides suggest that level as a safer target, but the extra cost depends on your record and address. Our liability limit checker and the guide on full coverage versus liability only can help you pick a number.

Raising the state minimum has been tried before. A bill to move to 50/100/40 has been stuck in committee since March 2025. Bills in 2019 and 2021 failed too. Some websites say the minimum is now 30/60/25. That figure came from a 2024 bill that died when the session ended, and the state’s pages still show 25/50/20.

Is Illinois a no-fault state?

No. Illinois is an at-fault state, so the driver who causes the crash pays. You file against the at-fault driver’s insurer, or against your own policy for the coverages you bought. Our guide to no-fault versus at-fault states explains the difference.

Illinois adds one twist that matters when blame is shared. Under its comparative negligence rule, your payout shrinks by your share of fault. If you are more than half to blame, you get nothing. The state regulator’s guide says you must be under 50 percent at fault, but the law’s wording only bars you above 50 percent. If your crash is close to an even split, ask a lawyer.

Example: a judge finds the other driver 80 percent at fault and you 20 percent. You can still claim, but you would expect about 80 percent of your losses. The other insurer may also argue you were more at fault than you think, so keep photos and the police report.

What makes Illinois different from other states?

A few rules here are less common than the headline limits.

Early cancellation is easy. In the first 60 days of a new policy, an insurer can cancel for almost any reason. After that it needs a listed reason, such as unpaid premium, fraud, or a license suspension in the past year. It must mail written notice: at least 10 days ahead if you did not pay, and at least 30 days ahead for other reasons. You can ask the state for a hearing if the reason was not nonpayment, but your written request must reach the Department at least 20 days before the cancellation date.

Renewal is protected a little. An insurer cannot refuse to renew a policy based only on your credit report. For drivers insured five years or more, it needs a listed reason with 30 days’ notice, or it must give 60 days’ notice.

You may not keep a totaled car. If your insurer declares the car a total loss, the law generally bars you from keeping it. The exceptions are hail-only damage that leaves the car safe and cars nine model years old or older. If you buy a replacement within 30 days of a cash settlement, the insurer must also cover the sales tax and title fees on the value.

The state checks your coverage. The Secretary of State runs an insurance verification program that matches registered vehicles against insurer records. If you get a notice, do not ignore it. The notice points you to ilivs.com or the line at 800-252-8980.

What happens if you are caught without insurance in Illinois?

A conviction brings a fine and a license suspension. Summaries of the Vehicle Code put a first fine between $501 and $1,000, and a three-month suspension. We could not read the statute itself, so confirm the exact amounts with the court or the Secretary of State.

There is good news for people who were insured. If a ticket says you had no proof of insurance but your policy was active that day, courts commonly accept a card, a declarations page, or an insurer letter showing the dates and your vehicle. Some county clerks let you upload it before your court date.

The bigger trap is the SR-22. If a judge gives you court supervision for a no-insurance offense, or you collect three convictions, the Secretary of State will require an SR-22. That is a certificate your insurer files for you. It stays on file for three years, and a lapse triggers an immediate suspension. Do not buy it early: wait for the Secretary of State’s notice, then file within 90 days. Binders and standard policies do not count. Read our SR-22 guide before you shop.

How much does car insurance cost in Illinois?

The only state figure from a regulator group is the NAIC’s. It reports an average of $1,263.95 per insured vehicle for 2024, up from $1,152.85 in 2023. The national figure for 2024 was $1,431.63. This is a state-wide average of liability, collision and comprehensive premiums, not a price for any one driver.

Company estimates for similar full-coverage policies with 100/300 injury limits vary a lot:

Figures are taken from published third-party sources for the dates and profiles shown. They are not quotes. The spread is more than double, and car age, deductibles, limits and a different mix of insurers explain much of it. The takeaway is that two clean-record drivers can be offered very different prices, so your own quotes matter more than any average. Our cost guide covers what drives price.

Where you live moves the price as well. The state says drivers in crowded areas often pay more because of traffic and theft. If you are in the city, see our Chicago page.

Where can you get help or file a complaint?

The Illinois Department of Insurance handles complaints about insurers. You can file online through its help center or mail its auto and home complaint form. Call 312-814-2420 in Chicago or 217-782-4515 in Springfield. The department also publishes yearly complaint reports by company, which you can check before you buy.

Before you sign with a company, confirm it is licensed in Illinois. Unlicensed companies do not follow state insurance rules and do not take part in the fund that protects policyholders if a company fails.

If no company will sell to you, ask an agent about the Illinois Auto Insurance Plan. The state lists four conditions: other insurers refused you, you hold or can get a license, you owe no unpaid premium on previous coverage from the last 36 months, and your car is safe to drive.

Owning a home too? Our Illinois home insurance page covers that side, and bundling can lower both bills.

What to do next

1. Find the first page of your policy and write down your liability limits and your uninsured-motorist limits.
2. Add up what you could lose: savings, home equity and a year of income. If that is more than $50,000, ask for quotes with higher limits.
3. Get at least three written quotes with identical limits and deductibles. If you switch, keep the old policy until the new one starts, so you are never without coverage.
4. Keep proof of insurance in your car or on your phone, and save the dates of any policy changes.
5. Open any letter from the Secretary of State or your insurer the day it arrives, and note the deadline.
6. If you have a ticket or an SR-22 notice, call the court clerk or the Secretary of State before you pay for anything.

Bottom line

If you only have the 25/50/20 minimum and own a car, a home or savings, ask for higher limits and keep uninsured-motorist coverage. If you were ticketed or got a state notice, act on the deadline before buying extra paperwork. Always check amounts with the Illinois Department of Insurance, since this page is general information and not legal or financial advice.