The Average Cost of Car Insurance in Illinois

The statewide average premium for full coverage car insurance in Illinois is $1,653 annually (or $138 monthly). That’s about 14 percent cheaper than the national average of $1,924. If you pay more than that, it might be because of your driving history, car insurance provider, age or coverage level — or it could be time to price check against other providers to ensure you’re getting the lowest rate.

Here’s a detailed look at how your background and driving history might contribute to your costs in Illinois.

Average Cost of Auto Insurance in Illinois By Age

Young drivers between 16 and 25 years old pay the highest car insurance rates because of their relative driving inexperience, resulting in more accidents and distracted driving. Prices tick up again for seniors once they reach their seventies. Here’s the full breakdown by age:

Here are the cheapest car insurance companies based on background and demographic.

How to Save on Car Insurance in Illinois

State-specific discounts differ from provider to provider in Illinois, which means you should talk to your agent or a customer service representative directly to learn about your saving opportunities. However, you can follow several auto insurance tips to help you save on car insurance:

1. Compare quotes before you decide on a provider.
2. Take advantage of pay-per-mile plans if you don’t drive very much.
3. Increase your deductibles.
4. Drive a vehicle that isn’t expensive to insure. Small SUVs, standard SUVs and pick-up trucks are some of the cheapest cars to insure.
5. Maintain a good credit score.
6. Drive safely.

Illinois Fault Law

Illinois is an at-fault state, which means the driver responsible for an accident must pay for the other party’s injuries and property damages. Illinois functions under a modified comparative negligence system.⁴

The comparative negligence law in Illinois states that if a driver is at least 51 percent at fault in an accident, they cannot claim any compensation from the other party. If a driver is less than 51 percent at fault, they can collect compensation from the other party, minus the damage they incurred. So, if someone gets into an accident and is 40 percent at fault, they can claim 60 percent of what they spent on damages from the other party.

SR-22s

If you have a history of driving violations or an otherwise poor driving record, you might need an SR-22 to drive. An SR-22 is a certificate of financial responsibility that proves you have the minimum insurance requirements to drive in Illinois.

According to the Office of the Illinois Secretary of State, you will need an SR-22 if you have one of the following on your driving record:

• Safety responsibility suspension
• Unsatisfied judgment suspension
• Revocation
• Mandatory insurance supervision
• Three or more convictions for mandatory insurance violations, such as driving without insurance

Recap

On average, you will pay less for insurance in Illinois if you’re a safe driver and take advantage of available discounts — especially compared to other states in the U.S. To find the best deals and providers in Illinois, we recommend you compare quotes, talk to agents about your specific needs and check out our review of the best insurance companies in Illinois.

If you’re a driver in Illinois, it’s important to know how much you can expect to pay based on the various factors that influence car insurance costs (such as age, gender, location and marital status).

AutoInsurance.com has spent 20 years connecting drivers to top insurance providers, which has provided us with millions of proprietary data points regarding what makes specific insurance providers more successful than others. We rely on that data to provide insights into which providers in Illinois offer the best rates relative to your specific background, demographic and life circumstances.