Month: June 2020
How Much Is Car Insurance in Illinois?
Car insurance is mandatory for those who drive a vehicle in Illinois (including Oswego, Plainfield, Naperville, Aurora, Morris and Montgomery). That mandate includes only a minimum of liability insurance.
To meet the state’s requirements, Illinois drivers must carry at least the following liability amounts:
- bodily injury – $25,000/person, $50,000/accident
- property damage – $20,000/accident
- bodily injury by uninsured/underinsured motorist – $25,000/person, $50,000/accident
These mandatory coverages for the state are low, so as mindful consumers, we want to be wary of cheap car insurance that can still leave us exposed.
In the long run, better insurance coverage will always be a better value, particularly when we consider our goal is to protect ourselves, our passengers and anyone else who might be involved in an accident. A full car insurance policy will cover bodily liability, property damage, uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury, and comprehensive and collision.
Collision coverage is for when a vehicle hits another vehicle or object. Comprehensive coverage is for theft, vandalism, and damage from weather or fire – i.e. things that can happen to the vehicle when it is not moving.
Factors Behind How Much Car Insurance Costs in Illinois
Because coverage is mandatory, we all pay car insurance premiums. We want to have the best possible coverage for the best available price. However, all insurance carriers assess their customers differently, which leads to a wide range of rates for the same types of coverage among them. Rates can vary by more than $2,000 depending on the company or the policy type, so it’s always good to revisit how much insurance costs in Illinois.
Auto insurers will base their auto premiums on factors such as your city of residence and how much coverage you’re seeking. Your deductible amount will also influence your cost: the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.
Other cost considerations include age, gender, marital status, credit score and driving record. For our current discussion, we’ll briefly review these other determinants.
Age Car insurance will usually cost less for older drivers than for younger ones because of their greater experience on the road. Premiums for a middle-age driver and a teenage driver might differ by thousands of dollars. The good news is that Illinois ranks around the bottom quarter of U.S. insurance costs for teenagers.
Gender A person’s gender doesn’t weigh in as much as age in determining rates, but it is still considered by underwriters when calculating premiums. In Illinois, the difference in rates between women and men is often minor.
Marital Status Just as for taxes, being married can favor one’s car insurance costs. A married couple in Illinois will typically save on their auto premiums.
Credit Score People’s credit scores reflect how they manage their money. Research also shows that drivers with higher credit scores tend to be more-responsible auto insurance customers. Underwriters will look closely at credit score in assessing a person’s cost of insurance protection.
In Illinois, a driver with an excellent credit score might save as much as $1,000 for the same coverage as a person with a very bad score. (Note: A person with no credit score is evaluated the same as a person with credit that is poor or less than fair.)
Driving Record Drivers with no accidents or moving violations on their record will pay less in premium than drivers who do have them. If a driver is found to be at fault in an accident or cited for a violation such as DUI, insurance costs will increase, and they will continue to climb with any successive occurrences.
On the average, a first minor at-fault accident in Illinois could result in an annual premium increase of a little over $500. A first DUI could raise yearly rates by more than $1,000.
So How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Illinois?
Determining your most favorable scenario requires having different quotes from different carriers because the costs can range so much. An independent agency is typically your best resource for this access because it is not beholden to a particular carrier.
An independent agency also serves as a central reference for insurance information, meaning you don’t have to call multiple companies for quotes.
Get Started on the Best Available Coverage for You
An independent, full-service agency like Hometowne Insurance offers you estimates from more than 10 car insurance carriers. Plus, when you combine your Illinois car insurance with protection for your home, you save even more.
We enjoy serving our customers in nearby communities such as Oswego, Plainfield, Naperville, Aurora, Morris and Montgomery. If you’d like to further discuss how much car insurance costs in Illinois, including available coverage for you, simply email us or call (630) 554-4040.