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Make sure you’re getting the best rate on Illinois car insurance.
Drivers in the Prairie State enjoy lower-than-average car insurance rates. But how do you know if you’re getting the best deal on Illinois car insurance? Shopping around regularly is the best way to find out.
Today, we’ll talk about what the minimum requirements are for car insurance in Illinois. We’ll also go over the car insurance companies we think provide drivers with the best deals: Geico, USAA, State Farm, Erie, and Safeco. All of these providers performed well in our research of the nation’s best car insurance companies, where we evaluated providers on things like coverage, availability, and discounts.
Whenever you shop for car insurance, we recommend getting car insurance quotes from multiple providers so you can compare coverage and rates. In addition to the insurance company you choose, factors such as your age, vehicle make and model, and driving history can affect your premium, so what’s best for your neighbor might not be best for you.Use our tool below to start comparing personalized car insurance quotes:
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies In Illinois
According to our rate estimates, Progressive is the cheapest car insurance company in Illinois with an average annual rate of $1,158. State Farm, USAA, and Travelers offer some of the cheapest rates in the state as well.
| Car Insurance Provider | Average Annual Cost Estimate |
| Progressive | $1,158.00 |
| State Farm | $1,184.00 |
| USAA | $1,238.00 |
| Travelers | $1,347.00 |
| American Family | $1,525 |
What Is The Average Cost Of Car Insurance In Illinois?
Talking about average Illinois car insurance prices is a bit tricky since they can be influenced by so many things. However, some states are more expensive than others. If you’re a driver in Illinois, you can count yourself lucky.
According to the NAIC, Illinois car insurance rates in 2018 averaged $916 per year. This is lower than the national average of $1,056, placing Illinois in the 27th spot out of all of the U.S. states for automobile insurance.
Here’s a breakdown of the coverage costs for car insurance in Illinois that year according to the Insurance Information Institute:
| Type Of Coverage | Average Annual Expenditure |
| Liability coverage | $516.00 |
| Collision coverage | $339.00 |
| Comprehensive coverage | $140.00 |
| Total Cost | $916.00 |
*Most drivers carry liability coverage but not necessarily other types of auto insurance. Total average annual expenditure measures what Illinois drivers actually spent on auto insurance in 2018.
Annual Illinois Car Insurance Estimates By Age
In Illinois, a 24-year-old driver may pay up to 57 percent more for car insurance than a 35-year-old driver.
| Age | Illinois Annual Car Insurance |
| 24 | $2,348.00 |
| 35 | $1,493.00 |
Annual Illinois Car Insurance Estimates By Gender
Gender can be a huge factor in car insurance costs in Illinois. Men can pay up to 3 percent more than women for annual premiums.
| Gender | Illinois Annual Car Insurance |
| Female | $1,468.00 |
| Male | $1,519.00 |
Annual Illinois Car Insurance Estimates For Drivers With Bad Credit
Drivers in Illinois with good credit scores can save up to 74 percent in car insurance costs when compared to drivers with poor credit scores.
| Credit Rating | Illinois Annual Car Insurance |
| Good | $1,493.00 |
| Fair | $1,762.00 |
| Poor | $2,594.00 |
Annual Illinois Car Insurance Estimates For Bad Drivers
Having a speeding ticket can increase your car insurance rate by up to 29 percent, and a DUI by up to 65 percent in Illinois.
| Driving Record | Illinois Annual Car Insurance |
| Clean | $1,493.00 |
| Speeding Ticket | $1,922.00 |
| At-Fault Accident | $2,342.00 |
| DUI | $2,469.00 |
Who Has The Cheapest Car Insurance In Illinois?
To find the cheapest car auto insurance in Illinois, we went through our top providers’ list and re-examined these companies in light of Illinois laws and guidelines. We have found the top five choices for car insurance providers in Illinois to be Geico, USAA, and State Farm. Each of these providers performed well in our research of the best car insurance companies, where we ranked providers on the following:
- Financial strength
- Availability
- Customer service
- Cost
- Coverage
- Technology
Overall, we think Geico is the best choice for Illinois car insurance because of its reputation for quick claims, high customer satisfaction in Illinois, and low average cost.
| Best Illinois Car Insurance | Automoblog Rating | Average Cost |
| 1. Geico Auto Insurance | $4.60 | N/A |
| 2. USAA Car Insurance | $4.80 | $1,238 |
| 3. State Farm Auto Insurance | $4.60 | $1,184 |
| 4. Erie Auto Insurance | $4.50 | N/A |
| 5. Safeco Car Insurance | 4.1 | N/A |
*Not all companies were included in our rate estimates for each state. You may also notice that some car insurance companies are listed above those with higher star ratings. This is because our ratings take into account nationwide factors, while our ranking for this article looks specifically at what insurance providers are best for car insurance in Illinois.
#1 Geico: Best Customer Satisfaction In Illinois
Geico is a good choice for drivers in any state, and Illinois is no exception. The insurer is our highest-rated provider overall because it offers affordable rates, has an excellent industry standing, and boasts high customer satisfaction scores.
In the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction StudySM, Geico placed No. 8 in the North Central region (which includes Illinois), scoring 837 out of a possible 1,000 points. Geico also has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
In addition to standard coverage options, Geico customers have access to:
- Roadside assistance: Includes towing, jump-starts, flat tire changes, and lockout service
- Rental reimbursement: Pays for rental car costs when your car is being repaired after a claim
- Mechanical breakdown insurance: Covers repairs for many mechanical vehicle parts that break down after normal use, but does not include wear-and-tear items
| Geico Pros | Geico Cons |
|---|---|
| Superior financial strength rating and A+ rating from the BBB | Average quotes experience |
| Many choices for coverage | Usage-based app not available in all states |
| High level of customer satisfaction |
To learn more about Geico, check out our Geico review.
#2 USAA: Cheap Car Insurance For Military
If you can get USAA car insurance, it should really be your first choice for auto insurance in Illinois. The provider offers cheap car insurance premiums and great customer service. However, not everyone can get it, and Geico does offer prices that compete with USAA in the state.
To get USAA coverage, you either need to be an active or former member of the military, a member of a commissioning program, or a child or spouse of a USAA member. Once somebody in the family has USAA, they can pass on eligibility to other members of the family.
With USAA, you can get these additional coverage options with car insurance in Illinois:
- Rental reimbursement: With this option, USAA will pay for a rental car after you submit a covered claim. Be aware that some policies might not cover the time that your car sits in a shop waiting for a repair authorization.
- Total loss protection: This is USAA’s gap coverage. When you have this option, USAA pays the difference between your outstanding loan and what your car was worth when it got totaled.
- Accident forgiveness: After you’ve been a customer with USAA for five years, the company will keep your rates the same after your next auto accident. Also, you may have the option to purchase accident forgiveness from the beginning of your policy.
- Roadside assistance: With USAA’s roadside assistance program, you are covered for towing, fuel delivery, lockout services, and spare tire installation.
USAA has a rating of A++ from AM Best, and it performed very well on the above mentioned study by J.D Power. In fact, it got the highest score of any insurance company for its claims servicing, and it got the second-highest score for its shopping experience. Generally, USAA customers are happy with both the price they pay and the service they get – which makes it a great choice for auto insurance in Illinois. Plus, USAA provides some more perks for military members, including:
- Deployment FAQ
- Military pay calculator
- Military separation checklist and assessment
- Permanent change of station (PCS) moving checklist
- Personalized military timeline
- 10-percent discount for garaging a car on base
- 60-percent discount during deployment
| USAA Pros | USAA Cons |
|---|---|
| Affordable rates and numerous discounts | Only available for military and their families |
| Good choice for military service members | |
| Superior financial strength rating and A+ rating from the BBB |
To learn more about the auto insurance provider, check out our USAA insurance review. You may also find our review of Geico vs USAA helpful if you’re having trouble deciding which of the two companies is a better fit for you to save money.
#3 State Farm: Cheapest Car Insurance For Students
Drivers with State Farm can expect to pay below average rates for their insurance, and State Farm is even a great choice for people who have had a recent car accident on record.
State Farm is the largest insurance provider in the United States, and it wrote over $40 billion in premiums in 2019, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). Reviews of State Farm insurance are largely positive. The company also has an A++ rating from AM Best, which means it can fulfill its claims obligations easily. It received 3.0 out of 5.0 from J.D. Power for claims servicing.
While State Farm is a great choice for most drivers, the company is an especially smart choice for students. Here are a few car insurance discounts that students can use to save money:
| State Farm Discount | Details |
| Good driving discount | If you’ve had your license for three years and haven’t submitted an at-fault claim or committed any moving violations, you can get this discount on Illinois auto insurance. It is available for new State Farm customers. |
| Good student discount | If you have a B average or above, you could get up to 25 percent off your premium. This is one of the best student discounts we’ve come across, and it lasts until you turn 25 (even after you graduate). |
| Drive Safe & SaveTM | This is State Farm’s usage-based option that is available to anybody, but you can certainly use it if you’re a student. You could save a huge amount – up to 30 percent off of your premium. |
| Steer Clear® | Steer Clear is a program for drivers under the age of 25 who have clean three-year records. The program consists of logging driving hours and completing training modules in the app. When you’re done, you can get a certification and another discount of up to 15 percent on your Illinois car insurance. |
Overall, State Farm auto insurance customers are happy with their coverage and enjoy affordable car insurance rates.
| State Farm Pros | State Farm Cons |
| Comprehensive coverage offerings and extensive selection of discounts in all 50 states | Reported errors with autopay |
| Largest auto insurer in the country | Average customer satisfaction |
| Many discounts for teens and students | Higher rates than some competitors |
| Easy online quotes process and positive customer reviews | |
| Superior financial strength rating and A+ rating from the BBB |
To learn more about the auto insurance provider, check out our State Farm insurance review.
#4 Erie Insurance: Cheap Car Insurance For Teen Drivers
Erie Insurance is not available in every state, but it is an option for Illinois drivers. In addition to offering comprehensive and low-cost coverage, Erie has strong financial standing with an AM Best A+ financial strength rating.
Illinois customer satisfaction is high for Erie. It ranked second in the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Auto Insurance Satisfaction Study, with a score of 901 out of 1,000.
Another reason to consider Erie is the add-on coverage that the company offers. Besides standard coverage options, Erie customers can purchase:
| Erie Insurance Add-On | Details |
| Erie Auto Plus | Includes a diminishing deductible, $10,000 death benefit, additional transportation expense coverage, waived deductible in some cases, and increased coverage limits for things like locksmith costs, personal items, and non-owned trailers |
| Erie Rate Lock | Guarantees your rates will not go up, even after filing a claim |
| Rental Car Coverage | More comprehensive rental car options, anywhere from a compact sedan to a luxury SUV |
| New Auto Security | New car replacement for cars less than two years old that are totaled in an accident and newer car replacement for totaled older cars |
As with many top providers, Erie offers a range of discount opportunities, including:
- Safe driving discount
- Car safety equipment discount
- Multi-car discount
- Multi-policy discount
- Reduced usage discount
- Young driver discount
- Annual payment plan discount
| Erie Pros | Erie Cons |
| A+ rating from the BBB and A+ rating in financial strength from AM Best | Mixed customer service reviews during claims process |
| High customer satisfaction | |
| Comprehensive coverage options | |
| Variety of auto insurance discounts |
To learn more about the auto insurance provider, check out our review of Erie auto insurance.
#5 Safeco: Cheapest Minimum Coverage Car Insurance In Illinois
While Safeco has some drawbacks, like that it cannot be purchased online and has only average customer service reviews, for many drivers it offers the cheapest car insurance in Illinois.
One reason Safeco is so cheap is the broad range of discount options. These include savings such as:
- Safety Rewards™: Includes a vanishing deductible and accident forgiveness
- Driver safety education: Discounts for teenagers and drivers 55 years old and above who take driver safety courses
- Lower mileage: A 20-percent discount for those with low annual mileage
- Good student discount: Savings for teenagers with a 3.0 grade point average or those who rank in the top 20 percent of their class
- Distant student discount: Lower premiums if your teenager attends school 100 miles from home without a car
- Newly independent discount: Discount for young drivers who recently moved from their parents’ insurance to their own plan
- New teen reward: Lower rates for adding a new teenage driver to your policy (up to 27 percent)
- Tenure reward: Discount for adding a second teenage driver to your policy
- Safeco Righttrack®: Program that tracks vehicle usage patterns, such as hard acceleration, hard braking, and nighttime driving, to reduce rates by up to 30 percent
| Safeco Pros | Safeco Cons |
| Independent agents price comparison shop for you and customize policies | Cannot be purchased online |
| High number of insurance discounts | Average customer service reviews |
To learn more about the auto insurance provider, check out our Safeco car insurance review.
What Is Minimum Car Insurance?
Today, even young people right out of college can finance a car and drive it off the lot without paying a dime. However, if they were to get into a car accident, chances are they couldn’t pay for the damage on their own. That’s why financial responsibility laws exist. These laws protect the victims of car accidents and make sure they get financial compensation.
When you’re the victim of a car accident, you want to be compensated – whether that’s to pay for your medical bills or repairs to your car. Without financial responsibility laws, many people would hit the road without insurance, and drivers would spend a lot more time in court suing each other.
Thankfully, each state has its own financial responsibility laws. The easiest way to satisfy these laws is to purchase car insurance, but you can also satisfy them in a few other ways. For example, some states allow you to deposit cash with the DMV to use for accident compensation. You might also be able to purchase a surety bond for the same purpose.
However, under each of these scenarios, you are paying for auto accidents out of your own pocket. In contrast, when you pay for a car insurance policy, your insurance company will take some financial responsibility for accidents you cause.
State Requirements For Car Insurance: Illinois
Here are the state minimums for Illinois car insurance:
- Bodily injury liability: You are required to carry $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident in bodily injury liability coverage. This covers medical bills for other parties in accidents that you cause.
- Property damage liability: In Illinois, you need to carry $20,000 per accident in property damage liability coverage. This covers damage to other drivers’ cars in accidents that you cause. Taken together, Illinois bodily injury and property damage limits are written as 25/50/20.
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury (UM): Illinois also requires drivers to carry UM bodily injury coverage. It matches the amounts you choose for your liability coverage, so the minimum limits are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. This covers you and your passengers in accidents caused by drivers without insurance.
- Underinsured motorist bodily injury (UIM): If you choose a plan beyond the minimum limits, you are additionally required to carry underinsured motorist coverage that matches your liability insurance limits.
Illinois auto insurance has average requirements compared to other states. Many states, including Montana, Kentucky, Colorado, and Alabama, have similar requirements. Florida requires the lowest minimums of 10/20/10, while Arkansas and Maine require the highest minimums of 50/100/25.
Just because other states are doing it doesn’t mean you should trust those coverage limits for your policy. Those are meant to be the bare minimum, but they won’t protect you from lawsuits if you cause a serious accident. If you have the mandatory insurance limit of $25,000 for bodily injury coverage, you can be sued if it doesn’t fully cover the other party’s medical bills. In today’s world, $25,000 can get used up quickly. Likewise, $20,000 for property damage won’t cut it if you total someone’s new car.
If you believe you meet the state requirements for car insurance in Illinois, you can use the tool below to compare rates from providers:
What Affects The Cost Of Auto Insurance In Illinois
Of course, the car insurance quote you receive can be very different than the state average. Here are a few things that affect the rate of Illinois car insurance:
- Your age
- Your driving record
- Recent claims
- The type of car that you drive
- Your credit score
- The population density in your area
- The deductible that you select
- How many miles are driven per year
- High-tech vehicles entering your local market
What To Know About Driving In Illinois
According to the Federal Highway Administration, people in Illinois drive fewer miles per year than the national average. The national average is 14,425 miles, but Illinoians drive 12,921 miles per year – about 10 percent less.
You’ll notice that your yearly mileage can impact your Illinois auto insurance rates. Whether you go with a usage-based app or you submit odometer readings, spending less time on the road can reduce your risk of an accident. This is also true on a larger scale. Since drivers in Illinois travel fewer miles, car insurance companies don’t have to pay out for as many accidents. This helps auto insurance in Illinois remain affordable.
Another thing that keeps Illinois car insurance rates low is the state’s low rate of car accident fatalities. In 2018, there were 0.96 deaths per 100 million vehicle miles traveled, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The lowest rate was 0.54 in Massachusetts, while the highest rate was 1.83 in South Carolina.
Here are a few more bits of trivia from 2017 Illinois Department of Transportation data:
| Total licensed drivers in Illinois | 91,648,212 |
| Total crashes in the state | $311,679.00 |
| Total number of injuries | $93,517.00 |
| Total serious injuries | $12,003.00 |
| Total deaths | $1,090.00 |
Overall, 21.5 percent of crashes caused an injury, and 14.2 percent caused a serious injury – one that required the victim to be carried from the scene. That means if you cause an accident, there’s a good chance that your insurance will have to cover expensive medical bills for the other party. Before you choose the minimum coverage amount, shop around to see which company provides the best deal on full coverage car insurance in Illinois.
Before you start comparing auto insurance quotes, take another look at our top three providers for cheap car insurance in Illinois. Both of these insurance companies have pros and cons, so we recommend getting insurance quotes to see which ones offer the lowest price for you.
| #1 Geico | #2 USAA | #3 State Farm | |
| Our Rating | $4.50 | 5 | 4.5 |
| AM Best Financial Strength Rating | A++ | A++ | A++ |
| Eligibility | Anyone | Military members and family | Anyone |
| Usage-Based Discounts | DriveEasy | Not in Illinois | Drive Safe & Save |
| Roadside Assistance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Rideshare Coverage | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gap Insurance | Yes | Yes | Only on vehicle loans from State Farm Bank |
Enter your zip code in the tool below to collect and compare car insurance quotes from providers available in Illinois:
Methodology
Our expert review team takes satisfaction in providing accurate and unbiased information. We identified the following rating categories based on consumer survey data and conducted extensive research to formulate rankings of the best car insurance providers.
- Affordability: A variety of factors influence cost, so it can be difficult to compare quotes between providers. Our team considers auto insurance rate estimates generated by Quadrant Information Services and discount opportunities when giving this score.
- Coverage: Because each consumer has unique needs, it’s essential that a car insurance company offers an array of coverage options. We take into account types of insurance available, maximum coverage limits, and add-on policies.
- Industry Standing: Our team considers Better Business Bureau (BBB) ratings, financial strength, and years in business when giving this score.
- Availability: Auto insurers with greater state availability and few eligibility requirements are more likely to meet consumer needs.
- Customer Service: Reputable car insurance providers operate with a certain degree of care for consumers. We consider complaints filed with the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), J.D. Power claims servicing scores, and customer feedback.
- Online Experience: Insurers with easy-to-use websites and highly rated mobile apps scored best in this category.
