Illinois is a midwestern state that holds attractions of all kinds. Highly industrialized in the north, the southern part of the state gives it its nickname of “The Prairie State.” Drivers can find miles upon miles of crop fields spread across this agriculturally adept state. The average cost of car insurance in Illinois will vary depending on a few factors; however, the following table can help you understand what you can expect to pay for a state minimum car insurance policy:
Costs by County:
Sedan:
SUV:
Coupe:
Truck:
Hybrid:
Adams
$678
$504
$635
$582
$645
Alexander
$794
$602
$812
$680
$757
Bond
$740
$565
$683
$641
$718
Boone
$663
$485
$714
$561
$627
Brown
$780
$601
$705
$673
$772
Bureau
$658
$482
$661
$547
$629
Calhoun
$793
$592
$746
$672
$756
Carroll
$658
$489
$702
$555
$627
Cass
$799
$596
$728
$673
$764
Champaign
$583
$424
$632
$496
$549
Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance in Illinois
Illinois’ Department of Insurance informs every Illinois driver that liability coverage and underinsured motorist coverage are both mandatory on all vehicles registered in the state.
Liability Coverage minimums:
$20,000 per single bodily injury or death.
$40,000 per multiple bodily injury or deaths.
$15,000 for property damage.
$20,000 per person for uninsured motorists.
$40,000 per accident for uninsured motorists.
Illinois law allows for fines and suspensions for drivers who do not comply with the mandatory vehicle insurance laws.
New Driver Licensing Requirements in IL
Applicants under the age of 21 must follow the graduated drivers license program which begins at age 15. An applicant in this program:
Must complete an approved driver education course
Must be accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older at all times, and may not drive between the hours of 10 pm and 6 am (11 pm and 6 am Fridays and Saturdays)
Must log 50 hours of drive time including 10 hours of nighttime driving
Must refrain from cell phone use, including hands-free, handheld and texting, at all times
Applicants who pass the first phase and are 16 to 17 years old may move into the initial licensing phase. Restrictions and requirements in this phase include:
For the first 12 months, passengers under the age of 20 are limited to one (unless the individual is an immediate family member).
After the first 12 months, one passenger may ride in the front, and the number of passengers in the vehicle must not exceed the number of seat belts.
All cell phone use is prohibited, except in case of emergency.
Applicants ages 18 to 20 who pass the initial phases may enter the full licensing phase. In this phase, a clean driving record must be maintained to obtain a regular Illinois drivers license.
Vision Exam. A visual acuity of at least 20/40 must be determined for each applicant to pass the vision exam. Applicants with a visual accutiy of 20/41 to 20/70 will be restricted to daylight driving only. Applicants must also have a field of vision of 140 degrees.
Written Test. The written exam requires applicants to identify traffic signs by shape, color and/or symbol, identify pavement markings, identify traffic signals and answer true/false and multiple choice questions based on the Illinois Rules of the Road.
Road Skills Test. Applicants taking the road skills test must provide a vehicle that is properly registered, insured, licensed and maintained. A licensed driver must drive the vehicle to and from the testing site.
The applicant’s skills will be tested in the following areas:
Safely starting the vehicle
Backing 50 feet
Three point turn
Grade parking
Starting uphill from a parked position
Starting downhill from a parked position
Control vehicle while obeying all traffic signs, signals and markings
Three attempts to pass each test within one year are permitted for each applicant.
Fees. The Illinois Secretary of State lists the following fees for Illinois drivers licenses:
Ages 18-20, $15
Ages 21-68, $30
Ages 69-80, $5
Ages 81-86, $2
Ages 87 and older, no fee
DUI and DWI Laws for IL
BAC limit: .08 Illinois enforces a Zero Tolerance Law to combat underage DUI. Valuable information about this program can be found at the Illinois Secretary of State’s website. According to the Illinois DUI Fact Book, the following is a list of the state’s penalties for DUI convictions:
First Offense – Class A misdemeanor:
Minimum 1 year driving suspension (2 years if the driver is under age 21)
Suspension of vehicle registration
$500 license re-instatement fee
Minimum $500 fine
Minimum 100 hours of community service
Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
Second Offense – Class A misdemeanor:
Minimum 5 days of imprisonment or 240 hours of community service
Minimum of 5-year license suspension (if occurring within 5 years of prior conviction)
Suspension of vehicle registration
$500 license re-instatement fee
Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
Third Offense (Aggravated DUI) – Class 2 felony:
Minimum 10-year license suspension
Suspension of vehicle registration
$500 license re-instatement fee
Additional penalties are required for convictions involving under age passengers and injury collisions
Additional offenses receive more severe penalties including increased fines, extended imprisonment and permanent loss of driving penalties.
Driver Resources
State Department of Insurance
Illinois Department of Insurance 320 W. Washington Springfield, IL 62767 (866) 445-5364 (217) 782-4515 Get Directions
Department of Transportation
Illinois Department of Transportation 2300 S. Dirksen Parkway Springfield, IL 62764 (217) 782-2937 Get Directions
Department of Motor Vehicles
Illinois Secretary of State Driver Services 213 State Capitol Springfield, IL 62756 (800) 252-8980 toll free in Illinois (217) 785-3000 out of state www.cyberdriveillinois.com Get Directions