Cheap Car Insurance in Illinois for 2024

Illinois has auto insurance rates which are close to the national average. Our research found that the overall average cost of insurance in Illinois is about $1,500. We researched the cheapest insurers in Illinois to see how you can save money on auto insurance.

See our overall recommendations for Best Car Insurance

Who Has The Cheapest Car Insurance in Illinois?

• USAA
• State Farm
• Travelers
• GEICO

We sampled information from a number of sources and developed a range of what cheap car insurance usually costs per year in Illinois. We based these samples on a driver with at least a decade of driving experience, a clean driving record, driving one of America’s most popular, non-exotic vehicles.

The important thing to remember is that insurance rates can vary widely, and prices can change almost daily. This range is only a GUIDE to give you a basic idea about the rates insurance companies charge today in New Jersey.

DISCLAIMER: There are numerous other factors that are going to impact the cost of insurance on your car, crossover, or truck. We’ll provide info on some of those variables, but your best bet is to read our deep dive on Cheap Car Insurance for 2024 to get a better idea.

Who Has The Best Cheap Car Insurance in Illinois?

• Best Large Insurance Carrier - USAA and State Farm both came in with an average under $1000.
• Cheapest Insurance with Bad Credit - Based on multiple points of data we found, Safeco and Travelers are good places to start if your bills are having birthdays.
• Cheapest Insurance with One Accident - State Farm and Safeco stood out in this category.
• Cheapest Insurance for Higher Mileage - GEICO and Travelers had the best rates for the road warriors.

How Much Does Car Insurance Cost in Illinois?

In Car Talk’s deep dive on affordable car insurance, we found that the Prairie State falls in the middle of the car insurance premium range in America.

(*) The “adjusted average” is computed by eliminating the highest and lowest values and averaging the remaining values.

(**) You may need to be, or have been a service member to apply.

What Causes Rates To Go Up in Illinois?

Let’s start by asking, “Why is insurance expensive in Illinois in the first place.” Well, it is only expensive if you live in one of the high-premium locations in the state. Cass County residents pay about 25% more than residents of Coles or Livingston. You could move, but that comes with costs of its own.

How Do Accidents Affect Rates in Illinois?

Crashing your car means you win the bet. You just beat your insurer who was betting that you would not crash. Now you have to pay up going forward. The house always wins. If you play bumper cars with another motorist, your insurance rate is going to go up. Exactly how much is known only to the insurer you have. Illinois is one of the majority states that uses a “fault” system. That can actually help reduce costs overall. But it can also mean costly lawsuits.

Here are the best estimates we could find from various sources on how much one accident will raise your policy premium in Illinois;

This information is just an approximation. Many factors can change how much your insurance goes up after you have one accident. For example, if you’ve paid more in your annual insurance cost to be a part of an accident forgiveness program, your increase for one accident is nothing, but your overall cost of insurance is higher every year than if you hadn’t. Almost all of the insurers on our list above of cheap insurance providers, and many others, offer this option which was popularized by Allstate.

How Do Traffic Tickets Affect Rates in Illinois?

If you drive like Jake and Elmo your insurer is going to raise your rates. How much the sting will be in Illinois varies based on the type of ticket and the severity of the offense.

Here is the data we could dig up on the percent increase range a ticket will raise your car insurance policy premium in Colorado;

How Can You Get Car Insurance Discounts in Illinois?

The most significant discount you can realize in Illinois is to move to a location with lower rates. Even just being outside of the downtown area can help. Move to a county or city or town with lower claim rates and you may save as much as 30% per year. We looked at the comparative costs of insurance in Illinois and found that a move from Chicago to Springfield would likely save a driver 25%. But moving comes with a lifestyle change many are not willing to make.

The easier way to manage your insurance costs is to avoid crashing and getting traffic tickets. And your car and phone apps can help. Avoiding accidents has gotten easier in recent years as vehicles with automatic emergency braking systems have become the norm, even in affordable vehicles like the Hyundai Elantra and Toyota Corolla. Ironically, insurers don’t discount cars with those systems yet because they cost a lot to repair (so they say…)

Avoiding speeding tickets in Illinois is harder than in some states. The speed limit in Texas on a lonely state highway is as much as 20 MPH higher than in Illinois. However, apps like Google Maps Waze to help you know where the speed traps are and warn you to slow down.

We also have an entire story on the tens of thousands of discount programs available, based on memberships, military service, and other associations. Some of the more common meaningful discounts relate to low mileage driving, bundling with your home owner’s policy, and carrying high deductibles. Students take note: Many insurers will offer good students a discount. Parents take note: If your kid is at college more than 100 miles away you may see big savings.

What’s The Minimum Coverage Allowed in Illinois?

Insurance is required by law in Illinois. According to the Illinois Department of Insurance, to drive in Illinois, you must have at least $25,000 in liability coverage for each injured person, up to a total of $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage per accident. This basic coverage is called 25/10/50. Almost no homeowner with any assets will buy just the basic coverage required by law. More typical is coverage on the order of 100/300/50. It seems unfair, but that’s the way it works when you have assets to protect

Nearly every state’s minimum is way too low. If you have a vehicle loan or lease, or own a home, you will find that you are required to carry higher levels of coverage to satisfy other agreements and responsibilities you have. Our focus in this story is on cheap car insurance.