Insurance requirements for registering a car in Illinois
To legally drive a vehicle in Illinois, you must have several types of liability insurance.
The minimum liability insurance required for Illinois vehicle owners is as follows:
$20,000 in property damage liability, which covers damage your vehicle causes to someone else's property (such as buildings or road signs).
$25,000 for personal injury insurance per person; this means that the total minimum amount that a driver must have for bodily injury insurance is $US 50,000 XNUMX, to cover the smallest possible number of people involved in an accident (two drivers).
$25,000 for an uninsured or underinsured motorist per person insurance that covers costs in the event of an accident involving a driver who did not have the proper amount of insurance required by law. This means that your minimum uninsured motorist insurance must be $US 50,000 XNUMX to cover the smallest possible number of people involved in an accident (two drivers).
This means that each driver must insure their liability for a total of $120,000 for each vehicle they own in Illinois.
Other types of insurance
While the three types of liability insurance are the only mandatory types, Illinois recognizes other types of insurance for additional coverage. This includes:
Medical benefit coverage that covers the cost of medical treatment or funerals resulting from a traffic accident.
Comprehensive insurance that covers damage to your vehicle that was not the result of an accident (for example, damage caused by the weather).
Collision insurance, which covers the cost of damage to your vehicle that is a direct result of a car accident.
Insurance Questionnaire
To ensure that all Illinois vehicle owners maintain their mandatory liability insurance, the state sends random computerized questionnaires to vehicle owners. When you receive the questionnaire, you must answer as follows:
Name of your insurance company
Your insurance policy number
If you do not respond or your information is not verified by the insurance provider, your vehicle registration will be suspended.
Penalties for Violation
Driving without proper insurance in Illinois or failing to provide proof of insurance in the form of a valid insurance card when requested by a law enforcement officer can result in fines and jail time, including:
Suspension of your vehicle registration
Minimum fine $500
Minimum fine of $1,000 for driving a vehicle whose registration is suspended due to an insurance policy violation.
In order to restore your Illinois vehicle registration, you must provide a valid and current insurance policy and pay a $100 restoration fee. If this is not your first insurance violation, you may also face a vehicle registration suspension for at least four months.
If you are found guilty of reckless driving, such as drunk driving, you may also be required to provide an SR-22 Financial Liability Document that certifies that you have the required liability insurance from an authorized insurance company.
For more information, contact the Illinois Secretary of State's Office of the Secretary of State Driver Services on their website.
