State
Illinois car insurance requirements and laws
Illinois requires 25/50/20 liability plus 25/50 uninsured motorist coverage, uses a 51% fault bar and suspends uninsured drivers' licenses for 3 months.
Minimum coverage
| Liability limits | 25/50/20 |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage | $20,000 |
| Other required coverage | Uninsured motorist bodily injury 25/50 |
Rules
| Fault system | At-fault — the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the damage through their liability insurance |
|---|---|
| PIP required | No — Illinois has no PIP requirement; medical payments coverage is optional |
| Uninsured motorist required | Yes — uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage of at least 25/50, set at your liability limits unless you choose lower in writing; underinsured coverage is added when UM exceeds 25/50 (215 ILCS 5/143a, 143a-2) |
| UM property damage | Insurers must make it available, up to the car's actual cash value with a deductible of no more than $250; it pays only when the uninsured driver is identified |
| Negligence rule | Modified comparative negligence (51% bar) — you recover nothing if you are more than 50% at fault (735 ILCS 5/2-1116) |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | Fine of more than $500 and up to $1,000 plus a 3-month license suspension ($100 reinstatement fee); first offenders who show proof of insurance in court can get court supervision and a $100 fine |
| Time limit to sue | 2 years for personal injury (735 ILCS 5/13-202); 5 years for property damage (735 ILCS 5/13-205) |
Costs and context
| Average cost | $1,153 average annual expenditure (NAIC, 2023 data) |
|---|---|
| Uninsured drivers | About 1 in 7 drivers (15.2%, Insurance Research Council, 2023) |
Regulator
| Insurance regulator | Illinois Department of Insurance |
|---|---|
| Consumer hotline | 866-445-5364 |
| Website | idoi.illinois.gov |
| Address | 115 S. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603; 4800 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, IL 62711 |
Minimum car insurance requirements
Illinois requires every vehicle on its roads to carry liability insurance (625 ILCS 5/7-601) with limits of at least 25/50/20 (625 ILCS 5/7-203): $25,000 for injuries to one person, $50,000 for all injuries in one crash and $20,000 for damage to other people's property. Every policy must also include uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage of at least 25/50 (215 ILCS 5/143a). Compare states with the state car insurance requirements lookup.
| Coverage | Illinois minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability, per accident | $20,000 |
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury | 25/50 |
| Underinsured motorist | Included when UM limits exceed 25/50 |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | Not required |
What the minimums mean in practice. If you cause a crash on the Dan Ryan and the other driver has $40,000 in medical bills, a 25/50/20 policy pays $25,000, and the remaining $15,000 can be pursued from you. If you total a $32,000 car, your $20,000 property damage limit leaves $12,000 that you could owe. Chicago-area medical and repair costs make the minimum thin protection; how much liability coverage do you need? and the How much car insurance do I need? help you choose more.
Fault system and what it means after a crash
Illinois is an at-fault state. The driver who caused the crash pays for the other side's injuries and property damage through their liability insurance. You can claim against that insurer, use your own collision coverage and let your insurer recover the money through subrogation, or sue. See no-fault vs at-fault states.
Illinois applies modified comparative negligence with a 51% bar (735 ILCS 5/2-1116). If you are more than 50% responsible, you recover nothing; at 50% or less, your damages are reduced by your share. A driver 20% at fault for a $10,000 loss recovers $8,000.
Injury lawsuits generally must be filed within two years (735 ILCS 5/13-202). Property damage claims have five years (13-205). See statutes of limitations for car accident claims.
Optional coverage worth considering here
- Higher UM and UIM limits. UM must be written at your bodily injury limits unless you request lower limits (no less than 25/50) in writing. Whenever your UM limits exceed 25/50, Illinois law adds underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits, which protects you when an at-fault driver carries only the minimum. The Insurance Research Council estimates about 15.2% of Illinois drivers were uninsured in 2023, close to the national 15.4%. See uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained.
- Uninsured motorist property damage. Insurers must make it available. It pays up to your car's actual cash value, with a deductible of no more than $250, when an identified uninsured driver damages your car (uninsured motorist property damage).
- Collision and comprehensive. Required by lenders; comprehensive covers hail, flooding, theft and deer collisions downstate (comprehensive coverage explained).
- Medical payments. medical payments coverage pays your medical bills regardless of fault.
What drives rates in Illinois
The NAIC puts Illinois's average annual expenditure at $1,153 in 2023, below the national average of $1,282. The NAIC points to the Illinois Department of Insurance for more geographically specific data (What NAIC auto insurance data measures).
The biggest factor is geography: Chicago and Cook County drivers face dense traffic, more theft and break-ins, and higher medical, repair and litigation costs, while downstate rates are generally lower (Why your ZIP code changes your car insurance price). Winter weather, hail and deer collisions add claims statewide. Illinois relies on competition among insurers rather than prior approval of auto rates, so prices can differ widely between companies; see how car insurance rate approval works and how to compare car insurance quotes apples to apples.
Penalties for driving uninsured
Under 625 ILCS 5/3-707:
- Conviction: a petty offense with a fine of more than $500 and up to $1,000. A third or later conviction is a business offense with a $1,000 fine.
- License suspension: a conviction also brings a three-month suspension of your driver's license, and reinstatement requires a $100 fee. Driving uninsured during that suspension adds six more months.
- First-time break: if you have no prior violations and show the court that your vehicle is insured as of your court date, you can receive court supervision and a $100 fine instead.
- Injury crashes: causing bodily harm while uninsured is a Class A misdemeanor.
Producing proof that you were insured when ticketed gets the charge dismissed. See penalties for driving without insurance.
SR-22 and high-risk drivers
The Illinois Secretary of State requires an SR-22, a certificate your insurer files to prove you carry at least the minimum coverage, before reinstating certain suspended or revoked licenses, including after DUI and uninsured-crash suspensions. The Secretary of State sets the filing period. SR-22 insurance explained covers the mechanics, Car insurance after a DUI covers costs after a DUI, and high-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no covers options if standard insurers decline you.
Insurers with a strong presence in Illinois
Illinois is home to several of the country's largest insurers. State Farm and COUNTRY Financial are headquartered in Bloomington, Allstate is based in the Chicago suburbs, and educator-focused Horace Mann is based in Springfield. Progressive, GEICO, American Family Insurance and Erie Insurance also compete actively. See how to choose a car insurance company.
Where to get help
The Illinois Department of Insurance regulates insurers and investigates consumer complaints. Call the consumer hotline toll-free at 866-445-5364 to ask questions or request complaint forms, or file online at idoi.illinois.gov. Offices are at 115 S. LaSalle Street, 13th Floor, Chicago, IL 60603 and 4800 Wabash Avenue, Springfield, IL 62711. how to file a complaint against a car insurance company explains what to include. License suspensions and SR-22 filings are handled by the Secretary of State; for injury claims, consult a licensed Illinois attorney.
Sources
- ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K7-203
- ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=062500050K3-707
- ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=021500050K143a
- ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=021500050K143a-2
- idoi.illinois.gov/
- idoi.illinois.gov/consumers.html
- iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists
- content.naic.org/article/naic-releases-20222023-auto-insurance-database-report
- insurance.maryland.gov/Consumer/Documents/agencyhearings/NAIC%202023%20Auto%20Insurance%…
Requirements were checked against these sources on the review date below. Laws change - confirm with the state insurance regulator or motor vehicle agency.
Profile last reviewed October 4, 2026