Illinois Auto Insurance

Illinois follows a Tort insurance system, which means that whoever is found at-fault for causing an accident must pay for the damages as well as the medical bills of every injured passenger or pedestrian involved.

Minimum Liability Requirements in Illinois

As of April 2026, Illinois requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage of 25/50/20 — at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability per injured person, up to $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 in property damage liability. The state also requires uninsured motorist coverage.

Source: CarInsurance.com, "US State Minimum Liability Car Insurance Requirements," updated April 15, 2026.

Average Car Insurance Premiums in Illinois

Drivers in Illinois pay an average of $2,576 a year for full-coverage car insurance — 12% below the national average of $2,922 a year.

Source: Experian, "Car Insurance Average Costs by State," published September 9, 2026.

Cellphone restrictions

Text-based communications while operating a vehicle are banned state-wide. New drivers under 18, as well as school bus drivers, aren’t allowed to use cellphones altogether. All other traffic participants must use hands-free devices when making or answering a call.

Teenage driving regulations

Illinois uses the Graduated Driver License (GDL) system, a concept meant to keep high-risk situations down to a bare minimum for young and inexperienced drivers. GDL is meant for drivers between 15 and 17 and comes with several restrictions:

• they cannot drive between 10pm and 6am;
• cellphones may only be used for emergencies while operating the vehicle;
• all passengers below 19 must wear seatbelts.

Penalties for driving uninsured or underinsured

Driving uninsured or without enough insurance is a petty offense that is sanctioned with a fine between $500 and $1,000 upon conviction. You may also have your license suspended for up to three months, after which you will be required to pay a reinstatement fee of $100.

If you cause an accident when driving without insurance you could be charged with a Class A misdemeanor, resulting in a maximum fine of $2,500 and up to one year of prison time.

AutoInsuranceQuery editorial team. Last reviewed: September 16, 2026.