Updated: November 17, 2024
Advertising & Editorial Disclosure
Mercury is Illinois' cheapest car insurance company, having the lowest minimum coverage rates. For certain types of drivers, American Family and Progressive might have lower premiums.
For drivers who want to balance cost with service quality, MoneyGeek identified the best car insurance companies in Illinois.
CheapestCar InsuranceIllinoisTable of Contents
Why Trust MoneyGeek? We gathered data from the Illinois Department of Insurance and Quadrant Information Services to find the cheapest auto insurance for different types of drivers in Illinois.
These rates reflect the cheapest car insurance quotes in Illinois as of October 2024.
In Illinois, the cheapest auto insurance companies for a minimum coverage policy are:
Grange Insurance offers the most expensive minimum coverage car insurance at roughly $707 per year.
Car insurance that meets Illinois’ state minimum requirements covers bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance.
| Mercury | $306 | $25 |
| Westfield | $328 | $27 |
| Country Financial | $338 | $28 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $379 | $32 |
| GEICO | $386 | $32 |
| American Family | $414 | $34 |
| Travelers | $442 | $37 |
| Erie | $460 | $38 |
| State Farm | $541 | $45 |
| Progressive | $546 | $46 |
| Hanover | $574 | $48 |
| Allstate | $623 | $52 |
| AAA | $658 | $55 |
| Grange Insurance | $707 | $59 |
Minimum coverage car insurance pays only for damage or injuries you cause to others in an accident. Consider a full coverage policy with comprehensive and collision insurance for protection that covers your vehicle.
Find the Best Car Insurance in Illinois for You
The amount of coverage you need depends on your preferences and insurance requirements.
The table above lists the lowest premiums for minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois.
We examine providers based on cost and service quality to find the best car insurance in Illinois.
Our study analyzed the average cost of Illinois car insurance for different driver profiles to show how certain factors affect rates.
The cheapest full coverage car insurance companies in Illinois are:
Grange Insurance offers the most expensive full coverage policy, costing roughly $1,470 per year.
Adding comprehensive and collision insurance will increase your premium. In Illinois, full coverage costs an average of $309 more than minimum coverage with the cheapest providers. A full coverage policy protects you and your vehicle against incidents like vandalism, theft, fire and weather hazards.
Comparing American Family's cheapest full coverage policy to its minimum coverage policy, full coverage costs an average of $309 more.
| American Family | $723 | $60 |
| Travelers | $869 | $72 |
| Country Financial | $887 | $74 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $898 | $75 |
| GEICO | $932 | $78 |
| Westfield | $1,026 | $85 |
| Erie | $1,141 | $95 |
| Mercury | $1,176 | $98 |
| Hanover | $1,250 | $104 |
| Progressive | $1,262 | $105 |
| Allstate | $1,299 | $108 |
| AAA | $1,363 | $114 |
| State Farm | $1,406 | $117 |
| Grange Insurance | $1,470 | $123 |
How much car insurance you need will significantly influence your rates. Our study’s sample full coverage policy has the following liability limits:
To reduce your premium, you can lower your liability limits, remove comprehensive and collision insurance or raise your deductible. By doing so, however, you risk having insufficient coverage in the event of an accident.
You can get quotes online from different car insurance providers, but you must submit personal information for each, which can take up to 15 minutes. To compare rates across multiple companies, you must spend more time repeating this process.
Our car insurance calculator can help you get a quick estimate without providing specific personal details. Enter your age, gender and driving record below to find the lowest rates for your profile.
MoneyGeek's car insurance calculator will give you a customized estimate of your auto insurance cost. It's free to use, requires no personal information and we won't send you any spam.
Rates updated:
Nov 20, 2024
Although MoneyGeek partners with some of the companies we recommend, our content is written and reviewed by an independent team of writers, editors and licensed agents. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
Age heavily influences car insurance rates in Illinois. Progressive offers the most affordable prices for teens, while American Family is the cheapest for young adults and seniors.
The providers with the cheapest car insurance for teens in Illinois are:
GEICO offers the most expensive car insurance for teen males and females, at an average of $3,217 per year and $2,932 per year, respectively. These rates are for a 16-year-old on a parent’s policy.
Males aged 19 pay the lowest premiums, with Auto-Owners offering the cheapest rates at $1,609 per year.
Teens usually pay less when added to a parent’s policy than if they buy an individual policy. In Illinois, a 16-year-old saves around $2,566 per year by being on a parent’s policy instead of buying their own. Most states, including Illinois, require a parent or guardian to co-sign for teens under 18.
| Progressive | $2,026 | $4,569 |
| Travelers | $2,047 | $6,370 |
| State Farm | $2,059 | $2,833 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $2,186 | $1,979 |
| Allstate | $2,499 | $4,872 |
| GEICO | $2,932 | $6,524 |
On average, car insurance rates for male teens tend to be significantly more expensive than for female teens due to their higher risk of accident frequency. This rate difference is not as notable when drivers reach their 20s and beyond. — Mark Friedlander, Director, Corporate Communications, Insurance Information Institute
Families in Illinois who want to reduce their insurance premiums may qualify for student discounts. Many companies, including Auto-Owners, Allstate, Progressive and State Farm, offer discounts for both students away from home and those with good academic performance.
The cheapest car insurance in Illinois for drivers in their 20s are from these companies:
At an average of $1,853 per year, Grange Insurance charges the most for young adult drivers. In addition, 25-year-old drivers in Illinois pay about $272 more for an American Family policy than a 40-year-old due to younger adults' higher risk of at-fault accidents.
| American Family | $775 | $65 |
| Travelers | $1,019 | $85 |
| Country Financial | $1,136 | $95 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $1,190 | $99 |
| GEICO | $1,197 | $100 |
| Westfield | $1,316 | $110 |
| Erie | $1,453 | $121 |
| AAA | $1,499 | $125 |
| Progressive | $1,535 | $128 |
| Allstate | $1,543 | $129 |
| Hanover | $1,603 | $134 |
| Mercury | $1,649 | $137 |
| State Farm | $1,748 | $146 |
| Grange Insurance | $1,853 | $154 |
These companies offer the most affordable car insurance for seniors in Illinois:
Grange Insurance provides the highest rate for senior drivers, at around $1,529 annually. In Illinois, drivers in their 60s pay about $53 less for coverage from American Family than those in their 40s. However, rates typically increase when drivers reach their 70s and 80s due to increased risk.
| American Family | $703 | $59 |
| Country Financial | $820 | $68 |
| Travelers | $861 | $72 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $864 | $72 |
| GEICO | $900 | $75 |
| Westfield | $976 | $81 |
| AAA | $1,105 | $92 |
| Mercury | $1,115 | $93 |
| Erie | $1,140 | $95 |
| Hanover | $1,179 | $98 |
| Allstate | $1,234 | $103 |
| Progressive | $1,260 | $105 |
| State Farm | $1,272 | $106 |
| Grange Insurance | $1,529 | $127 |
Since various factors besides age are used to calculate rates, comparing multiple providers is the best way to find the cheapest car insurance for older drivers.
American Family offers the cheapest insurance for Illinois drivers with sports cars or a record of speeding tickets, at-fault accidents or DUIs. Country Financial is the most affordable provider for those with poor credit.
For Illinois drivers with a speeding ticket, the cheapest car insurance companies are:
Grange Insurance offers the most expensive coverage for drivers with tickets, at $2,299 per year. In Illinois, getting a speeding ticket can increase your car insurance premium by $282, generating an annual premium surcharge for at least three years.
| American Family | $870 | $72 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $995 | $83 |
| Country Financial | $1,150 | $96 |
| Travelers | $1,208 | $101 |
| Westfield | $1,218 | $102 |
| GEICO | $1,225 | $102 |
| Erie | $1,244 | $104 |
| Hanover | $1,250 | $104 |
| AAA | $1,498 | $125 |
| State Farm | $1,524 | $127 |
| Progressive | $1,695 | $141 |
| Allstate | $1,697 | $141 |
| Mercury | $1,784 | $149 |
| Grange Insurance | $2,299 | $192 |
These companies offer the most affordable policies for drivers in Illinois with an accident on their record:
Mercury has the highest premiums, with rates reaching $2,405. Middle-aged drivers with an accident on their record pay an average of $512 more for a full coverage policy.
| American Family | $850 | $71 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $1,142 | $95 |
| Travelers | $1,256 | $105 |
| Country Financial | $1,283 | $107 |
| Westfield | $1,429 | $119 |
| GEICO | $1,456 | $121 |
| Erie | $1,542 | $129 |
| AAA | $1,624 | $135 |
| State Farm | $1,637 | $136 |
| Hanover | $1,925 | $160 |
| Progressive | $1,985 | $165 |
| Allstate | $2,145 | $179 |
| Grange Insurance | $2,192 | $183 |
| Mercury | $2,405 | $200 |
Adding accident forgiveness to your auto insurance policy in Illinois may stop your premium from increasing after your first at-fault accident. And you may avoid the annual premium surcharge insurers apply to your policy for a minimum of three years. Multiple companies offer accident forgiveness for an additional cost, and some, like GEICO, award it for free for having a good driving record. — Mark Friedlander, Director, Corporate Communications, Insurance Information Institute
The least expensive car insurance companies in Illinois for drivers with a DUI are:
Grange Insurance offers the most expensive rate, at roughly $2,606 per year. Illinois drivers with a DUI on their record tend to pay about $669 more for car insurance than those with a clean record. At the very minimum, they experience an annual premium surcharge for at least three years.
| American Family | $870 | $72 |
| Country Financial | $1,333 | $111 |
| Travelers | $1,398 | $116 |
| Progressive | $1,424 | $119 |
| State Farm | $1,524 | $127 |
| Mercury | $1,670 | $139 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $1,700 | $142 |
| Erie | $1,838 | $153 |
| Allstate | $2,028 | $169 |
| Hanover | $2,059 | $172 |
| GEICO | $2,130 | $177 |
| AAA | $2,138 | $178 |
| Westfield | $2,352 | $196 |
| Grange Insurance | $2,606 | $217 |
The cheapest auto insurance companies in Illinois for drivers with poor credit are:
State Farm offers senior drivers the most expensive auto insurance, costing around $3,047 a year. Insurance companies consider credit history when calculating rates. Drivers with credit scores below 580 often pay about $845 more for coverage than those above 750.
| Country Financial | $1,290 | $107 |
| American Family | $1,313 | $109 |
| Travelers | $1,329 | $111 |
| Hanover | $1,612 | $134 |
| Mercury | $1,828 | $152 |
| Westfield | $1,836 | $153 |
| AAA | $1,885 | $157 |
| Grange Insurance | $1,952 | $163 |
| Allstate | $1,961 | $163 |
| GEICO | $2,066 | $172 |
| Progressive | $2,079 | $173 |
| Erie | $2,590 | $216 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $2,687 | $224 |
| State Farm | $3,047 | $254 |
Auto insurance companies found that those with poor credit are more likely to file claims, so they charge higher premiums to offset the costs of covering these drivers. Like many other states, Illinois doesn't ban insurers from considering credit-based insurance scores when calculating rates.
While improving your credit score gradually, you may seek companies that offer safe-driver or other discounts to help lower your insurance rate.
The following companies provide the least expensive car insurance for drivers in Illinois with a sports car:
The most expensive provider is Progressive, with an average annual premium of $2,239. Because sports cars have higher repair and replacement costs, Illinois drivers with a sports car tend to pay $181 more for car insurance than those with a standard Toyota Camry LE.
| American Family | $679 | $57 |
| Travelers | $831 | $69 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $901 | $75 |
| GEICO | $1,235 | $103 |
| Allstate | $1,562 | $130 |
| State Farm | $1,670 | $139 |
| Progressive | $2,239 | $187 |
MoneyGeek used a Ford Mustang as its sample sports car in this study, but costs may differ depending on your vehicle type. Sports, electric and luxury cars typically cost more to insure. However, this may not apply to all states.
American Family offers the cheapest car insurance for active military members and veterans in Illinois, averaging $723 annually.
USAA also provides policies for military families at about $1,091 annually. While it's available nationwide and specializes in serving military personnel, cheaper options exist in Illinois.
American Family is still the least expensive insurer in Illinois despite not offering military discounts.
Various factors affect car insurance costs in Illinois, including your city. Living in areas with high accident, theft or vandalism rates can increase your premiums.
Peoria is the cheapest city for car insurance, with GEICO offering full coverage at an average annual rate of $752. Chicago is the most expensive, with American Family charging around $1,064 per year for full coverage.
Check our table of Illinois cities to compare average car insurance costs by location.
| Aurora | American Family | $800 |
| Chicago | American Family | $1,064 |
| Elgin | American Family | $832 |
| Joliet | Country Financial | $848 |
| Naperville | Auto-Owners Insurance Co | $805 |
| Peoria | GEICO | $752 |
| Rockford | Country Financial | $772 |
| Springfield | Country Financial | $778 |
In Illinois, drivers are required to carry a policy that includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage along with bodily injury liability (BIL) and property damage liability (PDL). They also have the option to self-insure if they own at least 25 cars.
Illinois drivers are required to carry insurance that meets the minimum requirements for bodily injury liability, property damage liability and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage. A minimum coverage policy is the cheapest insurance you can purchase, but it might offer inadequate coverage in case of an accident.
Additionally, SR-22 insurance is needed for drivers with serious traffic violations like reckless driving, driving without insurance, driving under the influence or driving with a suspended license, which typically leads to much higher rates than average drivers. SR-22 is a certificate filed by the insurer to prove the driver has the required insurance coverage in Illinois.
Bodily injury liability
In Illinois, you must have $25,000 in bodily injury liability for each person and $50,000 for each accident. If you get into an accident and cause injuries to someone else, you will be responsible for the other party’s medical costs that exceed these limits.
Property damage liability
Illinois drivers are required to have at least $20,000 in property damage liability. It will cover repairs up to $20,000 if you damage someone else’s property in an accident. If the cost of repairs is above this limit, you will have to pay out of pocket for the rest.
Uninsured/Underinsured motorist coverage
Illinois requires drivers to carry $25,000 in uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury liability for each person and $50,000 for each accident. If you get into an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver, you must shoulder any costs exceeding these limits.
To ensure adequate financial protection in case of an at-fault accident, consider raising your liability limits to $100,000 in bodily injury for each person, $300,000 in bodily injury for each accident and $100,000 in property damage. If you finance or lease your car, you will likely be required to add comprehensive and collision insurance to your policy.
Comprehensive insurance covers the damage to your vehicle caused by vandalism, fires, natural disasters and weather-related incidents. Collision insurance pays for the damage to your car after hitting another vehicle or a stationary object.
Comprehensive and collision coverage is also recommended for drivers who do not finance or lease a vehicle to provide better financial protection.
Unless you have more than 25 vehicles registered under your name, there’s no alternative to car insurance in Illinois. If you own more than 25 cars, you may qualify for self-insurance. It means you will assume all financial responsibilities in case of a vehicular accident, including the cost of repairs and medical treatments.
To obtain a self-insurance certificate from the Illinois Department of Insurance director, you must be financially capable of paying for claims as a minimum coverage policy would.
The director, however, may cancel your certificate of self-insurance if you fail to cover damaged vehicles in the event of an accident.
When looking for car insurance, you might have questions about cost and quality. Our answers to some common questions can help you better understand car insurance in Illinois.
Mercury is known for providing affordable car insurance in Illinois. However, your rate can differ based on your driving record. For younger drivers, seniors, military members, sports car enthusiasts, and those with traffic tickets, American Family often presents more cost-effective alternatives. The average yearly premium for car insurance in Illinois is about $1,127 for full coverage.
Choosing Mercury's minimum coverage, the most economical option in Illinois, might reduce costs but could lack adequate protection in an accident. Auto-Owners is a good choice for those seeking a balance between affordability and quality, offering highly-rated car insurance in Illinois.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.
