By the Lapera Insurance Team · Reviewed by Joe Lapera, Licensed Illinois Insurance Agent (IL Lic #100722394)
You want a number, and you deserve a straight one. The newest state-by-state data puts the average Illinois driver at about $1,264 a vehicle. That figure is real, it is useful, and it is also probably not your number. Below we show where it comes from, what full coverage averages compared with liability only, and how the most common Illinois driver profiles move up or down from the average, so you know what to expect before you ask for a quote.
The average Illinois driver spent $1,264 per insured vehicle on car insurance in 2024, below the $1,432 national average, according to NAIC data released in October 2026. Your own quote can land far from that. Age and experience, driving record, coverage level, vehicle, ZIP code, credit-based insurance score and the other drivers in your household all move the price. Liability coverage averaged $649 a vehicle.
Here is the honest way to read any average car insurance number: it is the middle of a very wide range. A retired couple with one paid-off sedan and a household with two teenagers and a new financed SUV are both inside that $1,264, and they are nowhere near each other. So this guide does two things. First, it gives you the most reliable published averages for Illinois, with the source and the year on every figure. Then it walks through the profiles we see across the desk every week and shows which way each one pushes the price, and what you can actually do about it.
What Does the Average Illinois Driver Pay for Car Insurance?
TL;DR: About $1,264 per insured vehicle in 2024, below the $1,432 national average, according to the newest NAIC data.
The most reliable state-by-state figure comes from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Its 2024 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement, released October 1, 2026, puts Illinois at an average expenditure of $1,263.95 per insured vehicle in 2024, against a countrywide average of $1,431.63 (NAIC release). Illinois has sat below the national average for years, and it still does.
Below average does not mean flat, though. The same NAIC report restates the Illinois 2023 figure at $1,152.85, so the 2024 average is up about 9.6% in a single year, and it is up about 38.1% from $915.53 in 2020. If your renewal has felt heavier every year, the data agrees with you. Why that happened, and what the 2026 rate review law changes, is covered in why car insurance is so expensive in Illinois, so we will not repeat it here.
One more thing about that $1,264. It is an average across every insured vehicle, including plenty of older, paid-off cars carrying liability only. If you drive a newer car with a loan on it, you are being compared against a group that includes a lot of cheaper-to-insure vehicles, which is why your quote can look high next to the headline number.
Lapera Insurance Agency is a Farmers Insurance agency at 530 Barron Blvd in Grayslake, Illinois. Our team has served Illinois families since 1993, with over 40 years of combined experience, and we quote every one of these driver profiles every week, from a first-time teen driver to a retiree who drives twice a week. Every guide on this site is reviewed by a licensed Illinois agent before it publishes.
So where does your household land? The table below shows the profiles we see most often and which way each one tends to push an Illinois quote. Only the coverage row carries dollars, because those are published averages. Everything else is direction, not a price, because the size of each effect depends on the carrier and on everything else in the household.
| Driver profile | Effect on price | Why (source) | What you can do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Coverage level, any driver | Depends | NAIC average, 2024, not a quote: Illinois liability averaged $649 a vehicle; liability, collision and comprehensive together averaged $1,383 (NAIC) | Choose limits that protect what you own first, then tune deductibles |
| New teen driver, 16 to 19 | Pushes price up | The fatal crash rate per mile for drivers 16 to 19 is just over 3 times the rate for drivers 20 and over (IIHS) | Ask about good student and driver training credits; raise liability limits |
| Driver under 25 | Pushes price up | Insurers generally charge more when people under 25 drive the car (Insurance Information Institute) | Stay claim- and ticket-free; ask about telematics |
| Experienced adult, clean record | Can push price down | "The better your record, the lower your premium" (III) | Keep it clean, and ask which discounts you have not claimed |
| Driver 70 or older | Depends | Per-mile fatal crash rates begin rising at ages 70 to 74 and climb more steeply after 80 (IIHS, 2022 data) | Ask about the Illinois over-55 defensive driving reduction |
| Recent at-fault accident | Pushes price up | Driving record is a core rating factor for every household driver (Illinois Department of Insurance) | Ask how long it stays on your rating; keep the rest of the record clean |
| Newer, financed car | Pushes price up | The lender requires collision and comprehensive, and some models cost more to repair (HLDI loss data) | Check insurance costs before you buy; pick deductibles you can pay |
| Thin or weak credit | Pushes price up | Illinois lets insurers use credit information as one factor, with limits (215 ILCS 157/20) | Ask for a re-rate at renewal once your credit improves |
| Multi-driver household | Depends | "The ages and driving records of other drivers in your household may affect the premium" (IDOI) | List every driver honestly; ask about multi-car credits |
How Much More Does Full Coverage Cost Than Liability Only?
TL;DR: In Illinois, a vehicle carrying liability, collision and comprehensive averaged $1,383 in 2024, against $649 for liability alone, according to the NAIC.
"Full coverage" is not an official term, but most people mean liability plus collision (damage to your car in a crash) plus comprehensive (theft, a deer strike, a cracked windshield, a tree limb on the hood). The NAIC breaks the average out by coverage, and the Illinois and national figures for 2024 look like this (NAIC 2024 Average Premium Supplement):
| Coverage (NAIC average, 2024, not a quote) | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Liability | $649.14 | $813.27 |
| Collision | $473.00 | $516.39 |
| Comprehensive | $260.75 | $283.15 |
| Combined (all three) | $1,382.89 | $1,612.81 |
You might notice the combined $1,383 is higher than the $1,264 average expenditure. That is not a contradiction. The combined figure describes a vehicle that carries all three coverages. The average expenditure spreads total premium across every insured vehicle, including the many that carry liability only, so it lands lower. If your car is financed or worth more than you could replace out of pocket, the combined figure is the closer comparison for you.
Comprehensive is the line moving fastest. Nationally, the NAIC reports comprehensive average premiums rose 18.66% in 2024, while the number of vehicles carrying it barely changed (NAIC release). That is repair and replacement cost showing up in the price, not more people buying the coverage.
Now the part we care about most. Illinois requires at least 25/50/20 in liability: $25,000 for one person's injuries, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 for property damage (625 ILCS 5/7-203). That is the legal floor, and it is the wrong place to save. A single hospital stay or a crash into a newer SUV can blow through $20,000 of property damage and $25,000 of injury coverage, and whatever is left over is your problem.
The same goes for uninsured motorist coverage. Insurance Research Council estimates put 15.2% of Illinois drivers uninsured in 2023, ranking Illinois 17th in the country, against 15.4% nationally (IRC study, 2025, via the Insurance Information Institute). When one of those drivers hits you, your own uninsured motorist coverage is what pays your medical bills.
We usually start at 100/300/100 liability with uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage matched to it, then work the price down with deductibles and discounts rather than limits. If that lands higher than you hoped, we will show you exactly what each step down gives up, so the trade is your decision and not a surprise after a claim.
For what every Illinois coverage does and what the law requires, see our Illinois auto insurance guide.
How Does Your Age Change What You Pay?
TL;DR: Age is one of the biggest rating factors in Illinois, with the highest prices for teen drivers, a long, steady stretch through middle age, and a gentle rise for some drivers later in life.
Insurers price age because the crash data is so clear. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the fatal crash rate per mile driven for 16- to 19-year-olds is just over 3 times the rate for drivers 20 and older (IIHS teenagers fatality facts). The Insurance Information Institute puts it simply: insurers generally charge more if teenagers or people under 25 drive your car (III).
That is why adding a 16-year-old is usually the single biggest jump a household ever sees on its auto policy. The good news is that it does not stay there. Prices generally ease as young drivers build experience and a clean record. If a teen is about to get a license in your house, our guide to adding a teen driver in Illinois walks through the permit stage, the discounts to ask for, and why this is the moment to raise liability limits, not lower them.
At the other end, most experienced drivers in their 30s through 60s sit in the steadiest part of the curve. Later in life, the picture changes gradually. IIHS data show fatal crash involvement per 100 million miles of 2.1 for drivers 70 to 74, rising to 5.3 at 80 to 84 and 7.9 at 85 and older (2022 data, IIHS older people fatality facts). Plenty of drivers in their 70s and 80s drive carefully and less often, and pricing does not move the same way for everyone.
Illinois also builds one break into law. Under 215 ILCS 5/143.29, insurers must include an appropriate reduction, with the amount set by the insurer, for drivers over 55 who complete an approved defensive driving or crash prevention course, and it lasts 3 years. For more on coverage choices later in life, see the best car insurance for seniors in Illinois.
How Much Does a Ticket or Accident Add?
TL;DR: An at-fault accident or a serious violation usually pushes an Illinois quote up for several years, while a clean record is one of the strongest ways to keep it down.
We get asked this constantly, and the honest answer is that there is no single number. How much a ticket or claim adds depends on the carrier's rating plan, how serious the violation was, who was at fault, how recently it happened and what else is on the record. What does not change: the Illinois Department of Insurance lists driving record as a core factor, and notes the records of the other drivers in your household count too (IDOI Auto Insurance Shopping Guide). The Insurance Information Institute says it plainly: the better your record, the lower your premium (III).
- Minor speeding ticket: usually the smallest effect on the list, and some rating plans weigh a single minor violation lightly.
- At-fault accident: generally a larger and longer-lasting effect than a minor ticket, especially with an injury or a large property claim.
- Not-at-fault accident: often treated differently from an at-fault one. Ask how your carrier rates it before assuming the worst.
- Serious violations: a DUI or reckless driving charge is the heaviest on the list, and it can change which markets will write the policy at all.
- Time: the effect fades as the incident ages. A clean stretch afterward is the most reliable fix there is.
If a recent accident is the reason you are reading this, our guide to car insurance after an accident in Illinois explains how fault is decided, how long an accident typically affects your rate, and when it makes sense to file a small claim.
Does the Car You Drive Change the Price?
TL;DR: Yes, because the cost to repair or replace your vehicle, its theft and injury history, and whether a lender requires collision and comprehensive all feed the price.
The Insurance Information Institute calls the cost of your car a major factor in the cost to insure it (III), and the Illinois Department of Insurance notes certain vehicles cost more to insure because they are more likely to be damaged in an accident (IDOI). Two cars at the same sticker price can still price very differently, because insurers look at how often each model has claims and how much those claims cost.
The best public window into that is the Highway Loss Data Institute, which publishes insurance losses by make and model for collision, comprehensive, injury and theft claims. If you are shopping for a car, it is worth a look, and it is worth asking us for a quote on the two or three models you are considering before you sign anything.
- Financed or leased: the lender will require collision and comprehensive, often with a maximum deductible. That puts you in the combined-coverage group, not the liability-only one.
- Newer tech, bigger repair bills: sensors, cameras and recalibration add cost to even a small fender repair.
- Safety equipment: anti-theft and certain safety features can earn credits with many carriers.
- Older, paid-off car: at some point collision may cost more over a few years than the car is worth. We will show you that math honestly, with the cash-reserve caveat.
Can Illinois Insurers Use Your Credit and ZIP Code?
TL;DR: Yes, Illinois allows both as rating factors, but state law limits how credit can be used and gives you the right to ask for a re-rate at renewal.
Where you garage the car matters because claim frequency, theft and repair costs differ from one area to the next. The Illinois Department of Insurance says city drivers may pay higher premiums than rural drivers (IDOI). You cannot do much about your ZIP code, but you should make sure your policy lists the right garaging address, including for a student away at school.
Credit is the factor more people can actually change. Illinois permits insurers to use credit information under the Use of Credit Information in Personal Insurance Act, and Section 20 of that Act (215 ILCS 157/20) sets real limits. In plain English:
- Credit cannot be the only reason. An insurer cannot deny, cancel or nonrenew a policy, or base a renewal rate, solely on credit information.
- The report has to be recent. An insurer that takes action against you based on credit generally has to use a report or score from within 90 days of when the policy is written or renewed.
- Medical collections are out. Collection accounts identified as medical cannot be counted against you.
- You can ask for a re-rate. At annual renewal, on request, an insurer using credit generally must re-run it, with some exceptions such as already being in the best tier.
The 2026 reform law, Senate Bill 714 (signed August 4, 2026), adds state review of auto rate filings starting July 1, 2027, but it did not ban credit or ZIP code as rating factors. The full story is in why car insurance is so expensive in Illinois.
If you paid down a card, cleared a collection or finished rebuilding after a rough year, ask for a credit re-rate at your next renewal. It costs nothing to request, and it is one of the few rating factors that rewards something you already did.
What Does a Real Illinois Quote Actually Depend On?
TL;DR: A real quote is built from your household's drivers, records, vehicles, address, coverage choices and discounts, so the only number that counts is the one priced on your details.
The Illinois Department of Insurance says it directly: a quote from an insurance agent is only an estimate of what the premium will cost (IDOI Auto Insurance Shopping Guide). The final price is set when every detail is confirmed. The six things that move it most:
Age and experience
Teen and under-25 drivers price highest. The curve flattens through middle age and can rise gently later in life.
Driving record
Accidents and violations for every listed driver, weighted by how serious and how recent they are.
Coverage level
Liability limits, uninsured motorist limits, deductibles, and whether you carry collision and comprehensive.
Your vehicle
Repair cost, theft and injury claim history by model, plus lender requirements on a financed car.
Credit and ZIP code
Both are legal rating factors in Illinois, with credit use limited by 215 ILCS 157.
Your household
Every licensed driver in the home, how many cars, and who drives what most often.
Picture a married couple in their 40s with clean records and one financed midsize SUV. Setup 1, state minimum 25/50/20: the lowest of the three prices, and the one we would talk them out of, because a single serious crash could exceed it and leave them personally on the hook. Setup 2, 100/300/100 with matching uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage: a moderate step up from setup 1, and in our experience usually a smaller step than people expect for four times the per-person injury protection. Setup 3, the same coverage plus a newly licensed 16-year-old: by far the largest jump of the three, larger than the move from minimum to solid limits. The lesson: limits are rarely what makes a policy expensive. Drivers are. Tiers are illustrative only and are not a quote or a rate representation.
Before you call us, or anyone, gather the details that let a quote be real instead of a guess:
- Every licensed driver in the household, with dates of birth and license numbers, including teens with a permit.
- Each vehicle's VIN, how it is financed, and roughly how many miles it is driven a year.
- Your current declarations page, so we can compare like for like on limits and deductibles.
- Accidents, tickets and claims for the last several years, for every driver. Surprises found later change the price anyway.
- Discounts you might qualify for: good student, defensive driving course, bundling home or renters, multi-car, paid-in-full.
From there, we quote through Farmers and the Farmers family of carriers, plus additional markets, and match your household to the market that fits it. If you want to try a telematics program, Farmers Signal® gives an initial discount for enrolling, and Farmers notes that riskier driving could raise your premium at renewal, so it suits careful drivers best. For the full list of credits to ask about, see our Illinois auto insurance discounts guide, or start with our Illinois auto insurance page.
The Bottom Line
The average Illinois driver spent $1,264 per insured vehicle in 2024, below the national average of $1,432, and a vehicle carrying liability, collision and comprehensive averaged $1,383. Those are honest benchmarks from the NAIC. They are not your price. Your price comes from the people in your household, their records, the car in the driveway, your coverage choices, your credit and where you live.
The pattern we see every week is simple: limits are rarely what makes a policy expensive, drivers are. So protect what you own first with solid liability and matching uninsured motorist coverage, then bring the price down with deductibles, discounts and the right market. Send us your current declarations page and a licensed agent in our Grayslake office will price your actual household.
Related Questions
What is the average cost of car insurance in Illinois?
Illinois drivers averaged $1,263.95 per insured vehicle in 2024, according to the NAIC's 2024 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement, released in October 2026. The U.S. average was $1,431.63. The Illinois figure rose about 9.6% from 2023. It is an average across all insured vehicles, including many with liability only, so a newer financed car will usually price above it.
How much is full coverage car insurance in Illinois?
The NAIC reports that an Illinois vehicle carrying liability, collision and comprehensive averaged $1,382.89 in 2024, compared with $1,612.81 nationally. Liability alone averaged $649.14 in Illinois. These are industry averages, not quotes. Your price depends on your drivers, records, vehicle, deductibles, limits, credit and ZIP code.
Why is car insurance so expensive for teenagers in Illinois?
Because crash risk is much higher for new drivers. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety reports that the fatal crash rate per mile for drivers 16 to 19 is just over 3 times the rate for drivers 20 and older. Adding a teen is usually the largest single increase a household sees, and it generally eases as the driver builds experience.
Does an accident raise car insurance in Illinois?
Usually, if you were at fault. Driving record is a core rating factor, and the Illinois Department of Insurance notes that every household driver's record can affect the premium. How much and for how long depends on the carrier, how serious the accident was and how recently it happened. Not-at-fault accidents are often treated differently.
Can Illinois car insurance companies use my credit?
Yes, as one factor. Under 215 ILCS 157, insurers cannot base a denial, cancellation, nonrenewal or renewal rate solely on credit, cannot count medical collection accounts against you, and generally must re-rate on a current report at annual renewal if you ask. If your credit has improved, request a re-rate.
Why is my Illinois quote higher than the state average?
The state average spreads premium across every insured vehicle, including older cars with liability only. A newer financed car, a young or recently licensed driver, a recent at-fault accident, an urban ZIP code or a weaker credit-based insurance score can each put a quote above the average. The Illinois Department of Insurance notes any agent quote is only an estimate until the details are confirmed.
Last reviewed October 2026 by Joe Lapera, Licensed Illinois Insurance Agent (IL Lic #100722394). Figures verified against the sources linked above on that date.