Summary
- Auto-Owners offers the cheapest car insurance in Illinois at an average of $40 per month for liability and $74 for full coverage, according to Insurify data as of July 2026 — beating State Farm, Illinois' own Bloomington-headquartered home-state insurer, in every coverage category.
- Illinois is one of the cheaper states in our series: drivers average $121 per month overall, about 15% below the $142 national average, helped by fewer-than-average fatal crashes and minimal natural-disaster exposure.
- Chicago is the exception: at $223 per month for full coverage, the city runs 70% above cheap downstate markets like Bloomington ($130).
- Illinois is a straightforward at-fault state with 25/50/20 minimums plus mandatory uninsured motorist coverage — and it's an SR-22 state, with filers averaging $99 per month.
- Compare Illinois quotes on Premier Auto Savings in under two minutes, no SSN required.
Illinois drivers have it comparatively good in 2026: an overall average of $121 per month, per current quote data — roughly 15% below the national average — with liability averaging $82 and full coverage $161. Fewer fatal crashes than the national norm and almost no natural-disaster exposure keep the state's claim costs down.
The interesting part is who's cheapest. Illinois is State Farm's home turf — the company has been headquartered in Bloomington for over a century and is known as the state's home insurer. And yet Auto-Owners undercuts it across the board. Loyalty to the local giant costs Illinois drivers real money.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Illinois
| Company | Liability | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Auto-Owners | $40 | $74 |
| State Farm | $44 | $80 |
| Progressive | $58 | $111 |
| Country Financial | $61 | $111 |
| Direct Auto | $62 | $126 |
| GEICO | $64 | $122 |
| Erie | $67 | $122 |
| USAA | $71 | $130 |
| Safeco | $75 | $116 |
| American Family | $76 | $140 |
| Travelers | $97 | $179 |
| Allstate | $109 | $199 |
Source: Insurify average Illinois quote data, current as of July 9, 2026. Full-coverage figures reflect 50/100/50 liability limits with $1,000 collision and comprehensive deductibles. Your quotes will vary by profile.
The full market runs far wider than this table: identical coverage spans from Auto-Owners' $40 to more than $250 per month at the expensive end — a spread that makes comparing quotes side by side worth over $2,500 a year in Illinois. One practical note on the leader: Auto-Owners sells only through independent agents with no online quoting, so the cheapest carrier in the state requires a phone call.
Average Cost of Car Insurance in Illinois
| Coverage level | Illinois average | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | $121/mo | $142/mo |
| Liability only | $82/mo | — |
| Full coverage | $161/mo ($1,930/yr) | $186/mo |
The trend is as calm as the price level: Illinois' annual full-coverage average finished 2025 essentially flat at $1,786 — but first-half 2026 data changed that story: rates rose 4.1% in six months — among the five fastest increases in the nation — with roughly $1,958 projected by December. Still cheap by national standards, but no longer one of the most stable insurance markets in the country. Our August rate report tracks how Illinois compares nationally.
Car Insurance Rates by Illinois City
| City | Liability | Full coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Bloomington | $68 | $130 |
| Decatur | $69 | $141 |
| Champaign | $70 | $145 |
| Moline | $73 | $134 |
| Naperville | $76 | $144 |
| Rockford | $76 | $152 |
| Springfield | $80 | $160 |
| Joliet | $85 | $161 |
| Berwyn | $88 | $171 |
| Chicago Heights | $95 | $210 |
| Cicero | $98 | $209 |
| Chicago | $104 | $223 |
Source: Insurify Illinois city-level quote data, August 2026.
The pattern is Chicagoland versus everywhere else. Heavy traffic on the Kennedy Expressway and I-90/94 drives accident frequency in the city and its inner suburbs (Cicero, Berwyn, Chicago Heights), while downstate markets — including the capital — price like the calm Midwest towns they are. River towns along the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers carry some added flood and winter-ice risk, but nothing approaching the Chicago premium.
Illinois Car Insurance Requirements
| Coverage type | Illinois minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Property damage liability | $20,000 per accident |
| Uninsured motorist bodily injury | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
Two clarifications worth making, because both get muddled online:
Illinois is an at-fault state, not no-fault. The driver who causes the crash is responsible, and their insurer pays. No PIP mandate, unlike Michigan, Florida, or New York.
Uninsured motorist coverage is mandatory — at 25/50 limits matching the bodily-injury minimums. It protects you against hit-and-runs and uninsured drivers, and it's baked into every legal Illinois policy.
Illinois Is an SR-22 State
If Illinois requires you to prove financial responsibility — typically after a DUI, driving uninsured, or a license suspension — you'll need an SR-22 certificate filed by your insurer, and it prices accordingly: Illinois SR-22 filers average $99 per month for liability and $195 for full coverage, per current quote data. How the certificate actually works — the filing mechanics, the three-year clock, and the lapse trap that restarts it — is covered in our SR-22 explainer.
Rates by Driver Profile: What Moves Illinois Prices
Two profile factors stand out in current quote data. Teen drivers find their cheapest rates with Auto-Owners at $84 per month for liability — steep next to the adult average, but modest by national teen standards. And credit matters a lot here: Illinois drivers with poor credit pay about $65 more per month than those with excellent credit, one of the larger credit gaps we've seen. Illinois allows credit-based insurance scoring, so the boring fundamentals — on-time payments, low balances, and checking your credit report for errors before you shop — translate directly into premium.
Best Cheap Car Insurance Companies in Illinois
- Auto-Owners — best for full coverage. Cheapest in the state with a superior A.M. Best financial rating and half the complaint rate of similar-sized insurers. Trade-offs: agent-only sales, no online quotes.
- State Farm — best for customer service. The home-state insurer brings the largest agent network in Illinois and above-average J.D. Power satisfaction for the region. Cheapest it is not — but at $44/$80 it's close.
- Progressive — best for savings stacking. Competitive base rates plus the Snapshot telematics program for further discounts — with a caveat from the same analysis that Chicago stop-and-go traffic can limit telematics savings, since hard braking counts against you. Our telematics comparison covers when that bet pays.
How to Get Cheaper Car Insurance in Illinois
- Compare three to five quotes minimum. The same coverage spans $40 to $250+ per month across Illinois carriers — the largest single lever available.
- Don't default to the home-state brand. State Farm's Illinois roots are real; so is Auto-Owners' price advantage.
- Check your credit report before shopping. With a ~$65/month gap between credit tiers, errors cost real money here.
- Bundle and stack — home or renters bundling, defensive-driving and new-car discounts. Our discounts guide has the list.
- Chicagoland drivers: re-quote after any move. Even Chicago-to-Naperville is a one-third rate cut on average — and if you think you're being charged unfairly, the Illinois Department of Insurance takes complaints.
For how Illinois compares nationally, see our cheapest car insurance companies rankings, or explore our other state guides: California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York, North Carolina, New Jersey, and Arizona.
Rate data on this page comes from Insurify (page updated August 9, 2026; carrier tables current as of July 9, 2026), whose Illinois analysis cites IIHS fatality statistics and the Illinois Department of Insurance. All figures verified August 10, 2026; individual rates vary by driver profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is car insurance in Illinois per month?
Illinois drivers pay an average of $82 per month for liability-only coverage and $161 per month for full coverage, according to current rate data — an overall average around $121 per month, roughly 15% below the national average. Rates start as low as $40 per month.
Who has the cheapest car insurance in Illinois?
Auto-Owners has the cheapest car insurance in Illinois, averaging $40 per month for liability and $74 for full coverage, per rate data current as of mid-2026 — beating State Farm ($44/$80) in its own home state. Progressive ($58 liability) and GEICO ($64) also price competitively.
What car insurance is required in Illinois?
Illinois requires 25/50/20 liability coverage — $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 property damage — plus uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage at $25,000/$50,000. Illinois is an at-fault state, not a no-fault state.
Is Illinois a no-fault state?
No. Illinois is an at-fault (tort) state: the driver who causes an accident is responsible for the resulting injuries and damage, and their insurer pays. There's no PIP requirement like in no-fault states such as Michigan, Florida, or New York.
How much is SR-22 insurance in Illinois?
Illinois drivers who need an SR-22 filing pay an average of $99 per month for liability coverage and $195 for full coverage, per current rate data. Illinois uses the standard SR-22 certificate, typically required after a DUI, driving uninsured, or license suspension.