The only type of moving vehicle that is exempt from the Illinois car insurance laws is the trailer, but everything else is required to carry a minimum car insurance plan. The amount of coverage required is set, and while it is always advisable to get more than the state minimum, this is what you have to have before backing out of the driveway.

1. Death/Injury liability for one driver or passenger of $20,000. This only applies to accidents in which you are at fault.
2. For more than one person, $40,000.
3. Property damage, $15,000.

Remember that this is only the required amount, and that if these amounts run out in a very bad accident, then you are still going to be met with a lawsuit. In order to protect yourself the most, you should up the liabilities on your car and get comprehensive and collision, as well as adding gap insurance. This isn’t as necessary with vehicles that are not worth very much. Normally, if your vehicle is worth less than one thousand dollars, then you only need the minimum coverage.

If you don’t get pulled over by a cop or get into a car accident, then it is sometimes possible to get by without Illinois car insurance. When you get your registration, no proof in form of an insurance card is required. All you do is sign. However, those are not the only ways that you can be found out. Illinois has a system that randomly checks residents for their car insurance coverage. If you get chosen for this check, they will send you a questionnaire that you will be required to fill out with your car insurance information and then send back. If they cannot verify your information, then your plates are no longer good and you can’t drive without getting pulled over. It’s good to be prepared.

So what happens if you get caught driving without car insurance in Illinois, not in the random checks? Well, if you get pulled over for something else but don’t have a card to show, then you are ticketed. If you really have insurance, all you have to do is provide the card later and you’re okay. But if you don’t, then you’ll have to pay a fine of at least $500, and then an extra hundred so that you can get your registration again.

If you get into a car accident and don’t have car insurance, then you could receive even worse problems. For every car accident in which there is more than $500 damage total, you need to make a report. And if you don’t have insurance, then you have to pay for everything for the non at fault driver, medical and damage. If you can’t do that, not only will you get sued, but you will lose your license. And in a world where a car is necessary to get around, this can strike hard, not only because your plates will be canceled so you can’t drive under the radar, but if you get caught driving on a suspended license, then the fine is one thousand dollars.

Cheers,

Fashun Guadarrama.