Cheap Car Insurance in Illinois for September 2023

Auto insurance is an important purchase, but finding cheap car insurance in Illinois isn’t always easy. The best way to find cheap car insurance is to compare rates from multiple insurers.

The cheapest car insurance company in Illinois is Hastings Mutual at $909 per year on average, or $76 per month, according to the most recent NerdWallet analysis of full coverage car insurance rates in Illinois. Meanwhile, the average cost of full coverage car insurance in Illinois is $1,743 per year, or about $145 per month.

Minimum coverage in Illinois is $553 per year on average, but we found you can likely get a cheaper policy. For example, State Farm offers the cheapest rates in Illinois at $304 per year, on average, for minimum coverage car insurance for a 35-year-old driver with a clean driving record.

If you're looking for the cheapest options in The Windy City, check out NerdWallet's guide to the cheapest car insurance in Chicago.

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How we chose the cheapest companies in Illinois

NerdWallet’s editorial team analyzed car insurance rates from 26 auto insurers in Illinois and listed the five cheapest options for drivers in several age brackets and with different histories, all driving a 2020 Toyota Camry L. For minimum coverage, we looked at rates that reflect the minimum requirements in Illinois. For full coverage, we used the below coverage limits:

$100,000 bodily injury liability per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability per accident.
$50,000 property damage liability per accident.
$100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

Why you can trust NerdWallet

Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to ensure fairness and accuracy in our writing and data analyses. You can trust the prices we show you because our data analysts take rigorous measures to eliminate outliers and inaccuracies in pricing data, which include rates from every locale in Illinois where coverage is offered and data is available. When comparing rates for different coverage amounts, ages and backgrounds, we change only one variable at a time, so you can easily see how each factor affects pricing.

Cheap car insurance in Illinois for 20-year-olds

Drivers in their 20s may have to get a lot of quotes to find the best cheap car insurance. Prices can be sky-high for younger 20-somethings, but tend to come down as drivers get more experience on the road. Still, some companies routinely have better insurance rates for young drivers, so it's best to shop around to find them.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 20-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois with clean driving records may want to consider the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

QBE: $2,236 per year, or about $186 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $2,240 per year, or about $187 per month.
Erie: $2,368 per year, or about $197 per month.
Travelers: $2,370 per year, or about $198 per month.
Westfield: $2,408 per year, or about $201 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 20-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

QBE: $573 per year, or about $48 per month.
Westfield: $632 per year, or about $53 per month.
Erie: $708 per year, or about $59 per month.
Country Financial: $754 per year, or about $63 per month.
Travelers: $809 per year, or about $67 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 20-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois should look at the following insurers with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

QBE: $1,042 per year, or about $87 per month.
Westfield: $1,176 per year, or about $98 per month.
Country Financial: $1,227 per year, or about $102 per month.
First Chicago: $1,232 per year, or about $103 per month.
Travelers: $1,234 per year, or about $103 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 20-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Westfield: $754 per year, or about $63 per month.
QBE: $820 per year, or about $68 per month.
Erie: $823 per year, or about $69 per month.
Travelers: $1,010 per year, or about $84 per month.
State Farm: $1,019 per year, or about $85 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 20-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Westfield: $808 per year, or about $67 per month.
QBE: $820 per year, or about $68 per month.
Erie: $960 per year, or about $80 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $978 per year, or about $81 per month.
Travelers: $1,062 per year, or about $88 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 20-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI is shown here, alongside the insurers' average rates for minimum coverage.

Progressive: $1,034 per year, or about $86 per month.
Erie: $1,096 per year, or about $91 per month.
Mercury: $1,129 per year, or about $94 per month.
QBE: $1,143 per year, or about $95 per month.
Westfield: $1,210 per year, or about $101 per month.

Cheapest for 30-year-old drivers

By the time they reach their 30s, most drivers will enjoy cheaper car insurance rates than in their teens and 20s. Still, factors like a person’s driving record and car make and model can increase prices. Drivers in their 30s can get lower rates by shopping around and taking advantage of any car insurance discounts.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 30-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want their state's minimum coverage can check with the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Hastings Mutual: $958 per year, or about $80 per month.
QBE: $1,101 per year, or about $92 per month.
State Farm: $1,143 per year, or about $95 per month.
Erie: $1,206 per year, or about $101 per month.
Pekin: $1,208 per year, or about $101 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 30-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want their state's minimum coverage can check with the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

State Farm: $305 per year, or about $25 per month.
QBE: $307 per year, or about $26 per month.
Westfield: $330 per year, or about $27 per month.
First Chicago: $342 per year, or about $29 per month.
Auto-Owners: $364 per year, or about $30 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 30-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois should consider the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $1,586 per year, or about $132 per month.
Secura: $1,588 per year, or about $132 per month.
QBE: $1,861 per year, or about $155 per month.
First Chicago: $1,979 per year, or about $165 per month.
Encompass: $2,010 per year, or about $167 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 30-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

State Farm: $351 per year, or about $29 per month.
Westfield: $391 per year, or about $33 per month.
Erie: $402 per year, or about $34 per month.
First Chicago: $406 per year, or about $34 per month.
QBE: $465 per year, or about $39 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 30-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers in Illinois with a recent accident, here are the lowest average rate options for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $958 per year, or about $80 per month.
State Farm: $1,439 per year, or about $120 per month.
Pekin: $1,575 per year, or about $131 per month.
QBE: $1,584 per year, or about $132 per month.
Auto-Owners: $1,656 per year, or about $138 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 30-year-old drivers after a DUI

For the cheapest auto insurance after a DUI, we found the following options for full coverage.

State Farm: $1,657 per year, or about $138 per month.
Progressive: $1,905 per year, or about $159 per month.
Mercury: $1,939 per year, or about $162 per month.
Erie: $2,006 per year, or about $167 per month.
Travelers: $2,009 per year, or about $167 per month.

Cheapest for 40-year-old drivers

Drivers in their 40s tend to have better insurance rates than their younger counterparts on average, but still pay more than older age groups. Shopping around for cheap car insurance quotes with multiple insurers is the best way to find lower rates. Good drivers who don’t get behind the wheel often might want to consider pay-per-mile insurance, which charges drivers by how many miles they drive.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 40-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois with clean driving records may want to think about the following companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Hastings Mutual: $831 per year, or about $69 per month.
Erie: $1,081 per year, or about $90 per month.
State Farm: $1,108 per year, or about $92 per month.
Pekin: $1,126 per year, or about $94 per month.
QBE: $1,150 per year, or about $96 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 40-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want just the minimum coverage may want to check prices from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Westfield: $310 per year, or about $26 per month.
State Farm: $310 per year, or about $26 per month.
First Chicago: $315 per year, or about $26 per month.
Erie: $329 per year, or about $27 per month.
QBE: $354 per year, or about $30 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 40-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois can check out the following insurers with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $1,373 per year, or about $114 per month.
Secura: $1,465 per year, or about $122 per month.
First Chicago: $1,626 per year, or about $135 per month.
QBE: $1,771 per year, or about $148 per month.
Travelers: $1,853 per year, or about $154 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 40-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

State Farm: $358 per year, or about $30 per month.
Erie: $362 per year, or about $30 per month.
Westfield: $367 per year, or about $31 per month.
First Chicago: $378 per year, or about $31 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $474 per year, or about $40 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 40-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $831 per year, or about $69 per month.
State Farm: $1,395 per year, or about $116 per month.
Pekin: $1,463 per year, or about $122 per month.
Erie: $1,493 per year, or about $124 per month.
Auto-Owners: $1,611 per year, or about $134 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 40-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest full coverage auto insurance we found for drivers with a DUI came from the following companies.

State Farm: $1,608 per year, or about $134 per month.
Mercury: $1,741 per year, or about $145 per month.
Progressive: $1,742 per year, or about $145 per month.
Erie: $1,793 per year, or about $149 per month.
Travelers: $1,901 per year, or about $158 per month.

Cheapest for 50-year-old drivers

Drivers in their 50s have cheaper car insurance rates than most other age groups on average. Prices will continue to drop as they inch toward their 60s and gain more driving experience. Rates can still vary depending on other factors such as a driver’s gender and location, so it’s smart to shop around to find the best rate. Our list of cheap auto insurance companies is a good place to start.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 50-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois with clean driving records may want to get quotes from these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

Hastings Mutual: $802 per year, or about $67 per month.
Erie: $987 per year, or about $82 per month.
State Farm: $1,067 per year, or about $89 per month.
Pekin: $1,086 per year, or about $91 per month.
QBE: $1,089 per year, or about $91 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 50-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who opt for the state minimum coverage may want to consider the following companies, with the lowest average rates:

Westfield: $297 per year, or about $25 per month.
First Chicago: $299 per year, or about $25 per month.
Erie: $301 per year, or about $25 per month.
State Farm: $308 per year, or about $26 per month.
QBE: $341 per year, or about $28 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 50-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois can check with the following companies, which showed the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $1,323 per year, or about $110 per month.
Secura: $1,419 per year, or about $118 per month.
First Chicago: $1,502 per year, or about $125 per month.
Mercury: $1,673 per year, or about $139 per month.
QBE: $1,683 per year, or about $140 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 50-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Erie: $331 per year, or about $28 per month.
Westfield: $350 per year, or about $29 per month.
State Farm: $355 per year, or about $30 per month.
First Chicago: $361 per year, or about $30 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $461 per year, or about $38 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 50-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers living in Illinois with a recent accident, here are the insurers with the lowest average full coverage rates:

Hastings Mutual: $802 per year, or about $67 per month.
State Farm: $1,344 per year, or about $112 per month.
Erie: $1,363 per year, or about $114 per month.
Pekin: $1,413 per year, or about $118 per month.
Auto-Owners: $1,517 per year, or about $126 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 50-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found for drivers with a recent DUI comes from the following companies, listed with rates for full coverage.

State Farm: $1,551 per year, or about $129 per month.
Mercury: $1,600 per year, or about $133 per month.
Progressive: $1,602 per year, or about $133 per month.
Erie: $1,635 per year, or about $136 per month.
Travelers: $1,866 per year, or about $155 per month.

Cheapest for 60-year-old drivers

Although 60-year-olds have cheaper car insurance rates than many other age groups on average, prices will start increasing as they get older. To find cheap car insurance for seniors, drivers in their 60s should make sure to shop around to find the best rate. Drivers in this age group should also take advantage of any available discounts for senior citizens.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 60-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois with clean driving records may want to think about getting quotes from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

Hastings Mutual: $821 per year, or about $68 per month.
Erie: $960 per year, or about $80 per month.
State Farm: $988 per year, or about $82 per month.
QBE: $1,036 per year, or about $86 per month.
Mercury: $1,040 per year, or about $87 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 60-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

State Farm: $288 per year, or about $24 per month.
Erie: $293 per year, or about $24 per month.
First Chicago: $299 per year, or about $25 per month.
Westfield: $315 per year, or about $26 per month.
Mercury: $318 per year, or about $27 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 60-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois can look at the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $1,357 per year, or about $113 per month.
Secura: $1,418 per year, or about $118 per month.
First Chicago: $1,503 per year, or about $125 per month.
Mercury: $1,543 per year, or about $129 per month.
QBE: $1,595 per year, or about $133 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 60-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

Erie: $322 per year, or about $27 per month.
State Farm: $332 per year, or about $28 per month.
First Chicago: $362 per year, or about $30 per month.
Westfield: $374 per year, or about $31 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $470 per year, or about $39 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 60-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $821 per year, or about $68 per month.
State Farm: $1,246 per year, or about $104 per month.
Erie: $1,328 per year, or about $111 per month.
Pekin: $1,423 per year, or about $119 per month.
Auto-Owners: $1,449 per year, or about $121 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 60-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI came from the following companies, shown with their average rates for full coverage.

State Farm: $1,438 per year, or about $120 per month.
Mercury: $1,504 per year, or about $125 per month.
Progressive: $1,552 per year, or about $129 per month.
Erie: $1,596 per year, or about $133 per month.
Travelers: $1,802 per year, or about $150 per month.

Cheapest for 70-year-old drivers

Car insurance costs may start to rise for 70-year-old drivers. To find the cheapest possible coverage, shop around and compare quotes from multiple companies. Also, look for insurers that offer discounts for seniors. For example, some insurers offer discounts to senior drivers who take a defensive driving course.

Cheapest full coverage car insurance in Illinois for 70-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois with clean driving records may want to think about getting quotes from these companies, which had the lowest average rates:

State Farm: $1,034 per year, or about $86 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $1,064 per year, or about $89 per month.
Erie: $1,122 per year, or about $93 per month.
Pekin: $1,168 per year, or about $97 per month.
QBE: $1,190 per year, or about $99 per month.

Cheapest minimum coverage car insurance in Illinois for 70-year-olds

Drivers in Illinois who want just the state minimum coverage may want to check with these insurers, which had the lowest average rates:

State Farm: $310 per year, or about $26 per month.
Erie: $341 per year, or about $28 per month.
First Chicago: $345 per year, or about $29 per month.
Westfield: $376 per year, or about $31 per month.
Mercury: $381 per year, or about $32 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 70-year-olds with poor credit

Drivers with poor credit in Illinois can look at the following companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Secura: $1,652 per year, or about $138 per month.
QBE: $1,656 per year, or about $138 per month.
Hastings Mutual: $1,765 per year, or about $147 per month.
First Chicago: $1,775 per year, or about $148 per month.
Encompass: $1,785 per year, or about $149 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 70-year-old drivers with one speeding ticket

For drivers with a recent speeding ticket in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for minimum coverage:

State Farm: $358 per year, or about $30 per month.
Erie: $375 per year, or about $31 per month.
First Chicago: $408 per year, or about $34 per month.
Westfield: $447 per year, or about $37 per month.
Country Financial: $549 per year, or about $46 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 70-year-old drivers with one at-fault crash

For drivers with a recent accident living in Illinois, here are the companies with the lowest average rates for full coverage:

Hastings Mutual: $1,064 per year, or about $89 per month.
State Farm: $1,309 per year, or about $109 per month.
Pekin: $1,536 per year, or about $128 per month.
Erie: $1,555 per year, or about $130 per month.
Auto-Owners: $1,645 per year, or about $137 per month.

Cheapest auto insurance in Illinois for 70-year-old drivers after a DUI

The cheapest auto insurance we found after a DUI came from the following companies, shown with their average rates for full coverage.

State Farm: $1,518 per year, or about $127 per month.
Mercury: $1,782 per year, or about $149 per month.
Progressive: $1,849 per year, or about $154 per month.
Erie: $1,871 per year, or about $156 per month.
Travelers: $2,099 per year, or about $175 per month.

Cheapest car insurance for military families

If you're an active member of the military or a veteran — or have an immediate family member who is — chances are you'll get a relatively cheap rate with USAA, a company that isn't available to the general public.

Because of that restriction, USAA isn't ranked with the others, but it was among the cheapest five auto insurance options for 4 of the 70 driver profiles we examined.

» MORE: Best car insurance for veterans and military

Minimum auto insurance limits required in Illinois

Illinois law requires residents to carry liability insurance, including uninsured/underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UMBI), in the following amounts:

$25,000 bodily injury liability per person.
$50,000 bodily injury liability per incident.
$20,000 property damage liability per incident.
$25,000 UMBI per person.
$50,000 UMBI per incident.

Liability car insurance covers the cost of any damage, injuries or deaths you cause in a car accident, up to your policy’s predefined limits.

Uninsured motorist coverage will cover expenses from injuries or damage after an accident with a driver who doesn’t have car insurance. Underinsured motorist coverage will cover the same expenses if you’re hit by a driver with some car insurance, but not enough to cover all costs from the crash.

Personal injury protection will cover your medical bills and expenses if you’re injured in a car crash, up to your policy limits, no matter whose fault it was. Depending on your state, PIP may also pay for:

Lost wages if you’re unable to work due to injuries from an accident.
Services you can no longer perform, like house cleaning or child care, because of your injuries.
Funeral costs if an accident-related injury leads to death.
A small death benefit as a cash payout.

Even though this will be enough to drive legally, you may want more than the minimum requirements. Imagine causing a crash and totaling another person’s car, for instance. The damages could easily top your $20,000 liability limit, and the remaining balance would have to come out of your pocket.

The Illinois secretary of state randomly selects registered vehicles and requires their owners to prove they have insurance via questionnaire. Residents who fail to fill out the form or who report they don’t have insurance will have their license plates suspended.

Check out NerdWallet’s guide to car insurance requirements by state to learn more about coverage options for your policy in the Land of Lincoln.

Alternative car insurance in Illinois

High-risk drivers who are denied car insurance on the voluntary market because of prior crashes, DUIs, poor credit or other factors can seek coverage through the Illinois Automobile Insurance Plan.

For even more help finding cheap car insurance in Illinois, try NerdWallet’s car insurance comparison tool.

Methodology

For our “good driver” profile, NerdWallet averaged insurance estimates for single male and female drivers with good credit and no tickets or violations. The analysis included 5-10 of the largest insurance companies in each state; smaller insurers were also included when rates were available. Liberty Mutual and its subsidiaries were excluded from our analysis as rates were not available.

For full coverage policies, we used the following coverage limits:

$100,000 bodily injury liability per person.
$300,000 bodily injury liability per accident.
$50,000 property damage liability per accident.
$100,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person.
$300,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident.
Collision coverage with a $1,000 deductible.
Comprehensive coverage with a $1,000 deductible.

In states where required, minimum additional coverages were added. Some policies include additional coverages at the insurer’s discretion.

We used a 2020 Toyota Camry L for all drivers and assumed 12,000 annual miles driven.

We analyzed rates for drivers 20 to 70 years old in ten-year increments. For the average cost of full and minimum coverage in each state, we looked at 35-year-old drivers.

We used the same assumptions for all other driver profiles, with the following exceptions:

For drivers with minimum coverage, we adjusted the numbers above to reflect the minimum required coverage by law in the state.
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor” as reported to the insurer to see rates for drivers with poor credit.
For drivers with one at-fault crash, we added a single at-fault crash that happened six months ago, resulting in $10,000 in property damage and no bodily injury claim.
For drivers with a DUI, we added a single drunken driving violation that happened six months ago.

We looked at 35-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company overall, the cheapest company for minimum coverage and the cheapest company for drivers with poor credit in states where credit history is used to price rates. We looked at 20-year-old drivers to find the cheapest company for young drivers.

These are rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different. Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state.