Illinois IL Auto Insurance Rate
Reader’s Question:
I got a speeding ticket in IL while visiting there. I am from OH and my car is registered there. At the time of the infraction, I did not present my car insurance. I showed the insurance of the car owner. The law enforcement officer said that since it’s out of state, if I pay the ticket, no insurance points will go on my driving record nor on my car insurance. Is this true?
Ben
Bloomington, Illinois (IL)
In Illinois, any infraction you receive goes on your motor vehicle report. It doesn’t matter what state you are licensed in. It does not matter in what state you received the ticket. Plus, if you move, any tickets you receive with your IL driver’s license will follow you to your new state of residence, and the driver’s license you got from that state. That being said, if this was your 1st ticket, you might not see any change in your insurance rates. Most states have laws concerning when and why auto insurance companies can change policyholders’ premiums; often, insurers are not allowed to raise your rates after just one speeding ticket or other citation. Different carriers have different practices when it comes to increasing premiums. Some carriers will consider the severity of your infraction and raise your rates accordingly; others will raise rates a specific amount per violation.
Illinois Car Insurance DUI
Reader’s Question:
I got a DUI in New Jersey where I lived in summer 1997 and I paid all the penalties with that. Since 1998, I have lived in New York without a vehicle. Now almost 10 years after the infraction, I am moving to IL where I will need a vehicle and insurance. Can you tell me the auto insurance consequence for me in Illinois?
Jason
Arlington Heights, IL
You say you have paid and took care all of your penalties for your New Jersey conviction for a DUI so this should include the three year insurance surcharge of $1000 as New Jersey law requires. If this is the case it is possible that this nearly ten year old conviction will not affect your car insurance in IL. What might cause higher insurance rates is that you have not been insured for such a long period of time.
The mandatory minimum insurance in Illinois is 20/40/15, meaning $20,000 for injury or death of one person in an accident up to $40,000 for injury or death of more than one person in an accident and property damage to of another person for $15,000 . Once you purchase your vehicle in IL, you may shop around online to find the car insurance that you need.
Illinois Auto Insurance
Reader’s Question:
What do I have do to protect myself against uninsured motorist in Illinois?
Kim
Chicago, IL
You should buy uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage to protect yourself against uninsured motorist.
The uninsured driver coverage will pay for medical bills and pain and suffering if you are hit by an uninsured motorist.
The uninsured driver property damage coverage will pay for property damage if you are hit by an uninsured motorist.
Your best option is to file the claim with your insurance provider and if you have appropriate coverage, then your insurance provider will pay the claim. That is the reason why you have insurance in the first place. If you don’t have coverage for the claim then you have to take legal action against the at-fault uninsured motorist.