Driving without Car Insurance Penalties Illinois IL
Reader’s Question:
What are the penalties for driving without car insurance in Illinois?
Clark
Springfield, IL
The penalties for driving an uninsured car vary form state to state. In some states, if you are pulled over by a police officer and are discovered to have no car insurance, then you are penalized by having your driver’s license suspended for a certain amount of time. Sometimes, your vehicle’s registration will also be suspended. In other states, if you are found to be driving without insurance, you will be required to pay a fine only. Others require payment of fines and doing some jail time.
In the State of Illinois, the penalties for first-time offenders are a suspended driver’s license and an amount of $500 minimum. If you are driving the vehicle while your driver’s license is suspended for having no insurance coverage, then you will be obligated to pay a minimum of $1,000 for fines. Check the website of the Illinois Department of Motor Vehicles because they will likely have a list of possible penalties for driving illegally without the mandated minimum insurance on your car. Your assets will be at risk if you cause an accident while driving an uninsured car. This is because you will have to shoulder all expenses resulting from the accident. So, it is always smart to carry at least the minimum liability coverage because the consequences can be really tough.
Tags: car insurance law, DMV, driving without insurance, traffic violation
Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers Illinois IL
Reader’s Question:
I applied for car insurance here in Illinois, but I was categorized as a high-risk driver. What does that mean?
Matthew
Aurora, IL
Basically, being a high-risk driver means that you will be paying a lot more for your car insurance policy. Most insurance companies, including those in Illinois, define a high-risk driver as someone who has been convicted with driving without insurance or driving under the influence. Another factor that may put you under a high-risk category is the number of speeding tickets you received or the number of traffic violations you’ve made.
You should also know that it is important to consistently have car insurance over the years because having intervals in your car insurance might send a negative picture of you to the car insurance companies. And if you’re a first-time driver, don’t be shocked by the high amount of premiums because first-time drivers generally pay higher rates due to their lack of driving experience. In connection with this, being a teenager would also send your insurance rates skyrocketing. This is due to the increasing number of accidents associated with teenage drivers. And even if you’re not a teenager anymore, getting involved in a lot of car accidents will most likely put you in a high-risk category.
Gender is also influential. Car insurance companies usually consider men to be more likely to get into a car accident than women. Aside from that, your location is also considered whether you live in a rural or an urban area.
You should also check your credit history to see if you have poor or good rating because car insurance companies consider your ratings in categorizing you as low-risk or high-risk.
So, if your profile falls under one of these above mentioned factors, then the car insurance company will definitely consider you to be a high-risk driver. Contact your local insurer to clarify certain policy terms and definitions. Or you can go online to find out more about high-risk car insurance quotes.
Tags: high risk insurance, teen, traffic violation