Cheapest car insurance in Illinois for a bad driving record

Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA), Travelers, Progressive provides affordable car insurance for high-risk drivers with bad driving record in Illinois.

Traffic infractions, accidents and DUIs wind up on your driving record, meaning you’ll pay higher car insurance rates in addition to any fines assessed. While most violations only affect your insurance rates for a few years, a DUI may affect rates for a decade and never be removed from your record.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for high-risk driver
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$1,576
Travelers$1,119$1,681
Progressive$1,412$2,031
Erie Insurance$1,489$2,069
GEICO$1,178$2,355
State Farm$1,633$2,626
Auto-Owners$1,426$2,870
Allstate$2,742$3,952
USAA$1,745$2,648

How much is high-risk car insurance in Illinois?

A problematic driving record or poor credit score may mean higher insurance rates, but affordable options exist. In Illinois, high-risk car insurance costs $2,409 per year. However, you can get rates as low as $1,576 annually from Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA).

Many things can make you a high-risk driver, but some affect your rates more than others. For example, having multiple speeding tickets or a ticket for speeding in a school zone will increase your rates more than a single basic speeding ticket.

Read on as we explain high-risk car insurance factors and rates below.

Select your state and risk factor below to see the insurance company and its
average annual full coverage rates.

Average annual car insurance rate for At-fault bodily injury accident in Illinois, IL is $2,429
Show Graph View
CompanyAnnual premium for clean recordAnnual premium after violation
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$1,258
Travelers$1,119$1,673
Auto-Owners$1,426$1,825
State Farm$1,633$1,881
Erie Insurance$1,489$2,015
GEICO$1,178$2,039
Progressive$1,412$2,238
Allstate$2,742$5,071
Average annual rate

PEOPLE ASK:

Who is considered high-risk for insurance in Illinois?

Each insurance company has its own rules for deciding who is a high-risk driver. But usually, things like a DUI, several tickets or accidents, or serious violations like reckless driving will put you in the high-risk category.

Cheapest car insurance in Illinois with a DUI

While many insurers offer coverage after a DUI, Progressive has the lowest rate at $1,728 a year.

Driving under the influence (DUI) is a major traffic violation that will hurt your driving record. It can increase auto insurance rates for almost a decade in addition to fines and other penalties. Multiple DUIs will increase your premiums even more, but improving your driving habits can help you get better rates over time.

The table below shows the average car insurance rates for a clean record vs. a DUI in Illinois.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for a DUI
Progressive$1,412$1,728
State Farm$1,633$1,741
Travelers$1,119$1,759
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$2,090
Erie Insurance$1,489$2,382
GEICO$1,178$2,657
Auto-Owners$1,426$2,738
Allstate$2,742$4,343
USAA$1,745$3,727

Cheapest car insurance in Illinois with multiple tickets

Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA) is the cheapest car insurance company for drivers with multiple traffic tickets, with an average rate of $1,223 a year or $102 a month.

While one traffic ticket can affect car insurance rates, multiple tickets can significantly increase those rates. Failure to obey speed limits and traffic laws leads insurers to believe they will eventually have to pay claims due to risky driving.

This table shows Illinois drivers how much multiple tickets increase premiums.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium with a speeding ticket
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$1,223
Travelers$1,119$1,607
Erie Insurance$1,489$1,648
State Farm$1,633$1,741
Progressive$1,412$1,981
GEICO$1,178$2,119
Auto-Owners$1,426$2,292
Allstate$2,742$3,630
USAA$1,745$2,227

Cheapest car insurance in Illinois with a reckless driving conviction

Erie Insurance offers the most affordable rates for drivers with reckless driving convictions, averaging $1,648 per year.

Engaging in driving behaviors that put others at risk can lead to a reckless driving charge. A conviction for reckless driving results in higher car insurance rates.

The table below compares car insurance premiums for drivers with a clean record and those with a reckless driving conviction.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for reckless driving
Erie Insurance$1,489$1,648
State Farm$1,633$1,741
Travelers$1,119$1,759
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$2,090
Progressive$1,412$2,116
GEICO$1,178$2,657
Auto-Owners$1,426$2,738
Allstate$2,742$4,343
USAA$1,745$2,491

Cheapest car insurance in Illinois with bad credit

The cheapest Illinois insurer for bad credit is Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA), with rates averaging $1,614 per year or $135 per month. The good news is that drivers with bad credit can still get affordable auto insurance.

Your credit score may not be related to your driving skills, but it can affect your car insurance rates and put you in a higher-risk category. From an insurer's perspective, higher risk means an increased chance of filing a claimAn insurance claim is a request you make to your insurance company for coverage after your car is damaged or you have an accident. You can file a claim online, by phone, or in writing., and statistics show that drivers with lower credit scores are in this category.

Check the table below to see how your credit score affects Illinois car insurance.

CompanyAnnual premium for good creditAnnual premium for bad credit
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$1,614
Travelers$1,119$1,745
Progressive$1,412$2,398
GEICO$1,178$2,461
Erie Insurance$1,489$3,437
Allstate$2,742$4,137
Auto-Owners$1,426$4,291
State Farm$1,633$7,048
USAA$1,745$2,989

Cheapest car insurance after an accident in Illinois

Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA) has the lowest average rates after an accident at $1,258 a year. Travelers also offers affordable rates, averaging $1,626 per year.

Drivers with accidents on their record typically pay higher insurance rates than those with a clean record. While car insurance rates may increase after one accident, multiple accidents can increase rates even more.

This table shows rates for drivers with a clean record, one at-fault accident and multiple accidents.

CompanyAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for one at-fault accidentAnnual premium for multiple accident
Auto Club Group - ACG (AAA)$979$1,258$1,533
Travelers$1,119$1,626$2,092
Auto-Owners$1,426$1,825$2,172
State Farm$1,633$1,881$1,881
Erie Insurance$1,489$2,015$2,871
GEICO$1,178$2,039$3,159
Progressive$1,412$2,238$3,190
Allstate$2,742$5,071$7,040
USAA$1,745$2,662$4,131

Cheapest car insurance in Illinois by city

In Illinois, the lowest car insurance rates are found in Bloomington, averaging $2,079 annually. On the other hand, Chicago has the highest rates at $3,064 a year.

Where you live in Illinois matters, too. If you're in an area with heavy traffic or a high rate of vehicle theft, your premiums will rise to reflect the increased likelihood of claims.

CityAverage annual premium for clean recordAnnual premium for high-risk driver
Bloomington$1,331$2,079
Mount Carmel$1,455$2,217
Crystal Lake$1,419$2,240
Decatur$1,482$2,325
Aurora$1,476$2,328
Arlington Heights$1,484$2,351
Elgin$1,502$2,380
Crest Hill$1,554$2,449
Joliet$1,574$2,488
Des Plaines$1,696$2,698
Chicago$1,930$3,064

How to reduce car insurance rates in Illinois for a bad driving record

Finding affordable car insurance in Illinois is possible, even with a bad driving record. Ways to lower car insurance rates include:

Where you live in Illinois also affects car insurance rates. For example, if you live in a high-traffic or high-theft area, rates will increase because your vehicle is more likely to be damaged or stolen.

  • Carefully consider filing claims. Paying for minor damage out of pocket may be cheaper than filing an insurance claim and increasing rates for years.
  • Avoid costly infractions. Drive carefully to avoid adding traffic infractions to your record. Tickets only affect insurance rates for a few years, which will decrease if more tickets aren't added.
  • Improve your credit score. Raising your credit score lowers car insurance rates. Make on-time payments and consider credit usage to improve your rating.
  • Take a defensive driving course. Many insurance companies offer a discount for doing so, and some states remove driver's license points for successfully completing the class.
  • Shop around for coverage. Every car insurance company weighs factors differently and offers different rates. Compare quotes to find the cheapest rates.

PEOPLE ASK:

How long are you considered a high-risk driver in Illinois?

Three years is common, but how long you are considered a high-risk driver in California depends on the insurance company's guidelines. The state determines how long a violation stays on your record, but the insurance company determines how long you're charged for that violation.

Illinois car insurance laws for high-risk drivers

If you're a high-risk driver in Illinois, you may need to file an SR-22. Your insurer submits this form to confirm you carry the state's minimum required coverage. The court will specify how long you must maintain the SR-22.

An SR-22 is not a type of insurance; it's simply a form. You don't need special coverage, but your premiums may be higher since you're classified as high risk. Additionally, not all insurance companies offer policies for high risk drivers or handle SR-22 filings.

Methodology

research logo

170+

insurance companies analyzed

research logo

34,000+

ZIP codes examined

research logo

$53M

insurance quotes analyzed

National and state average rates are based on three coverage levels: state minimum, 50/100/50 liability-only, and full coverage with 100/300/100 liability and $500 deductibles.

All base rate averages are based on our full coverage data set. This data set is based on:

  • A 40-year-old driver
  • A clean record
  • Good credit
  • State minimum insurance, which includes liability coverage and may also include personal injury protection, medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage

Best company rankings use the rate data outline above, as well as:

  • Customer complaints ratios from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) complaints database, where a score of 1.00 is considered the baseline and anything below is a low complaint volume while anything above is considered a high volume.
  • Overall customer satisfaction ratings from J.D. Power's U.S. Auto Insurance Study, where companies are scored out of 1,000.
  • AM Best financial ratings were used to indicate financial stability, where the best possible score is A++.
Tip icon You might also be interested in

In case you missed it

Stay updated with our latest insurance insights and guides