The history of vehicle insurance in the United States of America goes back to 1925 when the State of Connecticut was the first Sate to impose some financial responsibility statute, followed in the same year by Maine. Connecticut was looked at by many as the home of the insurance business, and Maine was the pro-consumer State. The next state to enforce mandatory car insurance was New York, in 1956. When mandatory auto insurance law in Illinois went it to effect in1990 there were several other States that look at auto insurance as an option, rather than compulsory. Even in States where insurance was an option, suspension of driver's licenses as a result of serious violations and mandating insurance for drivers who had accidents without auto insurance were not uncommon through some auto insurance laws known as 'future proof & security' laws.

Illinois Automobile Insurance

Mandatory auto insurance in Illinois went in effect on January 1, 1990. The Illinois auto liability laws made it mandatory for all registered motor vehicles to have a minimum level of liability insurance coverage. According to the law, Illinois liability insurance is required for all registered motorized autos that  display license plates and that use public streets and highways. This include all personal and commercial cars, SUVs, vans, motorcycles, recreational vehicles, trucks and buses.  Exempt from insurance laws are trailers and other vehicles that do not require registrations.

Illinois auto liability insurance laws are met if you have car liability insurance with the following minimum limits: $20,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 bodily injury coverage per accident, and $15,000 property damage coverage per accident. Auto insurance policies in Illinois must also contain a minimum uninsured motorist coverage of $20,000 bodily injury coverage per person, $40,000 bodily injury coverage per accident. Other States adopted different variations of these limits. People who are concerned about the personal or business wealth and assets are encouraged to take higher auto liability insurance limits.

Driving Without Auto Insurance in Illinois

Operators who drive cars without auto liability insurance in Illinois will receive a fine of up to $500 for first offense. Higher fines are awaiting repeating violators, including license suspension. Furthermore, if the State's computers arbitrarily chooses your car, you will receive a survey demanding you to list the name of the car insurance carrier and you car insurance policy number. The information you provided will be confirmed with the insurer you list. If it was determined that you did not possess liability insurance at that time or  for any reason failed to send back the questionnaire completed with the requested details, a suspension will incur to your license plates, and a fine will be due to reinstate it.

Financial Responsibility Insurance in Illinois, SR22

Illinois SR22 is a instrument by which the State can keep an eye on the insurance status of problematic drivers with history of violating the law. Problem operators are required to file a proof of SR22 (SR22 certificate) for the continuation of their driving privileges where those privileges will be suspended with an SR26, or the cancellation of the SR22. Illinois SR22 minimum coverage limits are similar to the auto insurance policy limits stated above. People with regular insurance can request their carriers to file their regular auto insurance policy and get the SR22 certificate, or they can purchase a non-owner SR22 insurance policy, in the event that they do not own any vehicle. Some carriers do not offer SR22 filing. People are encouraged to pay their SR22 insurance payments in timely manner, as any cancellation of SR22 coverage will be immediately reported to the State, resulting in immediate suspension of the driver's license.

SR22 for Unlicensed Drivers

Individuals who have violated the law but were never issued driver licenses before may still be required to provide proof of Illinois SR22 as a condition for issuing them driver's license. In that case, the individual will be provided a driver's license file number under which the SR22 needs to be filed.

Auto, SR22 and Non Owner Insurance in Chicago

Auto, SR22 and non-Owner insurance shoppers in the Chicagoland area are fortunate to have an abundant number of competing insurers who are willing and ready to process their coverage at affordable rates. Most companies will report Illinois SR22 filing online to the State in 3 business days or less. You can obtain an instant Illinois SR22 insurance quotes, instant car insurance quotes or instant non-owners insurance quotes in few minutes on this website.

Car insurance rates in Chicago are considered among the lowest auto insurance rates in the nation because of several factors including the lower liability limits mandated by the law, large number of insurers competing based on price, larger market size (better economy of scale for carriers), better driving safety measures, etc. However, it seems that the State of Illinois is still moving in the average zones when it comes to uninsured motorists.  Twenty years after making the auto liability insurance mandatory in Illinois, the percentage of uninsured drivers in the area remained around 16% of all motorists.