Illinois Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
Illinois requires every registered vehicle to carry at least 25/50/20 liability coverage: $25,000 for bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $20,000 for property damage, plus uninsured-motorist bodily-injury coverage of $25,000/$50,000, under 625 ILCS 5/7-203.
What the Illinois minimum actually means
Illinois law requires every owner of a registered passenger vehicle to carry liability insurance that meets a statutory floor of 25/50/20. Those three numbers, set in 625 ILCS 5/7-203, translate to:
- $25,000 for bodily injury or death of any one person in a single crash;
- $50,000 total for bodily injury or death of two or more people in the same crash; and
- $20,000 for damage to another person's property (their vehicle, a fence, a building, etc.) per crash.
Liability coverage pays other people when you are at fault. It never pays for your own injuries or your own vehicle. Illinois has held these limits steady, so unlike states such as California and Utah that raised their floors in 2025, Illinois drivers are still governed by the long-standing 25/50/20 requirement in 2026. Always confirm the figure against the statute or the Department of Insurance before relying on it, because minimums are the number most often quoted out of date.
Illinois is an at-fault (tort) state, not no-fault
Illinois follows the traditional tort, or at-fault, liability system. That means the driver who causes a crash is financially responsible for the resulting injuries and property damage, and that driver's liability insurance is the primary source of payment for the other party. Illinois does not use a no-fault framework, and it does not mandate Personal Injury Protection (PIP). If you are injured by another driver, you generally pursue their liability coverage or file a claim and, if necessary, a lawsuit.
Because there is no PIP requirement, drivers who want their own medical bills covered regardless of fault should consider optional Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage, which insurers in Illinois must offer. MedPay is a voluntary add-on, not part of the state minimum.
Key data
| Factor | Filed value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum bodily injury and property damage liability (BI/PD) | 25/50/20 ($25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident / $20,000 property damage) | Insurance Information Institute (III) - Automobile Financial Responsibility Laws by State · Jul 2026 |
| Minimum property damage liability | $20,000 per accident (625 ILCS 5/7-203) | Illinois Department of Insurance - Auto Insurance Shopping Guide · Jul 2026 |
| Mandatory Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury minimum limits | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | Illinois Department of Insurance - Auto Insurance Shopping Guide · Jul 2026 |
| Reinstatement fee to restore suspended license plates after a mandatory insurance (uninsured) violation | $100 | Illinois Secretary of State · Jul 2026 |
Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage are mandatory
Beyond liability, Illinois is one of the states that requires Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UM) coverage on every policy. The minimum UM limits mirror the bodily-injury liability floor: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. UM protects you and your passengers when the at-fault driver has no insurance or flees the scene in a hit-and-run.
Illinois also addresses Underinsured Motorist (UIM) coverage under 215 ILCS 5/143a-2. If you buy UM limits higher than the 25/50 minimum, your insurer must provide matching UIM protection, which pays the gap when an at-fault driver carries some insurance but not enough to cover your injuries. Insurers must additionally offer Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) with a deductible no greater than $250, though you may reject it in writing.
Penalties for driving without insurance
Operating an uninsured vehicle in Illinois carries real consequences enforced by the Secretary of State. A first mandatory-insurance conviction brings a minimum $500 fine, and driving on a license already suspended for a previous no-insurance violation raises the minimum fine to $1,000. The state also suspends the vehicle's registration.
- License-plate/registration suspension until proof of insurance is filed;
- A $100 reinstatement fee to restore suspended plates;
- Random electronic verification: the Secretary of State periodically samples registered vehicles and requires owners to verify coverage, and failure to respond triggers suspension;
- Three or more mandatory-insurance convictions push you into the SR-22 financial-responsibility filing program described below.
Being caught uninsured at the scene of a crash is treated more severely and can lead to a safety-responsibility suspension that also requires an SR-22.
When Illinois requires an SR-22
Illinois refers to high-risk proof of coverage as Financial Responsibility Insurance, documented with an SR-22 certificate filed by your insurer with the Secretary of State. You will be required to carry one after any of the following:
- A safety-responsibility suspension (an uninsured crash causing injury or significant property damage);
- An unsatisfied-judgment suspension (a court judgment from a crash you have not paid);
- A license revocation, such as after a DUI;
- A mandatory-insurance court supervision; or
- Three or more mandatory-insurance (no-insurance) convictions.
The SR-22 must be filed from the insurer's home office and kept in force continuously for three years. If the policy lapses or cancels, the insurer files an SR-26 and your driving privileges are suspended again until a new filing is accepted. Renew at least 45 days early to avoid a gap.
How much coverage you really need
The 25/50/20 minimum is exactly that, a legal floor, and it is easy to exceed in a serious crash. A single hospital stay or a totaled late-model vehicle can blow past $20,000 in property damage or $25,000 in medical bills within hours. When your limits are exhausted, the injured party can pursue your personal assets and future wages directly.
For most Illinois households, stepping up to 100/300/100 dramatically increases protection for a modest premium difference, and it raises your available UM/UIM ceiling as well. If you own a home or have meaningful savings, an umbrella policy layered on top of higher auto limits is worth pricing. Treat the state minimum as the price of legal registration, not as an adequate risk-management plan.
Optional coverages Illinois drivers commonly add
None of the following are required by statute, but each fills a gap the minimum leaves open:
- Collision pays to repair or replace your own vehicle after a crash, regardless of fault. Lenders and lessors require it.
- Comprehensive covers theft, vandalism, fire, flood, hail and animal strikes.
- Medical Payments (MedPay) covers your and your passengers' medical bills without regard to fault, filling the space left by the absence of PIP.
- Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) repairs your car when an identified uninsured driver hits it.
- Rental reimbursement and roadside assistance for convenience after a loss.
How to compare Illinois quotes the right way
Because every insurer must sell at least the same 25/50/20 liability and 25/50 UM package, price alone tells only part of the story. Compare quotes at identical limits and deductibles so you are measuring the same risk transfer. Steps that keep the comparison honest:
- Pick one target profile (for example 100/300/100 with $500 collision/comprehensive deductibles) and request that from every carrier.
- Confirm whether UM/UIM and UMPD are included or itemized separately.
- Ask about verification and SR-22 filing fees if you need one.
- Check the insurer's complaint record with the Illinois Department of Insurance and the NAIC before buying on price.
Use the state's official consumer tools and the Department of Insurance shopping guide to validate that any figure a comparison site shows you matches current Illinois law.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Illinois?
Illinois requires liability coverage of at least 25/50/20: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury, and $20,000 for property damage, under 625 ILCS 5/7-203. In addition, every policy must include Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
Did Illinois raise its minimum insurance limits in 2025?
No. Several states raised their minimums recently (California went to 30/60/15 effective January 2025, and Utah increased its limits), but Illinois did not. The Illinois floor remains 25/50/20 in 2026, unchanged and confirmed by both the Illinois Department of Insurance and the Insurance Information Institute.
Is Illinois a no-fault state?
No. Illinois uses the traditional at-fault (tort) system, so the driver who causes a crash is responsible for the other party's injuries and property damage. Illinois does not require Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Drivers who want their own medical bills paid regardless of fault can add optional Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage.
Does Illinois require uninsured motorist coverage?
Yes. Illinois is one of the states that mandates Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury coverage, with minimum limits of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. If you purchase UM limits above that floor, your insurer must also provide matching Underinsured Motorist coverage under 215 ILCS 5/143a-2.
When do I need an SR-22 in Illinois?
The Illinois Secretary of State requires an SR-22 (Financial Responsibility Insurance) after a safety-responsibility suspension, an unsatisfied-judgment suspension, a license revocation such as a DUI, a mandatory-insurance court supervision, or three or more no-insurance convictions. You must keep the filing active for three years; a lapse triggers an SR-26 and re-suspension.
What is the penalty for driving without insurance in Illinois?
A first mandatory-insurance conviction carries a minimum $500 fine and suspension of your vehicle registration, plus a $100 reinstatement fee. Driving on a license already suspended for a prior no-insurance violation raises the minimum fine to $1,000, and repeat offenses can force you into the SR-22 program.
Sources cited
- Insurance Information Institute (III) - Automobile Financial Responsibility Laws by State — captured Jul 2026
- Illinois Department of Insurance - Auto Insurance Shopping Guide — captured Jul 2026
- Illinois Secretary of State — captured Jul 2026
- Illinois General Assembly - Illinois Vehicle Code, 625 ILCS 5/7-203 (financial responsibility limits) — captured Jul 2026
- National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) - Auto Insurance Consumer Guidance — captured Jul 2026
