Cheap Car Insurance in Chicago (2024)
- Expertise: Auto insurance, home insurance and renters insurance
- Education: University of California-Berkeley (BA in History)
Rob Bhatt is a licensed insurance agent and joined the staff of Lending Tree in 2021. Previously, he spent more than 20 years writing for and editing regional publications in California, Nevada and Washington. Rob enjoys helping readers understand how different coverages work so they can make informed purchasing decisions, and he specializes in producing research-backed content for LendingTree about auto, home and renters insurance. His work has been cited by ABC, Business Insider, MSN and Yahoo.
Progressive and Travelers are the best companies for cheap car insurance quotes in Chicago. Progressive has the cheapest minimum-liability rates, but Travelers is cheapest for full coverage.
State Farm has the cheapest auto insurance for Chicago drivers with a ticket, accident or DUI.
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance quotes in Chicago: Travelers
With rates that average $1,717 a year, or $143 a month, Travelers has the cheapest full-coverage car insurance quotes in Chicago.
The next-cheapest quotes come from State Farm, $1,931 a year, and Progressive, $2,183 a year. The average cost of full-coverage car insurance in Chicago is $2,772 a year, or $231 a month.
Full-coverage car insurance rates
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $1,717 |
| State Farm | $1,931 |
| Progressive | $2,183 |
| Country Financial | $2,290 |
| American Family | $2,293 |
| City average | $2,772 |
| Geico | $3,271 |
| Allstate | $3,799 |
| Farmers | $4,694 |
The actual rate each company charges varies by customer. This is why it’s important to compare car insurance quotes from multiple companies when you shop.
Cheapest liability car insurance in Chicago: Progressive
Progressive narrowly beats out Travelers for cheapest liability-only car insurance in Chicago. Progressive’s liability quotes average $773 a year, or $64 a month. This is only slightly less than Traveler’s rate of $776 a year.
Both companies’ rates are about 33% less than the city average for minimum liability.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Progressive | $773 |
| Travelers | $776 |
| State Farm | $825 |
| Country Financial | $846 |
| American Family | $908 |
| City average | $1,157 |
| Geico | $1,366 |
| Allstate | $1,642 |
| Farmers | $2,123 |
Liability insurance covers injuries and damage you cause to other people in a car accident. Full coverage includes collision and comprehensive, which cover damage to your car.
Cheapest rates for young drivers in Chicago: Country Financial and Travelers
Country Financial and Travelers have the cheapest car insurance quotes for young drivers in Chicago. Country Financial has the cheapest liability-only rates, but Travelers is cheapest for full coverage.
Cheapest liability insurance for young drivers: Country Financial
Country Financial has the cheapest liability car insurance for 18-year-olds in Chicago. These rates average $2,174 a year, or $181 a month. This is 44% less than the city average or $3,897 a year.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Country Financial | $2,174 |
| Travelers | $2,433 |
| State Farm | $2,596 |
| Progressive | $2,605 |
| Geico | $3,144 |
| American Family | $3,549 |
| City average | $3,897 |
| Allstate | $3,992 |
| Farmers | $10,679 |
Cheapest full-coverage for young drivers: Travelers
Travelers has the cheapest full-coverage rates for 18-year-olds, charging an average of $5,153 a year, or $429 a month. Country Financial is next-cheapest with rates that average $5,509 a year.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $5,153 |
| Country Financial | $5,509 |
| State Farm | $5,802 |
| Geico | $7,516 |
| Progressive | $8,133 |
| City average | $8,513 |
| Allstate | $8,544 |
| American Family | $8,630 |
| Farmers | $18,816 |
Cheapest rates after a ticket in Chicago: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance for Chicago drivers with a speeding ticket, charging $2,065 a year for full coverage.
The next-cheapest rate is $2,203 a year from Travelers. In Chicago, a speeding ticket increases the average cost of car insurance by 31% to $3,621 a year, or $302 a month.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,065 |
| Travelers | $2,203 |
| American Family | $2,725 |
| Country Financial | $3,037 |
| Progressive | $3,190 |
| City average | $3,621 |
| Geico | $3,827 |
| Allstate | $5,035 |
| Farmers | $6,888 |
Cheapest rates after an accident in Chicago: State Farm
State Farm has the cheapest car insurance quotes for Chicago drivers with a prior at-fault accident. These rates average $2,237 a year, or $186 a month.
Travelers is the next-cheapest option. It charges $2,448 a year, or $204 a month. An accident increases the cost of car insurance in Chicago by more than 56% to $4,333 a year, or $361 a month.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,237 |
| Travelers | $2,448 |
| Country Financial | $3,420 |
| American Family | $3,476 |
| Progressive | $3,791 |
| City average | $4,333 |
| Geico | $5,226 |
| Farmers | $6,979 |
| Allstate | $7,086 |
Best rates after a DUI in Chicago: State Farm
State Farm has the best car insurance rates for Chicago drivers with a DUI. Its rates average $2,065 a year for full coverage, or $172 a month. The next-cheapest company, Travelers, charges $2,580 a year, or $215 a month.
In Chicago, a DUI increases the average cost of car insurance by 51%.
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| State Farm | $2,065 |
| Travelers | $2,580 |
| Progressive | $2,692 |
| Country Financial | $3,588 |
| American Family | $4,128 |
| City average | $4,195 |
| Geico | $5,813 |
| Allstate | $6,065 |
| Farmers | $6,630 |
Best Chicago rates for bad credit: Travelers
Travelers has the best car insurance rates for drivers with bad credit. These rates average $2,654 a year for full coverage, or $221 a month.
A driver with bad credit pays an average of 90% more for auto insurance than a driver with good credit.
Car insurance rates for drivers with bad credit
| Company | Annual rate |
|---|---|
| Travelers | $2,654 |
| Progressive | $3,419 |
| Country Financial | $3,479 |
| American Family | $3,971 |
| City average | $5,259 |
| Allstate | $5,832 |
| Geico | $6,802 |
| Farmers | $7,581 |
| State Farm | $8,333 |
Chicago car insurance rates by neighborhood
In Chicago’s neighborhoods, full-coverage car insurance rates range from $2,441 in Lakeview to $3,275 a year in Englewood. The difference works out to about $70 a month.
The average cost of car insurance in Lincoln Park is $2,443 a year, or $204 a month. In Hyde Park, the average rate works out to $245 a month.
Your ZIP code is among several factors insurance companies use to set your car insurance rate. You usually pay more if your ZIP code has higher crash rates and/or more vehicle thefts than average. You pay less in areas where these incidents are less common.
| Neighborhood | ZIP code | Annual rate | Monthly average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany Park | 60625 | $2,472 | $206 |
| Ashburn | 60652 | $2,807 | $234 |
| Austin | 60644 | $3,237 | $270 |
| Avondale | 60618 | $2,666 | $222 |
| Chicago Lawn | 60629 | $2,958 | $247 |
| Edgewater | 60660 | $2,657 | $221 |
| Edison Park | 60631 | $2,634 | $219 |
| Englewood | 60621 | $3,275 | $273 |
| Humboldt Park | 60651 | $3,186 | $265 |
| Hyde Park | 60615 | $2,936 | $245 |
| Lakeview | 60657 | $2,441 | $203 |
| Lincoln Park | 60614 | $2,443 | $204 |
| Logan Square | 60647 | $2,668 | $222 |
| The Loop | 60602 | $2,491 | $208 |
| Morgan Park | 60643 | $2,852 | $238 |
| Pullman | 60628 | $3,106 | $259 |
| Rogers Park | 60626 | $2,767 | $231 |
| South Shore | 60649 | $3,121 | $260 |
| Uptown | 60640 | $2,586 | $215 |
| West Town | 60622 | $2,682 | $223 |
Car insurance laws in Chicago
Illinois law requires you to have car insurance to drive legally in Chicago.
You need car insurance to register your vehicle. The state monitors your vehicle’s insurance status electronically after that. You also have to show proof of insurance to law enforcement during a traffic stop or at an accident scene.
The penalties for driving without insurance in Chicago include fines and a possible suspension of your license or registration.
Minimum coverage for car insurance in Chicago
The minimum car insurance coverages required for Chicago drivers include:
- Bodily injury liability: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $20,000
- Uninsured motorist: $25,000 per person/$50,000 per accident
Bodily injury liability covers medical treatment for those you injure in a car accident. Property damage liability covers damage you cause. It applies to other people’s vehicles and to property such as fences, toll booths and light posts.
If an accident victim’s expenses exceed your liability limits, you have to cover the shortfall yourself. This is the main reason to choose higher liability limits.
Uninsured motorist insurance covers you and your passengers for injuries a driver with no insurance causes. About 16% of Illinois’ drivers do not have insurance, according to the Insurance Research Council.
You can add optional coverages to your policy for more protection. The most important ones to consider include:
- Collision: Covers damage to your vehicle in an accident.
- Comprehensive: Covers your car for theft and damage from non-collision causes such as fire, flood and vandalism.
- Medical payments: Covers car accident injuries to you and your passengers, no matter who causes the accident.
SR-22 insurance in Chicago
You may have to get SR-22 insurance to reinstate a suspended license or registration.
An SR-22 is a certificate your insurance company files with the state. DUI, reckless driving and driving without insurance are among the offenses that lead to an SR-22 requirement.
You should let insurance companies know about your SR-22 requirement when you contact them for quotes. Some companies don’t insure SR-22 drivers. Those that do typically add a small filing fee to your rate.
The actual price you pay for SR-22 insurance depends largely on the offense that leads to the filing requirement. SR-22 usually costs more after a DUI than it does for driving without insurance. However, other factors, including your credit, age, ZIP code and vehicle also influence your car insurance rate.
Frequently asked questions
The average cost of car insurance in Chicago is $1,157 a year for minimum liability, or $96 a month. Full coverage costs an average of $2,772 a year, or $231 a month.
If you’re moving to Chicago from another state, you’ll need new car insurance shortly after you arrive. You need Illinois-issued car insurance to register your vehicle, which you have to do within 30 days.
No. Illinois has traditional fault laws. If you cause a car accident, you are financially responsible for injuries and damage you cause to others. The amount you owe may be reduced if the other driver is partially at fault.