Financial Responsibility
A driver must establish financial responsibility in order to legally drive in a particular state, and many states accept bonds or deposits from motorists to secure that financial responsibility.
However in Illinois, you must prove your financial responsibility by having liability insurance.
Your liability insurance must cover the following:
- 25,000 of coverage: for injury or death to one person in a single accident.
- $50,000 of coverage: for injuries or deaths to more than one person in a single accident.
- $20,000 of coverage: property damage.
If you still make payments on your auto, then your lending institution most likely requires additional insurance to protect their vested interest in a financed vehicle.
In order to help fully protect your assets, auto insurance experts will recommend more coverage in addition to liability insurance. Traffic accidents, especially ones resulting in bodily injury, are financially destructive to drivers with just the minimum of coverage.
Proof of Auto Insurance
Besides randomly selecting registered drivers to submit proof of insurance, the State of Illinois does not automatically know about your auto insurance coverage. Because of this, proof of insurance should be kept in your car at all times, and your insurance company should issue your proof of insurance on paper whenever you start or renew a policy.
Penalties for Driving Uninsured in Illinois
The following penalties describe what you may incur for driving uninsured or under-insured in the State of Illinois:
- No Insurance Ticket Fine: Minimum $500
- License Plates Suspended: Minimum $100 Re-Instatement Fee
- Compounded Penalties for Repeat Offenders