Skokie Car Insurance

In Skokie, Illinois, there are mandatory car insurance laws that state that all vehicle owners throughout the state are required to buy insurance and then keep that insurance active.

These compulsory insurance laws have been set in place to protect all drivers and pedestrians from damages that you could cause from being negligent behind the wheel.

If you are not familiar with the requirements in Illinois or with how auto insurance as a whole works, it is time to do your homework so that you know what you are paying for before you make a purchase.

There are several different pieces of material that will help you build a car insurance plan, but you can scour the Internet for hours looking for information that is specific to Skokie. If your goal is to find a guide strictly about buying Skokie car insurance, you have come to the right place.

Learn more about insurance requirements, coverage types and also about saving money on Skokie car insurance by reading this informative guide.

Then, enter your zip code above for FREE access to car insurance rates in your area!

What is the law pertaining to car insurance in Skokie?

Did you know that insurance is not required everywhere in the United States? Insurance requirements are set by state officials and each state has their own unique law.

While a majority of states do have mandatory insurance laws in place, there are quite a few that have financial responsibility laws where posting a cash deposit is an alternative to buying insurance.

Residents of Skokie who own a vehicle and have their vehicle registered in the state of Illinois are required to comply with the mandatory insurance law.

Not only must you always carry an insurance card in your car, you must always have an active policy that meets the minimum amounts set by the law.

There is no other alternative to complying with the mandatory insurance law in the state.

What types of insurance are required and how much must you carry?

In Skokie, drivers must have motor vehicle liability insurance and uninsured motorist protection. Each required coverage type has a different purpose that protects your own finances and assets.

The required coverage options vary from state to state, but most officials in states that operate under tort law require drivers to have liability insurance to pay for third-party damages.

A tort system is one that states that the person who is most at fault for injuries or damages is the one who is financially responsible to pay for repairs and treatments.

In Illinois, which has a tort system, drivers must have coverage that will pay for medical bills, lost wages and also repairs to property they do not own but they do damage. Here is a description of each Skokie coverage requirement:

• Bodily Injury (BI) - Will pay for the costs incurred by a third-party due to injuries that you are negligent for. Covered parties include third-party drivers, passengers, and pedestrians. You may have no less than $25,000 for each person, up to $50,000 for each incident
• Property Damage (PD) - Will pay for damage that you are liable for to someone else's property. This goes beyond damage to vehicles and can include damages to buildings and public property. You must have at least $20,000 for each accident
• Uninsured Motorist Protection (UM) - Not all states require Uninsured Motorist, but in Illinois this coverage is required. You must have UM to pay for your medical bills if a party with no liability insurance hits you. The minimum limit is $25,000 each person, up to $50,000 each accident

What happens if you do not have insurance in Skokie?

It is possible to be fined for failing to carry insurance even if you are not pulled over by law enforcement.

If you are pulled over for a moving violation and cannot show that you have insurance, you will be cited, ordered to appear in court and may have your vehicle impounded.

If you are found guilty, you will be ordered to pay a minimum fine of $500. The maximum for a first-time offense is $1000. Subsequent offenses can lead to fines of up to $2500, license suspensions for up to 1 year, and up to 1 year is jail.

The state will also send out random questionnaires to verify that you have coverage.

It will ask for your insurance information and this information will be verified. If your policy is not active, you plates will be suspended and you will be asked to pay a reinstatement fee once you have insurance in place. Driving without plates can result in more serious penalties if you are caught.

What other types of insurance can you buy?

The state minimums will help you avoid penalties, but that does not mean that they will help you avoid paying for bills out of pocket.

Checking for optional coverage is a must if you want to be adequately protected. Not only must you elect to carry higher liability limits, you should also consider add-on coverage types that you do not have to carry by law. Here are some of the coverages that you should be familiar with as you request quotes:

• Comprehensive - One of the two types of physical damage coverage that pays for damages to your vehicle that happen due to a fire, theft, explosions, falling objects, or vandalism. For your policy to pay, you will have to satisfy a deductible which is between $100 and $500 typically.
• Collision - This will reimburse you for damage sustained to the listed car when you have a collision with another vehicle or with another object. Deductibles are between $100 and $1000 for collision coverage. You will be required to carry both comprehensive and collision if you do not own your vehicle outright.
• Medical Payments - An optional form of medical coverage that will pay for your own immediate medical bills even if you are at fault. This coverage helps cover the cost of deductibles or drivers who are uninsured and need coverage to see a doctor or go to the hospital right away.
• Towing and Rental Car - Each of these coverages offers supplemental protection that you can choose not to carry. Towing provides roadside assistance for a small monthly fee, and rental car pays for a replacement car only if there is a covered physical damage claim.

How can you save money on Skokie car insurance?

Fulfilling your duties as a vehicle owner is important, but you probably want to save money as you build a quality insurance policy.

This is why you need to be aware of the ways that you can save money off of premiums without electing to carry Illinois minimums. This is an option of you have a very restricted budget, but here are better ways to save on your car insurance premiums:

• Insurance all of your vehicles with the same company for multi-car discounts
• Buy other lines of insurance with the same provider for multi-line discounts
• Exclude high-risk drivers in the household who do not have access to cars
• Assign the riskiest drivers to the least expensive vehicle if possible
• Select higher physical damage deductibles on vehicles with high premiums
• Keep mileage ratings low by commuting or reducing your reliance on your car
• Take voluntary driver education courses to get 36-month credit
• Take traffic school if you are eligible following a violation
• Keep your credit score high for better ratings
• Get credit for the years of driving experience you have in other states
• Make your child earn good grades for a discount
• Assign your child as away at school if he or she goes to college
• Take a mature driver class if you are over the age of 55 for a credit
• Install an active or passive alarm system for a discount

These are just some of the many ways that you can qualify for savings. The last way that you can save on your premiums is to comparison shop.

All insurers have their own unique rate sets and some have more competitive rates than others. You will need to do your homework so that you know the Illinois insurer that you do business with has good rates and good coverage options.

To do this on a busy schedule, you can use a rating tool that you enter your information in to get access to quotes from home. These tools require you to enter your information once for your quotes.

In fact, you can use our FREE rate tool right now to search for affordable car insurance coverage in Skokie today!