How Much Auto Insurance Do You Need?

Car insurance is a necessity to drive legally, but that doesn’t mean you need to overpay.

Finding the right car insurance often means walking a fine line between price and total coverage. You don’t want coverage you don’t need but finding yourself underinsured could be devastating.

If you find yourself wondering how much auto insurance you need, we can help you. Here’s what you need to know about car insurance in Illinois.

What Does Illinois Law Say?

Every state sets its own minimum insurance coverage requirements. Some states require different clauses, and others have different damage minimums.

To comply with the law in Illinois, you must have at least:

• $20,000 for property damage for another person
• $25,000 for injury or death of one person in an accident
• $50,000 for injury or death of more than one person

You also need a policy with uninsured motorist coverage. It covers injuries in the event that you get hit by a driver with no insurance, or if you’re the victim of a hit-and-run. Approximately 14% of Illinois drivers currently have no insurance.

However, sticking to the mandatory minimums won’t necessarily provide you the best coverage either. If you get in an accident, your liability could actually be much higher than $25,000 in injuries or $20,000 in property damage. If you get in an accident and the other party’s car is totaled, and they end up in the hospital for several days, you’re on the hook for anything above your coverage limits.

What’s more, buying the minimum coverage in Illinois won’t cover damage to your car.

The bottom line is minimum insurance coverage is the absolute bare minimum, but if you get in an accident, it’s unlikely to protect you.

How Much Auto Insurance Do I Need?

To protect yourself, your family, and other road users, it’s important to look for collision and comprehensive coverage. Although it’s not as cheap as minimum insurance coverage, it also won’t leave you uninsured.

What’s the better option?

An insurance policy you can trust comes with the following coverage:

• $100,000 per person for injuries
• $300,000 per accident for injuries
• $100,000 in property damage

If your regular route includes accident blackspots, or you routinely drive in heavy traffic, you might even seek out more coverage, like $250,000 per person for injury and $250,000 in property damage.

By choosing higher insurance coverage, or even going the comprehensive coverage route, you can better protect your family, finances, and other drivers. It means that if you get in an accident, you can focus on recovery, not on red tape and lawsuits.

Choose Value Over Price to Save Money on Illinois Auto Insurance

How much auto insurance do you need? Once you reach the Illinois state minimum, the answer is up to you.

One thing is for sure though, it’s far better to be over-insured than under-insured. Because even if you save a few hundred dollars a year for minimum coverage, you could find yourself facing financial ruin if you ever need to use it.

Are you looking to save money on auto insurance without losing any coverage? Get in touch for a free car insurance quote that will suit your needs and protect your family.