3 years of content writing
Bylines with leading financial publications
Alani is a freelance writer specializing in personal finance. She aims to make complex topics more approachable through fun, digestible content.
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Sara Getman is an Associate Editor at Insurify and has been with the company since 2022. Prior to joining Insurify, Sara completed her undergraduate degree in English Literature at Simmons University in Boston. At Simmons, she was the Editor-in-Chief for Sidelines Magazine (a literary and art publication), and wrote creative non-fiction.
Outside of work, Sara is an avid reader, and loves rock climbing, yoga and crocheting.
Corporate communications director for Insurance Information Institute
20+ years in insurance and communications
As Director, Corporate Communications for Triple-I, Mark serves as the non-profit’s national spokesperson, sharing information and education on a wide array of insurance issues.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Updated October 30, 2024
At Insurify, our goal is to help customers compare insurance products and find the best policy for them. We strive to provide open, honest, and unbiased information about the insurance products and services we review. Our hard-working team of data analysts, insurance experts, insurance agents, editors and writers, has put in thousands of hours of research to create the content found on our site.
We do receive compensation when a sale or referral occurs from many of the insurance providers and marketing partners on our site. That may impact which products we display and where they appear on our site. But it does not influence our meticulously researched editorial content, what we write about, or any reviews or recommendations we may make. We do not guarantee favorable reviews or any coverage at all in exchange for compensation.
Table of contents
With more than 2.7 million residents, Chicago is the largest city in Illinois.[1] This is likely why its overall average monthly car insurance cost of $160 is higher than the state average of $131.
Increased population means more drivers on the road, more traffic congestion, and a higher likelihood of accidents. A high rate of vehicle thefts also contributes to the city’s higher car insurance rates — vehicle theft rates in the city jumped 26% in 2023.[2]
But you can still secure affordable car insurance rates by comparing quotes from multiple insurers.
Drivers in Chicago pay an average of $93 per month for liability insurance and $226 per month for full coverage.
The cheapest car insurance companies in Chicago are Auto-Owners, State Farm, and Hugo.
Illinois offers the Illinois Auto Insurance Plan (IAIP) for drivers who can’t secure coverage from a traditional insurer.
3 of the cheapest car insurance companies in Chicago
Three of the cheapest car insurance companies in Chicago are State Farm, Auto-Owners, and Hugo. While these companies are an affordable option for many drivers, your rates will vary based on your driver profile and coverage needs.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. ▲▼ | Full Coverage ▲▼ | Liability Only ▲▼ | Best For ▲▼ |
---|---|---|---|---|
State Farm | 9.3 | $56 | $31 | Teen drivers |
Auto-Owners | 8.5 | $52 | $29 | Drivers with incidents |
Hugo | 7.0 | N/A | $141 | Infrequent drivers |
Our editorial team spent more than 350 hours developing the Insurify Quality (IQ) Score and scoring insurance companies. The IQ Score objectively analyzes and calculates a score for insurers using more than 15 crucial criteria. The team weighted criteria by importance to the consumer — factors such as customer reviews and affordability influence the score more than availability and third-party ratings.
We rate each company on a 1 to 10 scale based on five categories: financial ratings, customer satisfaction, affordability, customer support and transparency, and availability. Insurify updates ratings once a year or as more recent information becomes available.
- Third-party financial ratings: Insurify uses data from AM Best, S&P, Moody’s, and more to compare insurance companies’ credit and ability to pay out future claims.
- Customer satisfaction: To calculate this score, Insurify analyzed more than 28,000 customer reviews across 155 car insurance companies. We also consider third-party ratings from J.D. Power, the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, and Trustpilot.
- Affordability: Our data scientists analyzed more than 90 million real-time auto insurance rates from our partners across the U.S., as well as available discounts, to calculate an affordability score.
- Customer support and transparency: This measures coverage options, ease of claims filing, and the insurer's transparency surrounding discounts, coverages, and claims process.
- Availability and reach: Insurify scores availability and reach by identifying the number of states in which insurers offer coverage and company size by market share.
Best insurer for teen drivers: State Farm
User Reviews | 3.2 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 9.3/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $38/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $59/mo |
People younger than 18 comprise 20% of Chicago’s population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[3] If you or someone in your household is a teen driver, consider State Farm for its competitive rates and many discounts.
High levels of claims and customer satisfaction[4]
Offers rideshare insurance
No gap insurance
Doesn’t offer accident forgiveness
Good
Friendly agents!
I also have my homeowners insurance with them. I had a fire in my hot water heater and a year later, someone stayed in my house while I was gone for 2 months. I came home to a floating kitchen floor. After these incidents, StateFarm cancelled my policy.
Best insurer for drivers with incidents: Auto-Owners
User Reviews | 3.8 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 8.5/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $35/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $55/mo |
Chicago experienced more than 100,000 crashes in 2023, according to the Chicago Health Atlas.[5] Auto-Owners is an excellent option for drivers with a moving violation on their record. The company offers great rates and accident forgiveness coverage to prevent rates from increasing after their first accident.
Wide selection of coverage options
Ranked above average in J.D. Power’s auto claims satisfaction survey[4]
Only offered in 26 states
Online quotes unavailable
They Cancelled Our Home Insurance
Good
Honest Answers to Questions
Best insurer for infrequent drivers: Hugo
User Reviews | 4.0 |
---|---|
IQ Score The Insurify Quality (IQ) Score uses more than 15 criteria to objectively rate insurance companies on a one-to-ten scale. The Insurify editorial team researches insurer data to determine the final scores. | 7.0/10 |
Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $47/mo |
Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $110/mo |
The average time it takes Chicagoans to travel to work is 34 minutes, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.[3] Hugo’s pay-per-mile insurance allows you to get cheap car insurance by paying for coverage only when you drive. It’s perfect for retirees, people who work from home, and people who don’t drive often.
Short-term coverage available
No down payment required
Regional availability
No discounts and limited coverage options
Paying Too Much
Hugo Whoa!
Great in a Pinch
How to get the cheapest car insurance in Chicago
Factors insurers take into account when buying car insurance include your location, age, gender, driving history, coverages, vehicle, credit history, and more. Here are some ways to score the cheapest car insurance in Chicago:
Shop around. Insurance rates vary widely by insurance company. You can save money by shopping around for an insurer that offers the best coverage at the lowest rates. Ensure each quote has similar coverages, limits, and deductibles to get the most accurate comparisons.
Seek discounts. Many insurers offer discounts that you can take advantage of. Popular discounts include ones for bundling multiple insurance products, safe driving, getting good grades, and paying your policy in full.
Switch to pay-per-mile insurance. If you drive infrequently, a pay-per-mile policy can save you money compared to a traditional policy. With pay-per-mile insurance, you only have to pay for coverage when you drive.
Increase your deductible. The higher your deductible is, the lower your insurance premium will be. But if you raise your deductible, be sure you can pay out of pocket if you need to file a claim.
Cheapest liability-only car insurance in Chicago: Auto-Owners
In Illinois, liability-only car insurance provides the state-minimum amount of coverage for bodily injury liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, and property damage liability.
Liability insurance in Chicago costs $93 per month, on average. Look at the table below for the average monthly cost of liability insurance with Chicago insurers.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Auto-Owners | $35 |
State Farm | $38 |
Hugo | $47 |
GEICO | $51 |
COUNTRY Financial | $53 |
Mile Auto | $56 |
Erie | $58 |
USAA | $62 |
American Family | $67 |
Mercury | $73 |
Nationwide | $79 |
Direct Auto | $80 |
Travelers | $85 |
Clearcover | $86 |
Farmers | $90 |
Safeco | $92 |
National General | $93 |
Allstate | $95 |
Dairyland | $104 |
Elephant | $110 |
GAINSCO | $112 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $114 |
The General | $116 |
State Auto | $119 |
Bristol West | $127 |
Liberty Mutual | $136 |
Foremost | $172 |
Cheapest full-coverage car insurance in Chicago: Auto-Owners
While a liability-only policy protects the other party if you’re at fault, full-coverage car insurance includes protections for your vehicle, such as collision or comprehensive coverage. If you’re a frequent driver, live in a high-risk area, or drive a new or high-value vehicle, consider carrying a full-coverage insurance policy.
Chicago drivers pay a monthly average of $226 for full coverage. The table below displays quotes for full-coverage policies from various insurance companies.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Average Monthly Quote ▲▼ |
---|---|
Auto-Owners | $55 |
State Farm | $59 |
GEICO | $79 |
COUNTRY Financial | $82 |
Mile Auto | $82 |
Erie | $90 |
USAA | $96 |
American Family | $103 |
Hugo | $110 |
Mercury | $113 |
Safeco | $127 |
Nationwide | $130 |
Travelers | $131 |
Clearcover | $136 |
Farmers | $141 |
Midvale Home & Auto | $143 |
Allstate | $147 |
Direct Auto | $173 |
State Auto | $192 |
National General | $195 |
Elephant | $202 |
Liberty Mutual | $239 |
GAINSCO | $267 |
Dairyland | $286 |
Bristol West | $313 |
The General | $315 |
Foremost | $393 |
Cheapest recent rates near Chicago, Illinois
Drivers using Insurify have found quotes as cheap as $38/mo for liability only and $43/mo for full coverage in Chicago and other Illinois cities.
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Chicago, Illinois within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
*Quotes generated for Insurify users in and around Chicago, Illinois within the last 10 days. Last updated on October 30, 2024
Car insurance requirements in Illinois
Illinois is an at-fault or tort state. This means that if you cause a car accident, your insurance company must pay for the injured party’s vehicle repair and medical expenses up to your coverage limit. The table below shows the minimum liability requirements in Illinois.
Coverage ▲▼ | Minimum Requirements ▲▼ |
---|---|
Bodily injury liability | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
Property damage liability | $20,000 per accident |
Uninsured/underinsured motorist | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
If you want a more extensive policy, consider adding these additional coverages:
Collision coverage
Collision insurance pays for vehicle repairs and replacement if you collide with a car or an object, such as a mailbox or fence, regardless of fault.
Comprehensive coverage
Comprehensive insurance compensates you for vehicle repairs and replacement if a non-collision event, like theft or severe weather, damages your vehicle.
Rental car reimbursement
If your car is in the shop and needs repairs due to a covered reason, rental car reimbursement will help you pay for the cost of a rental car.
Emergency roadside assistance
With this policy, your insurer covers emergency services like jump-starting or towing your car if it breaks down on the side of the road.
Gap insurance
If you have an outstanding loan on your car, gap insurance covers the difference between the actual cash value of your car and the remaining balance on your loan if your car is stolen or totaled.
Illinois Automobile Insurance Plan
The Illinois Auto Insurance Plan (IAIP) is a program for drivers who can’t get insurance due to their driving record or vehicle type.[6] To be eligible for this program, you must:
Have been turned down for auto insurance from several insurance companies
Own or be eligible for a valid driver’s license
Have no outstanding insurance premiums due for the past 36 months
Own a vehicle that’s safe to drive
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with an incident
Driving incidents refer to speeding tickets, driving under the influence, at-fault accidents, and other moving violations. Incidents signal to insurance companies that you engage in risky driving behaviors and are more likely to file a claim in the future. To offset the risk, insurers generally offer drivers with an incident on their record higher policy rates.
Cheapest car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket: Auto-Owners
Driving significantly above the speeding limit is a traffic hazard and increases the likelihood of an accident. As a result, drivers with a speeding ticket on their record experience higher premiums. The average cost of car insurance for drivers with a speeding ticket in Chicago is $321 per month for full coverage and $132 for a liability-only policy.
The table below compares average liability insurance quotes for drivers with clean records and for drivers with speeding tickets from popular insurers.
7+ years experience in data analysis
Ph.D. in Computational Biology
Konstantin has led data teams across multiple industries, including insurance, travel, and biology. He’s led Insurify’s engineering team for more than three years.
Insurance Company ▲▼ | Clean Driving Record |
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