- Car insurance in Illinois isn't all that expensive, with the average driver paying $836 per year.
- Farmers offers the most affordable coverage at every credit level.
- To find the right coverage for you, get quotes from several different insurance companies and compare them.
- See Business Insider's picks for the best affordable car insurance companies.
Car insurance is fairly affordable for Illinois drivers. In 2016, the average driver paid $836, about $100 less than the US national average, according to the Insurance Information Institute. But, that's not to say that there aren't still some ways to save if you're willing to put in a few minutes of work.
Shopping around for coverage is the best way to make sure you're getting the best price for you. Your premium, or the amount you'll pay for auto insurance coverage, depends on several factors, including things like your credit score, the type of car you drive, how many years of driving experience you have, and even where you live in Illinois.
Every company weighs these factors differently, so getting quotes from different companies and comparing them is the best way to find the most affordable policy for you.
The most popular car insurance companies in Illinois
The following are the most popular car insurance companies in Illinois, based on the percentage of insured Illinois drivers who use them:
| Company | Market share (%) |
| State Farm | 29.65 |
| Allstate | 11.51 |
| Progressive | 7.91 |
| GEICO | 7.05 |
| COUNTRY Financial | 6.75 |
| American Family Insurance | 4.43 |
| Farmers Insurance | 3.92 |
| Liberty Mutual | 2.92 |
| USAA* | 2.53 |
| Travelers | 1.71 |
| MetLife | 1.53 |
| Erie Insurance | 1.29 |
| Auto-Owners Insurance | 1.26 |
| Auto Club Insurance Association | 1.22 |
| Producer's National Corp. | 1.19 |
| Nationwide | 1.06 |
| The Hartford | 1.01 |
| Pekin Insurance | 1.01 |
| American Access Casualty Co. | 0.86 |
| American Alliance Casualty Co. | 0.79 |
| The Hanover Insurance | 0.75 |
| Utica National Insurance | 0.65 |
| National General Holdings | 0.58 |
| Nodak Mutual Group Inc. | 0.56 |
| Western National Insurance | 0.47 |
*USAA is only for active military, veterans, and their families.
Data from S&P Global Intelligence
The best car insurance in Illinois based on customer satisfaction
Customer satisfaction with car insurance providers may factor into your decision. According to J.D. Power, a consumer research company that surveys customers, these are the top car insurance companies in the North Central region (which includes Illinois):
- GEICO
- Indiana Farm Bureau
- Erie Insurance
- Auto-Owners Insurance
- Country Financial
- Westfield
- Grange Insurance
- Farmers
- Allstate
- Region Average
- State Farm
- Nationwide
- Travelers
- American Family
- Progressive
The best cheap car insurance in Illinois based on credit score
Consumer Reports compiled pricing formula data from each car insurance company in every state. It then calculated which companies had the most affordable premiums based on a single adult driver. Since credit scores are a big factor, Consumer Reports broke down the best insurance companies by credit score. Farmers and USAA came out near the top in every credit level. Here are the best car insurance companies by credit score to help start your search.
Drivers with excellent credit, FICO scores 800-850, will see some of the best prices for car insurance at these companies, on average:
- USAA car insurance: $607 per year
- Farmers car insurance: $632 per year
- State Farm Mutual car insurance: $905 per year
Drivers with good credit, FICO scores 670-739, should try these three companies for their car insurance coverage (average rates are listed):
- USAA car insurance: $699 per year
- Farmers car insurance: $776 per year
- State Farm Mutual car insurance: $1,112 per year
Drivers with poor credit, FICO scores 300-579, often pay much more than drivers with better credit for car insurance coverage, on average:
- Farmers car insurance: $1,575 per year
- USAA car insurance: $607 per year
- American Family car insurance: $2,110 per year
The best car insurance for drivers with a clean record
For a driver in Illinois age 25 or older with no accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| Root | $105 |
| Nationwide | $112 |
| Progressive | $123 |
| GEICO | $126 |
| State Farm | $131 |
| Liberty Mutual | $132 |
| Esurance | $132 |
| Travelers | $133 |
| Farmers | $139 |
| MetLife | $144 |
| USAA* | $145 |
| Bristol West | $147 |
| Allstate | $149 |
| Safeco | $184 |
| American Family | $191 |
*USAA is only available to military, veterans, and their family members
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 2,010 policyholders in the state of Illinois
Best car insurance for one or more accidents on record
For a driver in Illinois age 25 or older, with one or more accidents and one vehicle, the following companies provide the best average rates:
| Company | Average monthly insurance premium |
| Farmers | $104 |
| State Farm | $110 |
| GEICO | $125 |
| Bristol West | $126 |
| Progressive | $153 |
| Allstate | $157 |
| Esurance | $158 |
Above data obtained from Savvy, based on 2,010 policyholders in the state of Illinois
Illinois car insurance rates by metro area
Below is the estimated average annual premium of auto insurance policies per household in Illinois' metro areas:
| City | Average annual insurance premium |
| Chicago | $1,211 |
| Aurora | $1,327 |
| Joliet | $1,305 |
| Naperville | $1,471 |
| Rockford | $1,122 |
| Springfield | $1,167 |
| Peoria | $1,161 |
| Elgin | $1,300 |
| Waukegan | $1,194 |
| Champaign | $1,167 |
| Cicero | $1,203 |
| Bloomington | $1,264 |
| Schaumburg | $1,341 |
| Evanston | $1,315 |
| Arlington Heights | $1,371 |
| Bolingbrook | $1,404 |
| Decatur | $1,108 |
| Palatine | $1,354 |
| Skokie | $1,317 |
| Orland Park | $1,386 |
| Des Plaines | $1,295 |
| Tinley Park | $1,357 |
| Oak Lawn | $1,266 |
| Berwyn | $1,284 |
| Normal | $1,208 |
| Wheaton | $1,398 |
| Mount Prospect | $1,325 |
| Oak Park | $1,351 |
| Hoffman Estates | $1,385 |
| Downers Grove | $1,359 |
| Glenview | $1,436 |
| Elmhurst | $1,438 |
| Lombard | $1,312 |
| DeKalb | $1,177 |
| Urbana | $1,095 |
| Plainfield | $1,557 |
| Moline | $1,183 |
| Bartlett | $1,436 |
| Romeoville | $1,366 |
| Belleville | $1,156 |
Data from S&P Global Intelligence
Who gets the best cheap car insurance in Illinois?
As the numbers show above, the better the credit score, the less expensive the coverage, on average. It might be worth working to raise your credit score before you start shopping.
But, there are lots of other factors that go into your car insurance pricing as well. Things like where you live in Illinois, your age, gender, and many more factors can go into the price you'll pay for coverage. Each company will price your policy differently based on these factors, and that's why it's so important to shop around.
Get quotes from several different insurance companies and compare them to find the best coverage for your money. Make sure to look past the premium and consider the coverage types and limits listed on your quotes. Also, look at the deductible, or the amount you'll pay out of pocket if anything happens. Generally, the cheaper the policy, the higher the deductible.
Shopping around can help you get the best price for you, even in a state where insurance is relatively affordable like Illinois.