Auto Insurance in Chicago
Coverage options for Chicago drivers, including liability, collision, comprehensive, uninsured motorists and other available protections.
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Auto insurance is a package of separate coverages that respond to different situations: harm you cause to other people, damage to your own vehicle, and losses caused by drivers who carry little or no insurance. Which of those you carry, and at what limits, is a decision you make policy by policy.
Our job is to explain what each part does before you buy it, so you know what your policy is meant to do the day you need it.
What this coverage may include
Bodily injury and property damage liability
Responds to injuries and property damage you are legally responsible for in a covered accident, up to the limits you choose.
Collision
May pay for damage to your own vehicle from a collision, subject to your deductible. It is optional unless a lender or lessor requires it.
Comprehensive
May pay for non-collision losses such as theft, hail, fire, falling objects or glass damage, subject to your deductible.
Uninsured and underinsured motorists
Applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance, or not enough of it. Higher limits than the state requirement are generally available.
Medical payments and other available protections
Options such as medical payments, rental reimbursement and roadside assistance may be available depending on the policy.
Who may benefit from this coverage
- Anyone who owns or regularly drives a vehicle registered in Illinois
- Households adding a teen driver or a second or third vehicle
- Drivers who commute on the expressways or park on the street
- People whose current limits have not been reviewed in several years
- Anyone who wants an umbrella policy later, which generally requires qualifying auto limits
Coverage decisions worth thinking through
Whether state minimum limits are enough for you
Illinois sets a floor, not a recommendation. A single serious accident involving medical treatment and a newer vehicle can exceed minimum limits, and amounts above your limit are generally your responsibility.
Deductibles on collision and comprehensive
A higher deductible generally means you keep more of a small loss. Pick a number you could comfortably pay on short notice.
Everyone who drives the car
Household members and regular drivers usually need to be listed. Leaving someone off can create problems at claim time.
What to have ready for a quote request
Driver's license numbers, vehicle VINs, current declarations page and your garaging address make the conversation faster and the numbers more accurate.
Chicago driving considerations
City driving concentrates the kinds of losses that comprehensive and collision respond to: tight residential streets, alley garages, expressway congestion on the Kennedy and Dan Ryan, and long stretches of street parking where a car can be hit by someone you never meet.
Winter adds its own pattern — freeze-thaw potholes, salt, and low-speed collisions on unplowed side streets. Hail and wind events in spring and summer are comprehensive-type losses. None of that changes what a policy says, but it does change which conversations are worth having before you choose limits and deductibles.
Why work with the Joe Schneider Agency?
The agency has served Chicago since 2005 from its office on North Avenue, and Joe and his team bring more than 20 years of local experience to conversations like this one. We explain options in plain English, review what you already have, and leave the decision with you.
More than 800 customer reviews across Google, Yelp and the agency website. Read customer reviews
The Joe Schneider Agency is licensed to sell insurance in Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
Coverage availability varies by product, location, eligibility and underwriting requirements. Some products may be offered or issued by third-party insurance providers.
State requirements referenced above: Illinois Secretary of State — Mandatory Insurance
Things people ask us about this coverage.
How much auto insurance do I need in Illinois?
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Illinois requires at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury liability, plus $20,000 for property damage, and at least $25,000/$50,000 in uninsured-motorist bodily injury coverage. State minimums may not be enough for a serious loss or lawsuit, so we will walk through higher limits with you.
What is uninsured motorist coverage?
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It applies when the at-fault driver has no insurance or not enough of it. Illinois requires a minimum amount, and higher limits are generally available.
Do I have to carry collision and comprehensive?
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They are generally optional under state law, though a lender or lessor may require them. Whether they make sense depends on the vehicle's value and what you could afford to replace out of pocket.
Does my policy cover a teen driver in the household?
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Household drivers usually need to be listed on the policy. Tell us when a new driver joins the household so the policy reflects who is actually driving.
What information helps when requesting a quote?
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Driver's license numbers for each driver, the VIN for each vehicle, your address and your current declarations page. Sending the declarations page lets us compare like for like.