Chicago Automobile Insurance Requirements Explained

Illinois is a “fault” state when it comes to insurance accidents. This means that, if someone else causes your injuries or causes a loved one to die, you or your family can sue the responsible parties for your damages. To recover damages, you will need to prove another owner or driver was at fault because of their failure to drive safely.

Unlike many states, Illinois does not require first-party insurance. If an Illinois driver causes an accident and injures only himself, the driver typically does not look to an automobile insurance policy to pay for medical bills. Instead, the negligent driver requests that the medical bills be paid by his regular health insurance carrier.

Common definitions

Some of the different types of insurance our Chicago auto accident attorneys review are:

• Personal injury damages. Damages in auto accident cases typically include your medical bills, lost wages, pain, and suffering. Medical bills include each and every surgery you endure, doctor visit you have, prosthetic or other medical equipment you buy, and every prescription medication or recommended drug you use. Pain and suffering includes physical pain, lessened enjoyment of life’s pleasures, and anxiety about getting better.
• Wrongful death damages. In death cases, damages include the funeral bills and the loss of the financial support and emotional guidance the victim would have provided his/her family members. Death damages can also include any suffering the deceased endured after the crash but before death.
• Liability insurance. This insurance is used to pay the personal injury damages or death damages when a car owner or driver injures or kills someone else.
• UM/UIM Insurance. In addition to buying liability insurance, auto owners should purchase insurance in case the negligent driver is uninsured or does not have adequate insurance.

Car owners who do not have the minimum insurance coverage can incur fines and penalties.

Car owners can also buy comprehensive insurance in case their car is stolen or damaged due to fire or vandalism. Collision insurance is also available to cover the cost of repairs or replacing a car that is totaled.

Minimum insurance requirements

To make sure there is some money available to pay for the out of pocket damages and pain and suffering, Illinois requires that all motor vehicle operators have some liability insurance. The smallest amount of insurance a car owner or other vehicle owner can have is:

• $25,000 to cover the damages for one accident victim
• $50,000 to cover the damages to multiple accident victims
• $25,000 to cover the cost to pay for property damage

Vehicle owners must also have uninsured insurance and underinsured insurance (called UM/UIM insurance) in the same minimum amounts as the bodily insurance requirement.

Car insurance issues are very complicated. Experienced Chicago auto accident lawyers understand which insurance companies are responsible for paying damages. At Gainsberg Injury and Accident Lawyers, P.C., we sometimes seek to have several insurance companies pay for your damages if multiple people or businesses caused your injuries. For help with all your auto accident questions and to speak with caring attorneys, please call us at 312-600-9585 or compete our contact form to make an appointment.