Car Insurance For Seniors In Illinois: Cheapest And Best Providers

In Illinois, around 3% of the population is over the age of 70, the age at which many insurance policy costs increase for senior drivers.

A contributing factor to this has to do with the health risks associated with age, particularly visibility; Illinois remains one of the few states that requires seniors to complete a behind-the-wheel road test to maintain their license.

Performance on this test and subsequent age-related factors can contribute to rising costs for car insurance. Thankfully, Illinois insurance providers offer several types of discounts to mitigate this increase.

This article will look at the factors that influence those rates and what seniors can do to bring them back down.

Cheapest Car Insurance For Seniors In Illinois

Finding affordable car insurance is crucial for seniors on a fixed income. The cheapest overall provider for seniors in Illinois is GEICO, at an average annual premium of $770.

Use the table below to see the cheapest rates for seniors:

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors Over 65 In Illinois

For seniors over 65, insurance rates can vary based on driving habits and health. State Farm offers the best rates for this age group, with an average annual premium of $1,005.

Use the table below to view the cheapest rates for seniors over 65.

Cheapest Car Insurance In Illinois For Seniors Over 70

As drivers age, their insurance rates can increase due to perceived higher risk. However, Nationwide offers the lowest rates for seniors over 70, with an average annual premium of $1,048. Nationwide’s policies are tailored to senior drivers, providing affordable and comprehensive coverage.

Check out the table below to view the cheapest over-70 car insurance rates in Illinois.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors Over 75

For seniors over 75, State Farm remains a top contender, offering an average annual premium of $1,142.

You can check out average rates from other providers below.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors Over 85

For seniors over 85, insurance rates tend to be higher due to increased health risks and potential for accidents. However, GEICO offers competitive rates, with an average annual premium of $1,335, thanks to its various senior discounts.

View the cheapest insurance rates for seniors over 85 below.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors with a Ticket In Illinois

A driving ticket can significantly increase insurance rates. Auto-Owners offers the lowest rates for seniors with a ticket, averaging $1,293 annually.

Based on my analysis, these are the cheapest rates for seniors with a ticket in Illinois.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors In Illinois with a DUI

Having a DUI on record drastically affects insurance premiums. State Farm offers the most affordable rates for seniors with a DUI, with an average annual premium of $1,230.

Based on my findings, these are the cheapest rates for seniors with a DUI.

Cheapest Car Insurance for Seniors In Illinois After an Accident

Post-accident insurance rates can be high. State Farm offers the best rates for seniors after an accident, with an average annual premium of $1,320.

Check out the below table, which shows the cheapest average rates for seniors with an accident on their record.

How Much is Car Insurance for Seniors in Illinois?

In Illinois, the average cost of car insurance for seniors is based on driving record, vehicle type and safety features for that vehicle, age, and health, as well as discounts and loyalty programs.

The average senior will pay in Illinois is between $1,000 and $2,000 annually for full coverage. This includes different coverage levels and discounts. The table below details the average annual cost from the top five providers for seniors in Illinois.

Factors Influencing Senior Car Insurance Rates in Illinois

There are several factors that influence car insurance rates for seniors in Illinois.

Age

Age is the biggest factor, as the older you get, the more likely you are to struggle with health-related issues and age-related decline that can increase your risk of accidents and injuries.

Coverage

The level of coverage you have will directly influence your costs. Illinois offers several additional coverage benefits for things like towing costs in the event of an accident and rental car reimbursements, but if you don’t absolutely need these, you can save significantly by simply putting money aside in the event of an emergency and changing your coverage.

Discounts

Similarly, different discounts for things like bundling your policies or taking mature driver courses can influence your car insurance rates.

Location

According to the Illinois Department of Transportation, 18% of all car accidents in Chicago involve one or more seniors, compared to 19% of all accidents across the rest of the urban areas in the state of Illinois.

23.7% of all accidents in Suburban Cook County involve seniors. This is nearly 6% higher than the collective rest of rural areas in Illinois.

As such, senior car insurance rates for Chicago and Suburban Cook County in particular will be comparatively higher for many drivers, including seniors, than the rest of the state of Illinois.

Location also increases the risk of car insurance coverage based on crime rates, particularly theft and vandalism, which means urban dwelling seniors will likely pay more than rural dwelling seniors.

Mileage

How far or how little you drive can directly influence the rates you receive from an insurer; the less you drive, the less you pay.

Claims

The number of claims submitted in a given time frame will directly impact car insurance rates. Drivers between the ages of 65 and 69 tend to have the lowest rates for property damage liability claims per year, but these rates increase after the age of 70.

Driving Record

Illinois maintains a point system through the Department of Transportation, which is directly linked to traffic violations and accidents. These violations can impact employment, lead to a suspension of your license, and increase the cost of your car insurance.

For example, a speeding ticket in Illinois can increase your car insurance by an average of 28-35%. This can result in an average increase of $390 per year.

Why Do Car Insurance Rates Increase For Illinois Seniors?

Car insurance rates for seniors in Illinois increase because of several factors, mostly related to age.

Age-Related Decline and Higher Risks

Studies indicate that aging causes cognitive, visual, and physical decline, which can interfere with things like left turns, merging, and changing lanes, increasing the risk of car accidents.

Older drivers who are prescribed medication can also experience driving impairment, increasing the risk of car accidents at intersections or when merging.

Drivers over the age of 65 say that arthritis and diabetes were the most prominent medical conditions causing impairments, and issues with vision, memory, and mobility resulted in problems driving, especially at night, long distances, on interstates, or in bad weather.

Higher Accident Risk

In Illinois, there are an average of 275,000 car accidents every year, of which 25,000 involve those 70 or older, accounting for roughly 9% of all accidents.

13% of all fatal car accidents in Illinois involve senior drivers aged 70 and older, and 6% of all injuries from car accidents in Illinois are seniors.

Older adults, 70 and above, are 2.6 times more likely to be fatally injured than people under the age of 69 in Illinois. Some of the most common causes of these serious accidents are a failure to yield the right of way, and for seniors who are 70 or older the most frequent mistake is failing to look or looking but not seeing other drivers, pedestrians, or physical property which is what increases the property damage liability claims after the age of 70.

Injury Risks

Senior drivers are more likely to sustain severe injuries even from a minor accident, and this increases the potential cost a car insurance company must pay, and by extension, the premiums you are charged.

Claim Risks

Seniors are more likely to file claims more frequently because of these severe injuries and higher accident figures. This increases the customer insurance companies and, by extension, premiums.

Experience

Other factors that influence the increase in car insurance rates have to do with experience. Seniors have more experience, but they tend to drive less frequently, and while this does lead to low mileage discounts, it can increase the risk of accidents.

How Can Seniors Save On Car Insurance?

There are several ways seniors can reduce their car insurance premiums.

1. Take Advantage of Discounts

There are several discounts that are offered by auto insurance providers in Illinois that can reduce the cost of car insurance for seniors. Some examples include the following:

• Good driver discounts
• Multiple car discounts
• Bundling discounts
• Loyalty discounts
• Mature driver course discounts
• New car or safety feature discounts
• Low mileage discounts

2. Review and Adjust Coverage

Always review and adjust your insurance accordingly. Raising your deductible can, for example, reduce premiums, and if you can manage a higher deductible, it can save you more in premiums.

Similarly, if you have an older vehicle, you may not need comprehensive coverage if it has a low value and instead can get rid of collision and comprehensive coverage in exchange for the bare minimum in Illinois.

3. Shop Around

You can compare quotes from insurance providers via Insuranceopedia to see whether you have potential savings based on changes like a boost in your credit score once your house is paid off, or a plan to bundle multiple policies together.

4. Boost Your Credit Score

In Illinois, insurance companies can use a credit-based Insurance score as one of several factors to determine your car insurance. They look at the FICO score to measure your credit risk, effectively, how much something like a car accident would impact your finances.

5. Install Anti-Theft Devices

As mentioned, insurance premiums in Illinois are typically higher in major cities like the Chicago area, where there is an increased risk of car theft. Many top providers of insurance in Illinois, like Geico and State Farm, will provide discounts for those who install Anti-Theft systems.

6. Group Insurance

The Hartford provides discounts for AARP members up to 10%. If you belong to organizations like these, you can secure insurance plans at a reduced rate that typically involves extra member benefits as well.

7. Ask About Senior Discounts

Each company provides different discounts for seniors, and as you age, the changes to what is available to you should be reviewed on the off chance that you have age-related discounts that may not have applied before.

Your senior discounts might improve if you are able to move to a different county, outside of Suburban Cook County, or move to a rural area as well.

8. Check Your Coverage Needs

The Illinois Department of Transportation encourages drivers to regularly check their coverage needs. While there are state minimums for coverage, some drivers may have additional coverage benefits that they don’t need, and strategically setting money aside for something like a rental car or a towing fee in exchange for removing that coverage from a policy can save hundreds each year.

For example:

In Illinois, the average rental car reimbursement add-on to your insurance policy is between $25 and $100 annually. However, some insurers don’t apply this benefit if the accident was your fault. Similarly, the cost for a towing add-on can be between $12 and $400 per year. Removing both of these and setting those annual savings aside instead might make more sense for some senior buyers. 

Car Insurance Discounts For Seniors In Illinois

Several car insurance companies provide discounts specifically for seniors. In Illinois, you can investigate whether the following would be a good fit for you:

Mature Driver Courses

Seniors can participate in what is called the Mature Driver Course in Illinois, a state-approved defensive driving course specifically for seniors. Successful completion of these courses can be done entirely online, and self-paced, and once completed, are valid for 3 years, typically resulting in discounts up to 30% on policies.

Low Mileage

Drivers over the age of 70 drive an average of 43% fewer miles than younger drivers, despite the fact that seniors are driving more frequently than they once did. This means that discounts for low mileage can help reduce car insurance rates for seniors.

Vehicle Safety Features

Some insurance providers will offer discounts for seniors based on installing vehicle safety features or having a newer vehicle that comes equipped with factory vehicle safety features. This includes things like:

• Lane departure warnings
• Blind spot detection
• Front crash prevention systems

Each of these, particularly when combined in the same vehicle, can reduce an average of 1/5 of annual car accidents involving senior drivers and a subsequent 18% of car accident injuries for seniors.

Affinity Coverage

Higher coverage will increase your premiums. Illinois drivers are encouraged to consider whether they are driving less frequently or have an older vehicle that doesn’t need comprehensive coverage to save money.

Similarly, if you are part of different organizations, like educational organizations, the military, a retired Federal employee, or a member of the AARP, there are discounts available.

Safe Driver Discount

While a mature driver course in Illinois can significantly reduce your cost, many companies provide bundled discounts for those who are safe drivers, with a driving record free from severe moving violations and accidents.

Multi-Policy Discount

If you bundle your insurance with things like homeowners insurance, group policies can reduce premiums across all packages and plans.

Good Student Discount

If you have a grandchild under your policy, if they maintain a high GPA and complete teen defensive driving courses, you can reduce the cost of their premiums.

Usage-Based Insurance Discount

State Farm’s Drive Safe & Save and Allstate’s Drivewise are programs that track your driving behaviors and give subsequent discounts based on good behaviors like coming to a stop slowly instead of slamming on your brakes and changing lanes responsibly instead of rapidly, as well as keeping to the speed limit. These can provide reduced insurance benefits the safer your driving habits become safer.

Homeowner Discount

Companies like State Farm provide eligible seniors with a discount on car insurance if they are homeowners.

Loyalty Discounts

The longer you remain with a given Insurance provider, the more likely you are to build loyalty discounts, which, for some companies, get applied after just 3 years, others after 5 years, and still others with a gradual increase the longer you remain.

Car Insurance Rates for Senior Drivers By U.S. State

Finding the most affordable car insurance is essential for senior drivers, who often face different challenges and risks on the road. This section provides a comprehensive overview of the cheapest car insurance rates for seniors in each state, along with the insurance carrier offering these competitive rates.

By comparing these options, senior drivers can make informed decisions that ensure both affordability and adequate coverage.