What is the Average Cost of Car Insurance in Aurora?
Are you looking for auto insurance in Aurora, Illinois? Whether you are a new driver, are moving to the area, or simply want to find a competitive rate, you should first become familiar with the state’s driving and insurance laws. Whatever your situation, if you plan to drive in Illinois, you will need to secure some form of auto insurance.
Insurance can, however, be expensive. To ensure you get as good a rate as possible, researching all available options thoroughly is an essential step before you sign a contract. This is particularly important because auto insurance rates can be impacted by a wide variety of factors:
- Your Driving History
- Your Credit History
- Population Density
- Commute Times
- Number of Reported Thefts
It varies between cities and states, but most insurance companies do take into consideration the population density of an area when establishing auto insurance rates. Cities with fewer residents tend to report fewer accidents, so it’s not uncommon for drivers to have lower premiums. Generally, locations with fewer than 5,000 people per square mile are most likely to experience this. As of July 2019, Aurora, Illinois had a population of 4,404 people per square mile, just below the average cutoff for lower rates.
However, commute times in Aurora, Illinois are above average, which may offset any potential savings offered by insurance companies. Providers often see long commutes as a higher risk for accidents, as more time spent on the road often translates to more opportunities for collisions to occur. This means that longer average commute times often result in higher auto insurance rates. Between the years 2014 and 2018, the mean travel time for workers age 16 and older in Aurora was 29 minutes, which is definitely above the national average of 26.6 minutes.
Fortunately, the risk of auto theft seems to be relatively low in Aurora, Illinois. The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) did not mark the city as an area of concern in its 2018 Hot Spots Repot Map.
How Much Car Insurance Coverage Do I Need in Aurora
All Illinois drivers are required to have a minimum amount of car insurance for their vehicle(s). Breaking this law can result in a variety of penalties, including monetary fines, time in jail, and full liability of associated expenses after an accident. Illinois drivers must adhere to the following insurance requirements:
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
Drivers must have a minimum of $25,000 of coverage per person and $50,000 of coverage total for all injuries or deaths per accident.
Property Damage Liability Coverage
Drivers must have a minimum of $20,000 coverage per accident to cover damage to a vehicle or other property.
Drivers may decide not to obtain uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist coverage, but this is not recommended. Maintaining only the absolute minimum amount of auto insurance leaves drivers and their property at risk, as it may not be enough to provide full protection from lawsuits and expensive medical bills.
Most Expensive and Least Expensive Insurance Rates by Zip Code
Cheap Car Insurance in Aurora by Insurer
While you should never choose an auto insurance policy based solely on price, it’s important to realize that some companies consistently offer lower rates than others. Requesting multiple quotes can help you find the provider that offers the best premium based on your specific circumstances. Don’t assume, however, that the cheapest option is always best. Make sure the policy adequately meets all of your unique needs. Ideally, your decision should be based on a combination of the insurance provider’s service ratings, customer reviews, and rate offers.
Low Cost Auto Insurance for Bad Credit in Aurora
Insurance companies in Illinois are allowed to consider driver credit when determining individual auto insurance premiums. If you have a poor credit score, this doesn’t necessarily mean you will be stuck paying more per month, however. Conducting thorough research and requesting multiple quotes can help you find a reasonable rate. Additionally, some insurance companies are known to penalize drivers less for bad credit than others.
Want to know how your credit score affects your insurance rates, click here to learn more.
Differences Between the Two Main Coverages
What is Liability Only Insurance Coverage?
Liability insurance covers the possible cost of damage you cause to others while driving. This could mean the cost of medical care for those injured in an accident or repair costs of the damage you have caused to other vehicles.
With liability insurance, there are 3 key numbers: injury coverage per person, coverage for total injury per accident, and property damage coverage per accident. Each state has different requirements for car insurance minimums. In a policy that has coverage for 15/30/25 means $15,000 per injured person, with a maximum of $30,000 for all the people who are injured in an accident, and $25,000 in coverage for property damage.
What does Full Coverage Insurance Cover?
While liability insurance covers other people and vehicles in an accident where you were the one considered at fault, full coverage insurance can also cover you and your vehicle as well. Full coverage includes two different types of coverage combined into one insurance plan; comprehensive insurance and collision.
Comprehensive coverage is for the damage of other vehicles that are outside of driving situations such as weather damage, fire, or theft.
Collision coverage is basically to pay for damage that you caused while driving such as an accident with another vehicle, hitting an object, or driving off the road.
The difference between collision and comprehensive is, if a tree were to fall on your car and damage it, comprehensive insurance would cover it, however, if you were driving and hit a tree causing damage to your car, then it would be covered by collision.
Key Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability Only
Liability coverage kicks in when you back up and hit a kid on a skateboard you did not see. It will also pay for a gate you run into and damage.
Collision insurance pays out when you back into a large rock at a campground, denting your pickup’s tailgate. It will pay to get the tailgate repaired.
Comprehensive coverage will pay for the repair costs when something flies out of the back of a semi-truck and you end up with a cracked windshield.
Average Annual Car Insurance Rates in Illinois by City
Car Insurance Discounts to Lower Your Policy Rates
Save on Your Insurance Policy Rates With These Discounts in Aurora:
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Raise your deductible
If you are willing to pay more money for a deductible, in the event of an accident, then you can lower your insurance rates substantially. You can lower your premium to around 10% just by raising your deductible to around $1,000.
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Drop Collision Coverage on Old Cars
Dropping collision coverage on older cars can really help save you a lot, especially for cars that are more than ten years old and only worth four or five thousand dollars. Think about it, if you have an accident while driving an older car, are you really going to pay to repair it or just buy a new car?
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Check Insurance Rates for Your Car’s Make and Model
The make and model of your car can make a big difference in how much you pay for auto insurance. Therefore, before purchasing a new car, be sure and check the insurance rates for it as some can be much higher than others.
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Shop Around to Check Rates from Numerous Insurance Companies
The chart in this article should be enough proof to know that there can be a big difference in what various insurance companies charge for auto insurance. That is why it is a good idea to check rates from a number of insurance companies before deciding which plan to choose.
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Drive Fewer Miles
One of the questions asked when applying for auto insurance rates, is how many miles you drive regularly. This is because the more miles you drive, the more risk you are to the insurance company and the higher your insurance cost will be. Try to drive fewer miles, if possible, to save more money on your premiums.
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Maintain a Good driving record
Being a safe driver can not only save your life, but it can also save you a lot of money, too. There is a big difference in how much people with accidents on their record have to pay, and what those without any accidents pay. Therefore, always drive safely.
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Live in a less populated area
Your location matters when it comes to auto insurance rates. If you live in a highly populated area, your rates will be higher than if you live in a lower-population area. The Jefferson and New Orleans areas have some of the highest rates in Louisiana, but if you live just 30 minutes outside of the city, you can expect your rates to go down.
To take advantage of all discounts on premiums, check out this guide.
Reasons that Affect Your Automobile Insurance Rates in Aurora
Because of the traffic issues in the area, “State” car insurance rates can be quite high based on the area you live in. The risk factors are higher where there is more traffic, so the area is one important factor in your auto insurance rates. As we have seen, other factors that affect your car insurance rate include your age, marital status, how many cars and drivers you have in your household, your driving record, what type of coverage you need, the age and type of your vehicle, the insurance agency, and the average mileage you drive each year. These factors can make huge differences in how much money you have to spend each year on automobile insurance.
Since insurance rates can fluctuate from company to company, it is important that drivers thoroughly educate themselves about automobile insurance and shop around in order to find the very best deal. You literally can save a thousand or more dollars per year by getting quotes from several carriers.
If you have a bad driving record and need cheap insurance, compare rates here.
Check Out Car Insurance Companies in Aurora and Reviews
Helpful Aurora, Illinois Vehicle Resources:
Live Traffic and Accidents
https://www.localconditions.com/weather-aurora-illinois/60504/traffic.php
DMV (Find Locations, Vehicle Registration, Titles and Insurance Info)
https://www.ilsos.gov/facilityfinder/facilityfinder?command=getFacilityDetails&facilityId=253