Skokie, Illinois is a small village nestled along the northern border of Chicago. Just 15 miles from the downtown loop, Skokie offers the best of all worlds. Residents can enjoy picturesque parkland and attentive municipal services while residing just a short drive from all the city’s metropolitan conveniences and highlights. However, most people find that they need a reliable car to make the most out of it.
If you’re going to hit the streets of Chicago and its surrounding suburbs, you need to have solid car insurance to help protect you. As a Skokie resident, you can count on American Auto Insurance (AAI) for all your auto insurance needs. We’re the cheapest and most reliable car insurance company in the area, with a wide range of coverage options to choose from. We even offer insurance plans to keep you in compliance with SR22 regulations.
Driving in Skokie, Illinois
Skokie, Illinois, is a popular pick for Chicago commuters who want access to the big city without having to live amid the associated bustle. This area offers ample highlights, including over three dozen parks, the Skokie Park Tennis Center, Dammrich Rowing Center, Emily Oaks Nature Center, Skatium Ice Arena, Skokie Water Playground, Weber Park Golf Course, and The Exploratorium.
With so much to do, it’s no wonder most Skokie residents own a vehicle. In fact, the average Skokie household has two cars, which is on par with the national average yet well above the average of 1.12 cars per household in Chicago. Skokie residents have an average commute of 28.3 minutes, and most drive alone to work.
Though mass transit is readily available in Skokie via the Chicago Transit Authority, only 6.7% of the population opt to use mass transit. It’s far more comfortable and convenient for most people to use their own vehicle. Thankfully, AAI is on hand to help you get the protection you need while you’re navigating Skokie, nearby Chicago, and beyond.
Parking in Skokie
Fortunately, parking in Skokie is easy to find. The city maintains several free lots and on-street parking spaces. The on-street parking spaces have a two-hour limit between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. from Monday through Saturday. This supreme level of convenience only makes it more enticing to have a car if you’re a Skokie resident.
Auto Insurance in Skokie
In Skokie, as in the rest of Illinois, you must carry a minimum amount of liability insurance to remain in compliance with the law. Illinois mandates that every car registered and operated in the state must carry:
- $20,000 of liability coverage for damage to the property of another individual.
- $25,000 in liability coverage for the injury or death of a single individual in a car crash.
- $50,000 in liability coverage for the injury or death of more than one individual in a car crash.
While this minimum coverage will keep you legal on the roads, you may want to expand your coverage to provide additional protections as well. AAI offers a variety of options so you can get as much or as little coverage as you’d like.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
In Illinois, you must carry a minimum amount of bodily injury coverage to drive legally. However, you may also want to increase your coverage to provide more protection for those around you in the event of an accident. Bodily injury liability coverage helps pay for medical expenses that the driver of the other car, passengers in both cars, and some pedestrian bystanders incur.
Property Damage Liability Coverage
You have to carry $20,000 of property damage liability coverage to pay for the other driver’s vehicle if you’re at fault in an accident. However, this may not cover all the costs associated with the car crash. The average price of a new car as of January 2024 is a whopping $48,759. This means that damages to another driver’s vehicle could easily exceed $20,000. You’re responsible for any costs beyond the limits of your insurance coverage, so think carefully about the type of policy you want to carry.
Comprehensive Physical Damage Coverage
Though you’re not required to carry comprehensive physical damage coverage in Illinois, this is a valuable addition to your car insurance policy. This type of insurance covers damages that incidents other than car crashes cause, including theft, vandalism, hail, and falling objects. This can prove to be very valuable coverage, as the Chicago area has an average of 37 significant severe weather reports every year. This includes 31 wind reports, five hail reports, and one tornado report of an EF2 magnitude or higher.
Though Skokie’s crime rate is lower than Chicago’s, you could suffer from theft or vandalism in either area. Since many Skokie residents commute frequently to Chicago anyway, this is smart insurance to have.
Uninsured Motorist Coverage
Though other drivers are legally required to carry auto insurance, this doesn’t mean that everyone compiles. In fact, the Insurance Information Institute indicates that one in eight drivers were uninsured in 2019. Uninsured motorist coverage will help pay for damages to yourself, your passengers, and your vehicle if an uninsured driver is at fault in an accident.
You shouldn’t rely on another driver’s uninsured motorist coverage to help you out if you’re in an accident, however. If you’re caught driving without insurance in Illinois, you may suffer a steep fine and have your license suspended. You’ll have to pay to reinstate your license and must carry SR-22 insurance for at least three years following your suspension to prove to the state that you’re properly insured.
Sign Up for a New Plan With American Auto Insurance
If you don’t have the auto insurance you need, or if you’re looking for a better and more affordable policy, AAI can help. We can walk you through every step of the insurance process, from comparing plans to understanding how your policy works. Call AAI now to learn how we can help you get optimal coverage for all your car insurance needs.
Photo by Max Bender on Unsplash
