• Driving without liability insurance is against the law in Illinois.driving 4 image by Andrzej Borowicz from Fotolia.com
  
  It's mandatory in Illinois to insure all motor vehicles with a minimum amount of liability insurance. Drivers must purchase at least $20,000 worth of coverage for the injury or death of one person; $40,000 of coverage for the injury or death of multiple people; and $15,000 to cover property damage. In 2010, the penalties for driving an uninsured vehicle increased. The minimum fine for not carrying insurance is $500; the maximum is $1,000.
  
  

Primary Consequences

• Illinois checks for mandatory liability insurance coverage in one of two ways. First, police officers request to see the driver's insurance card at a routine traffic stop or accident scene. The second is accomplished through the state's database system. Computers randomly choose a registered vehicle from the system, and the owner then receives a questionnaire through the mail asking for the name of the insurance provider and the policy number. If the questionnaire is not returned or if the policy listed is unverifiable, the vehicle's license plates will be suspended. Once the driver pays a $100 fee and provides proof of current insurance, the license plate are reinstated.
  
  

Secondary Consequences

• Driving uninsured is a petty offense in Illinois, and therefore drivers can't be jailed for violations. However, repeat offenders pay increasingly larger fines and penalties. If a driver is found to be operating a vehicle that's license plates are suspended from an earlier insurance violation, the state imposes a minimum $1,000 fine. In addition, those who have had their license plates suspended more than once must pay a $100 reinstatement fee and give proof of current insurance; they also are suspended from driving for four months. If a motorist drives during a period of suspension and is caught, he's guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, the consequences of which are up to a year in prison and a $2,500 fine. Moreover, if an uninsured driver in Illinois causes a car accident that results in injury to another person, it's a Class A misdemeanor that carries the same $2,500 fine and up to a year of prison time.
  
  

Other Consequences

• The secretary of state requires that all drivers found guilty of driving without insurance show proof of financial responsibility by filing a SR-22 certificate of insurance. The purpose of the certificate is to demonstrate liability insurance compliance on a monthly basis. The driver's insurance company must submit proof of a current SR-22 certificate of insurance to the secretary of state each month for a year. A lapse in coverage--including failure by the insurance company to submit the certificate--results in suspension of the driver's license.