Illinois Motorcycle Insurance

Getting motorcycle insurance in Illinois begins with you making sure that your bike meets the specifications of a two wheeler defined by Illinois Secretary of State’s office. According to them if your motorcycle has an engine displacement of more than 150 cc, it’s a motorcycle. Anything less than this is considered a motor-driven cycle.

Illinois Insurance Requirements for Motorcycles 
Once it has been established that what you own really is a motorcycle under the Illinois traffic laws, its time to ensure that it is properly insured. Here is the exact break up of the amount needed to satisfy the state’s standards of insurance liability:

• $20,000 of coverage for injuries or death of a person in an accident.
• $40,000 of coverage for injuries or deaths of more than one person in an accident.
• $15,000 of property damage coverage/accident.

It is better to have more coverage than what is minimum required. Although in some states across the country, the financial liability of a rider is lessened if he was wearing a helmet when the accident happened, but Illinois is definitely not one of them. So don’t expect to cut it cheap through this loop hole.

Also make sure that you always have your insurance card at hand when you go riding around, since in case of an accident you will have to show it on request.

Penalties for not having insurance 
Beware that if you do not have that in case of an accident, if you cannot produce your insurance card or proof of valid insurance to the law enforcement personal on the spot, it could cost you a hefty penalty. In fact you will not only have to pay at least a $500 fine, but you will also be charged a $100 reinstatement fee, and your registration will only be reinstated once you have provided proof of insurance. However, remember that once your motorcycle registration is suspended in Illinois, it can no longer be driven till the suspension is lifted, but you can still drive another vehicle that has proper and complete documentation.