Illinois Secretary of State Hosts Virtual Town Hall on Auto Insurance Equity
On August 21, 2025, the Illinois Secretary of State’s Office hosted its first “Driving Change” virtual town hall focused on auto‑insurance equity. More than 250 residents from Chicago’s South Side and across the state logged on to share stories about how rising premiums are affecting them. The discussion is part of Secretary Alexi Giannoulias’ broader effort to reform how insurers set rates and ensure that more people can afford the legally required coverage.
Participants described dramatic increases in what they pay to insure their vehicles. Several noted that their premiums shot up after they moved to a new ZIP code, while others said their credit score or age seemed to be more important to insurers than their decades‑long clean driving records. One retiree told the panel that his policy increased from $295 per month in 2022 to $365 in 2023 and $405 in 2024. Another driver who moved from an affluent neighborhood said her monthly bill jumped by $132 despite no change in her driving behavior. Kimberly Nevels, who lives near 79th Street and Halsted, called the practice of basing rates on where someone lives a form of redlining and said it unfairly penalizes low‑income and minority communities.
Secretary Giannoulias thanked attendees for sharing their experiences and acknowledged the frustration and hardship caused by high insurance costs. He argued that the state should stop allowing companies to factor in non‑driving data points like ZIP code, credit score and marital status when calculating premiums. “A person’s driving record should be the number‑one factor determining what they pay,” he said. “When insurers use unrelated personal information, it results in higher premiums for responsible drivers and pushes some families to drop coverage altogether.” Giannoulias noted that uninsured drivers put everyone at risk because accidents involving uninsured motorists tend to increase overall insurance costs and strain public resources.
The town hall is the first in a planned series of public forums aimed at gathering input from Illinois residents as lawmakers consider legislation to modernize the state’s auto‑insurance regulations. The Secretary of State encouraged attendees to stay engaged and promised to take their feedback to Springfield. Future sessions will address additional topics such as transparency in rate filings and how to ensure insurers treat all drivers fairly regardless of income or neighborhood. For DMVAppointments.org users, this initiative matters because it could lead to lower insurance costs, especially for those who rely on their vehicles to get to work, school or medical appointments. Making insurance more affordable would also reduce the number of uninsured drivers on the road, leading to safer conditions for everyone. By participating in these discussions or contacting their representatives, Illinois drivers have an opportunity to shape policies that directly affect their wallets and their ability to maintain the legal coverage needed to drive.