State mandatory car insurance verification program begins

SPRINGFIELD - The state is cracking down on making sure drivers have car insurance.

The electronic verification of automobile insurance program has begun, and drivers who are unable to prove insurance will face a license plate suspension and $100 reinstatement fee, according to Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office.

The vast majority of vehicle owners will not have to do anything, as the electronic verification will be confirmed automatically by working with insurance providers.

“My office has led the effort to establish and implement an automobile insurance verification system online that uses innovations in technology to help reduce the number of Illinois motorists driving while uninsured,” White said in a news release. “The message is simple: if you don’t have auto insurance, get covered now. It is the law.”

Under the new Illinois Insurance Verification System, vehicle owners’ automobile insurance will be verified electronically at least twice a year at random intervals to ensure they’re in compliance.

If verifications are unsuccessful, the Secretary of State’s office will send a written request to the owner giving them the opportunity to prove they have insurance before suspending their vehicle registration.

They must contact their insurance company or notify their insurance agent that they received a letter with a specific reference number from the Secretary of State.

The agent will then be responsible to confirm at www.ILIVS.com that the owner does in fact have insurance.

Those who receive letters should not visit a driver services facility.