Illinois Secretary of State hosts Rockford town hall on rising auto insurance rates

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is hosting a town hall in Rockford tonight to address skyrocketing auto insurance rates that have increased by 18% from 2023 to 2024.

The town hall aims to discuss the impact of rising auto insurance premiums, which Giannoulias said are increasingly determined by socioeconomic factors such as credit score and zip code, rather than driving records. Giannoulias adds that individuals with poor credit and flawless driving records can pay significantly more than those in affluent communities with poor driving records.

“Auto insurance rates are skyrocketing,” the Secretary said. “Current services have become absolutely unaffordable for Illinoisans.”

Giannoulias is conducting other town halls across Illinois to hear directly from residents affected by high insurance costs. He notes that the mandatory nature of car insurance in Illinois has led to many drivers being unable to afford coverage, resulting in 631,000 citations last year for driving without insurance.

Insurance companies are reportedly using factors such as age, credit score, and location to determine rates, which Giannoulias said disproportionately affects minority communities and older drivers. Giannoulias argues that rates should be based on driving ability and record rather than these socioeconomic factors.

The Secretary of State is advocating for legislative changes to address these issues, but faces resistance from insurance companies. He emphasizes the importance of public participation in town halls to push for meaningful legislation.

The town hall in Rockford is part of a broader effort by Giannoulias to address affordability and fairness in auto insurance rates across Illinois. Residents are encouraged to attend and share their experiences to support the movement for change.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WTVO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WTVO staff before being published.