Giannoulias ramps up campaign for state regulation of auto premiums

By Jim Talamonti | The Center Square
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias has expanded his campaign to regulate auto insurance rates.

Giannoulias visited Chicago churches Sunday to push his campaign aimed at restricting insurance companies from using certain data to determine premiums.

“After a successful virtual town hall series, where our office heard from over 900 Illinoisans, our office wanted to continue to build momentum by launching a faith-based focused outreach,” the secretary said in a statement.

“That’s why we went to three Churches today to meet with faith leaders and their congregants and urge them to use their voice and share their story,” Giannoulias added.

A statement from the Secretary of State’s office said over 900 Illinoisans participated in the town halls to learn more about the issue and share their stories.

During the virtual town hall for Springfield residents last month, Giannoulias said auto insurance rates jumped 18% in Illinois last year.

“These high rates aren’t determined by your driving record. Instead, the data shows that insurance companies are using socioeconomic factors like your credit score, your zip code and even your age to determine your insurance costs,” Giannoulias said.

Nationally, rates went up 15% percent in 2024. Insurify reported that Illinois car insurance rates dropped 1% in the first half of 2025.

Giannoulias pointed to data showing 631,846 motorists were cited for driving without auto insurance in Illinois last year and said people are driving without insurance because rates are high.

Several elected officials have argued in favor of the benefits of the free market when it comes to dealing with high premiums.

Rockford Mayor Tom McNamara spoke during Giannoulias’ virtual meeting for his city and recommended that consumers seek out independent agents and A-rated companies.

“Because if you are with a captive agent, they can’t do anything besides increase your deductibles or decrease your coverage. If you go with an independent agent, they can quote you with 15 or 20 different companies,” McNamara said.

State Rep. Patrick Sheehan, R-Homer Glen, told The Center Square he appreciated Giannoulias’ work to crack down on vehicle thefts and carjackings but said he disagreed with the secretary’s campaign to regulate insurance rates. Sheehan said the insurance companies keep themselves in check.

“If you do a fixed rate, then you take out the competitive nature, the spirit of truly free market, free business and take that away from the ratepayer or the consumer,” Sheehan said.

During an Illinois Senate Insurance Committee subject matter hearing in August, Lynne McChristian from the University of Illinois Office of Risk Management and Insurance Research cited data showing that people with poor credit scores file more insurance claims.

“The balance on that is to say that about 70%, close to 72% of Americans have good credit, so those people get the benefit of that when an insurance score is developed,” McChristian said.

State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, said that although she did not know the specifics of Giannoulias’ proposal, the math for her did not add up.

“That is definitely a situation where it is advantageous to some individuals and disadvantageous,” Briel told The Center Square.

Briel then made a comparison to the retail delivery tax proposal which was included in failed legislation to fund regional public transit last spring and noted that the tax would be unfair to people in rural areas.

Giannoulias has focused his Driving Change campaign in urban areas. In addition to his trips to Chicago churches on Sunday, all eight of the campaign’s town hall meetings were geared to larger metropolitan areas around the state.

Giannoulias is rumored to be considering a run for Chicago mayor in 2027.