The average premium for car insurance in Illinois is $1,679.15, the ninth most expensive in the nation, according to a study by insure.com.

The study looked at more than 2,400 vehicles, based on ten zip codes from each state. The states topping the list are Louisiana, at $2,510.87, and Michigan, at $2,098.29. At the bottom are Vermont, at $968.58, and Maine, at $902.85. Maine has a small population that doesn’t drive very often, keeping commuter mileage and the crash count low.
Illinois’ rates are higher for several reasons. “Have you ever heard of Chicago?” said Dennis Garrett, executive vice president of the Independent Insurance Agents of Illinois, based in Springfield. “I would rather have my teeth pulled out than drive on the Dan Ryan.”

He said the Chicagoland area is so large and so congested that the amount of accidents and claims paid out raises the cost of premiums.

“Insurance as a whole outside of a large metro area is much, much less,” he said.