Allstate vs State Farm for Illinois Drivers Over 65: Rate Comparison

Allstate typically increases rates for Illinois drivers starting at age 70, with steeper increases after 75. State Farm applies more gradual increases beginning at 65, but the cumulative effect by age 75 often results in comparable premiums. Neither carrier automatically applies mature driver discounts when you age into eligibility — you must request the discount and submit proof of course completion, even if you've been insured with the same carrier for decades. Illinois does not mandate mature driver discounts, so both carriers set their own eligibility rules and discount amounts. Allstate offers a mature driver discount of 5–10% for drivers who complete an approved defensive driving course, renewable every three years. State Farm offers a similar 5–10% discount with the same renewal requirement. The discount applies to most coverage types but not all — liability and collision typically qualify, while comprehensive may not. The average Illinois driver over 65 with a clean record pays $85–$140 per month for full coverage. Drivers who complete the mature driver course and request the discount see monthly premiums drop to $75–$125. The difference compounds over a three-year policy cycle: $360–$540 in total savings for a discount that requires an 8-hour online course and a single phone call to your agent.

Illinois recognizes defensive driving courses approved by the Illinois Department on Aging and AARP. The standard course runs 8 hours, offered online or in-person. Course completion certificates are valid for three years from the date of issue, not from the date you submit them to your carrier. Both Allstate and State Farm require you to submit the certificate before the discount applies. If you complete the course mid-policy term, the discount applies from the date the carrier processes your certificate — not retroactively to your last renewal. If you completed a course two years ago but never submitted the certificate, you can still claim the discount for the remaining validity period. The failure mode most Illinois seniors encounter: they assume the discount renews automatically after three years if they stay with the same carrier. It does not. You must complete a new course every three years and submit a new certificate. Carriers do not send reminder notices when your discount eligibility expires. The discount simply falls off at your next renewal, and your premium increases without explanation unless you read the declarations page closely.

If you own a paid-off vehicle worth less than $5,000 and drive fewer than 7,500 miles per year, comprehensive and collision coverage may cost more over three years than the vehicle's replacement value. Illinois does not require comprehensive or collision — only liability. The calculation shifts if your vehicle is worth $8,000 or more, or if you lack the cash reserves to replace it out-of-pocket after a total loss. Both Allstate and State Farm offer low-mileage discounts for Illinois drivers who report annual mileage under 7,500 miles. Allstate's discount ranges from 5–15% depending on reported mileage; State Farm's ranges from 10–20%. Neither carrier verifies mileage at the time you report it, but both may request odometer photos at renewal or after a claim. If your reported mileage is significantly lower than your odometer reading suggests, the carrier can retroactively adjust your premium or reduce claim payouts. Medical payments coverage becomes redundant for most Illinois seniors on Medicare. Medicare Part B covers injuries sustained in auto accidents regardless of fault. Medical payments coverage pays first, then Medicare covers remaining costs, but the coordination rarely justifies the $8–$15 monthly cost for seniors with comprehensive health coverage. The exception: if you regularly transport passengers not covered by Medicare, medical payments covers their injuries without requiring them to file claims against your liability coverage.

A single speeding ticket for 10–14 mph over the limit increases Illinois premiums by 15–25% at Allstate and 12–20% at State Farm. The violation surcharge remains on your policy for three years from the conviction date. Accident forgiveness programs — which waive the first at-fault accident surcharge — are available from both carriers but typically require five years of claim-free history and are not automatically included in standard policies. State Farm's accident forgiveness is built into some long-tenure policies at no additional cost after five years. Allstate charges $40–$60 annually to add accident forgiveness as an endorsement. For Illinois seniors with 20+ years of continuous coverage, State Farm's automatic inclusion often makes it the better value if you're comparing identical coverage limits. The mature driver discount does not offset violation surcharges. If you have both a completed course and a recent ticket, you receive the discount on your base rate, then the violation surcharge applies to the discounted rate. The math rarely works in your favor: a $90 monthly premium with a 10% mature driver discount drops to $81, then a 20% violation surcharge raises it to $97 — higher than your original premium despite the discount.

Illinois seniors who have been with the same carrier for 15+ years often remain with that carrier out of loyalty, even as their premiums increase faster than market rates. Carrier loyalty does not protect you from age-based rate increases, and long tenure rarely earns you premium credits that outweigh switching to a lower-cost competitor. If your premium has increased by more than 20% over the past three years with no claims or violations, request quotes from at least two other carriers writing in Illinois. Allstate and State Farm both operate through local agents, so you can request quotes without submitting personal information to aggregators. Provide your current declarations page and ask for identical coverage limits — many quote comparisons fail because the new quote reduces liability limits or removes coverage you currently carry. The switching penalty most Illinois seniors worry about — losing a long-tenure discount — is usually smaller than the savings from a new carrier. Allstate's loyalty discount maxes out at 5% after five years. State Farm's maxes out at 10% after nine years. If a competing carrier quotes you $65 per month versus your current $95, the 10% tenure discount you'd forfeit saves you $9.50 monthly, but switching still saves you $20.50 monthly. The tenure discount is a retention tool, not a reward for loyalty that outweighs competitive shopping.

Many Illinois seniors ask adult children to review their auto insurance because premium notices and policy documents have become harder to parse, not because their judgment has declined. If you're an adult child helping a parent compare Allstate and State Farm, request access to their current declarations page, their driving record from the Illinois Secretary of State, and a list of any discounts they believe they're receiving. The most common disconnect: parents assume they're receiving discounts they qualified for years ago but never formally requested. Check the declarations page for the mature driver discount line item. If it's not listed, the discount is not applied. Call the agent and ask what documentation they need to add it. If your parent completed a defensive driving course but the discount isn't showing, the carrier never received the certificate, or it expired. If your parent is paying for comprehensive and collision on a 12-year-old sedan worth $3,500, calculate whether three years of premiums exceed the vehicle's replacement value. If your parent drives fewer than 5,000 miles per year, ask both Allstate and State Farm for revised quotes reflecting actual mileage. Many seniors report higher mileage than they drive because they haven't updated their policies since retiring, and agents rarely prompt them to revise estimates downward.