Auto insurance for the way you actually drive.

Most of our clients drive a pickup, a sedan, a teenager's first car, and a fourth vehicle that hasn't moved out of the barn since 2019. We write all four on one policy and we make sure the teenager's coverage is structured so it doesn't take the family premium with it when the inevitable happens.

The right auto policy in Jo Daviess County is not the cheapest one. It is the one that pays what it says it'll pay when the time comes, written by a carrier whose claims department actually answers the phone, structured with limits that cover what you'd lose if a court found you liable for a multi-car accident on Highway 20. We can give you the cheapest one if that's what you want. We just want you to know what you're trading away first.

Every quote we run includes a side-by-side comparison of our preferred carriers — usually Erie, Auto-Owners, and Progressive — at the limits we recommend, plus a separate column at the limits you asked for if those numbers are different. You see the math.

What does Illinois require for auto insurance?

Illinois requires every driver to carry minimum liability limits of 25,000 dollars per person and 50,000 dollars per accident for bodily injury, plus 20,000 dollars for property damage — commonly written as 25/50/20. Uninsured motorist bodily injury at the same 25/50 limits is also mandatory. Those numbers are the legal floor, not the recommended ceiling.

What's included

Liability

Bodily injury and property damage, written above the Illinois 25/50/20 minimum in almost every case we touch.

Collision & Comprehensive

Damage to your vehicle, with a chosen deductible. Comprehensive covers deer strikes, hail, falling tree limbs, and theft.

Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist

Coverage for when the other driver doesn't have enough insurance — and roughly one in eight don't.

Medical Payments

Covers medical bills for you and your passengers regardless of fault.

Rental Reimbursement

Pays for a rental car while yours is in the shop after a covered claim. Inexpensive, almost always worth adding.

Roadside Assistance

Towing, lockout, jump start. Cheap. We add it by default unless you have AAA.

What's optional but worth considering

Gap insurance

For financed vehicles where you owe more than the car is worth — covers the gap between loan balance and ACV.

OEM parts endorsement

Original-manufacturer parts on repairs, not aftermarket. Recommended on newer vehicles still under warranty.

Classic car coverage

Written through Hagerty on an agreed-value basis. The right answer for your 1972 Bronco in the barn.

Diminishing deductible

Erie's program reduces your collision deductible by 100 dollars each claim-free year, to a floor.

We talk about your deductible because it's the lever most people don't realize they can pull. Raising it from $500 to $1,000 saves the average Galena household about $180 a year. We won't talk you into it — we'll just tell you the math.

How much liability coverage do I actually need?

Enough to cover your net worth, plus your future earnings, plus some breathing room. For a typical Galena household with a paid-off home and one teenager driving, that usually works out to 250/500/100 on auto with a 1-million-dollar personal umbrella on top. We'll do the math with you and explain what each number actually represents.

Carriers we use for auto

Erie is our default first-shop for households with clean records and one or more late-model vehicles. Multi-policy discount is excellent and the claims service is the best in the state in our experience.

Auto-Owners is our go-to when Erie can't make the rate work — usually households with a recent minor at-fault or a teen driver. Underwriting is forgiving and the rates are competitive.

Progressive is where we end up for households with a more difficult risk profile, a Name-Your-Price quote that needs to be matched, or a teen driver who needs Snapshot. Their claims service has gotten meaningfully better in the last five years.

See all carriers →

What happens if I have a claim — do I call you or call the carrier?

Call us first. Dan's cell is on the back of your ID card alongside the carrier's claims line. We'll help you decide whether to file at all, walk you through what to document, file the claim with the carrier on your behalf, and stay involved through the adjuster process. You can call the carrier directly if you prefer — they are responsive — but most of our clients call us first.

Can I bundle my home and auto?

Yes — and you should, in most cases. Erie, Auto-Owners, Travelers, Safeco, and Cincinnati all offer multi-policy discounts that typically save between 10 and 22 percent across the bundled premium. We shop the bundled premium against splitting the policies between two carriers every renewal, and tell you which math wins.