625 ILCS 5/ Illinois Vehicle Code.

(625 ILCS 5/7-603.5)

Sec. 7-603.5. Electronic verification of a liability insurance policy.

(a) The Secretary may implement a program of electronic motor vehicle liability insurance policy verification for motor vehicles subject to Section 7-601 of this Code for the purpose of verifying whether or not the motor vehicle is insured. The development and implementation of the program shall be consistent with the standards and procedures of a nationwide organization whose primary membership consists of individual insurance companies and insurance trade associations. The program shall include, but is not limited to:

(1) a requirement that an insurance company authorized to sell motor vehicle liability insurance in this State shall make available, in a format designated by the Secretary that is consistent with a nationwide organization whose primary membership consists of individual insurance companies and insurance trade organizations, to the Secretary for each motor vehicle liability insurance policy issued by the company the following information:

(A) the name of the policy holder;

(B) the make, model, year, and vehicle identification number of the covered motor vehicle;

(C) the policy number;

(D) the policy effective date;

(E) the insurance company's National Association of Insurance Commissioner's number; and

(F) any other information the Secretary deems necessary to match an eligible vehicle with an insurance policy;

(2) a method for searching motor vehicle liability insurance policies issued and in effect in this State by using the information under paragraph (1) of this subsection (a);

(3) a requirement that at least twice per calendar year, the Secretary shall verify the existence of a liability insurance policy for every registered motor vehicle subject to Section 7-601 of this Code; and if the Secretary is unable to verify the existence of a liability insurance policy, the Secretary shall, by U.S. mail or electronic mail, send the vehicle owner a written notice allowing the vehicle owner 30 calendar days to provide proof of insurance on the date of attempted verification, or to provide proof that the vehicle is no longer operable;

(4) a requirement that a vehicle owner who does not provide proof of insurance or proof of an inoperable vehicle under paragraph (3) of this subsection (a) shall be in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code and the Secretary shall suspend the vehicle's registration and the owner shall pay any applicable reinstatement fees and shall provide proof of insurance before the Secretary may reinstate the vehicle's registration under Section 7-606 of this Code;

(5) a requirement that if a vehicle owner provides proof of insurance on the date of the attempted verification under paragraph (3) of this subsection (1), the Secretary may verify the vehicle owner's response by furnishing necessary information to the insurance company. Within 7 calendar days of receiving the information, the insurance company shall confirm and notify the Secretary the dates of the motor vehicle's insurance coverage. If the insurance company does not confirm coverage for the date of attempted verification, the Secretary shall suspend the vehicle's registration and the owner of the vehicle shall pay any applicable reinstatement fees and shall provide proof of insurance before the Secretary may reinstate the vehicle's registration under Section 7-606 of this Code;

(6) a requirement that the Secretary may consult with members of the insurance industry during the implementation of the program, including, but not limited to, during the drafting process for adopting any rules that may be necessary to implement or manage an electronic motor vehicle liability insurance policy verification program;

(7) a requirement that commercial lines of automobile insurance are excluded from the program, but may voluntarily report insurance coverage to the State.

(b) In addition to the semi-annual verification of liability insurance under subsection (a) of this Section, the Secretary may select monthly verification for a motor vehicle owned or registered by a person:

(1) whose motor vehicle registration during the preceding 4 years has been suspended under Section 7-606 or 7-607 of this Code;

(2) who, during the preceding 4 years, has been convicted of violating Section 3-707, 3-708, or 3-710 of this Code while operating a vehicle owned by another person;

(3) whose driving privileges have been suspended during the preceding 4 years;

(4) who, during the preceding 4 years, acquired ownership of a motor vehicle while the registration of the vehicle under the previous owner was suspended under Section 7-606 or 7-607 of this Code; or

(5) who, during the preceding 4 years, has received a disposition of court supervision under subsection (c) of Section 5-6-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections for a violation of Section 3-707, 3-708, or 3-710 of this Code.

(c) Nothing in this Section provides the Secretary with regulatory authority over insurance companies.

(d) The Secretary may contract with a private contractor to carry out the Secretary's duties under this Section.

(e) Any information collected, stored, maintained, or referred to under this Section shall be used solely for the purpose of verifying whether a registered motor vehicle meets the requirements of Section 7-601 of this Code and shall be exempt from a records request or from inspection and copying under the Freedom of Information Act. A request for release of verification of liability insurance policy information from the Secretary shall require a court order, subpoena, or the motor vehicle owner's approval.

(f) An insurer identified by an electronic motor vehicle liability insurance policy program as insuring less than 1,000 vehicles per year shall be exempt from the reporting requirements under subsection (a) of this Section.

(g) The Secretary may adopt any rules necessary to implement this Section.

(Source: P.A. 100-373, eff. 1-1-18.)

(625 ILCS 5/7-604) (from Ch. 95 1/2, par. 7-604)

Sec. 7-604. Verification of liability insurance policy.

(a) The Secretary of State may select random samples of registrations of motor vehicles subject to Section 7-601 of this Code, or owners thereof, for the purpose of verifying whether or not the motor vehicles are insured.

In addition to such general random samples of motor vehicle registrations, the Secretary may select for verification other random samples, including, but not limited to registrations of motor vehicles owned by persons:

(1) whose motor vehicle registrations during the preceding 4 years have been suspended pursuant to Section 7-606 or 7-607 of this Code;

(2) who during the preceding 4 years have been convicted of violating Section 3-707, 3-708, or 3-710 of this Code while operating vehicles owned by other persons;

(3) whose driving privileges have been suspended during the preceding 4 years;

(4) who during the preceding 4 years acquired ownership of motor vehicles while the registrations of such vehicles under the previous owners were suspended pursuant to Section 7-606 or 7-607 of this Code; or

(5) who during the preceding 4 years have received a disposition of supervision under subsection (c) of Section 5-6-1 of the Unified Code of Corrections for a violation of Section 3-707, 3-708, or 3-710 of this Code.

(b) Upon receiving certification from the Department of Transportation under Section 7-201.2 of this Code of the name of an owner or operator of any motor vehicle involved in a crash, the Secretary may verify whether or not at the time of the crash such motor vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code.

(c) In preparation for selection of random samples and their verification, the Secretary may send to owners of randomly selected motor vehicles, or to randomly selected motor vehicle owners, requests for information about their motor vehicles and liability insurance coverage electronically or, if electronic means are unavailable, via U.S. mail. The request shall require the owner to state whether or not the motor vehicle was insured on the verification date stated in the Secretary's request and the request may require, but is not limited to, a statement by the owner of the names and addresses of insurers, policy numbers, and expiration dates of insurance coverage.

(d) Within 30 days after the Secretary sends a request under subsection (c) of this Section, the owner to whom it is sent shall furnish the requested information to the Secretary above the owner's signed affirmation that such information is true and correct. Proof of insurance in effect on the verification date, as prescribed by the Secretary, may be considered by the Secretary to be a satisfactory response to the request for information.

Any owner whose response indicates that his or her vehicle was not covered by a liability insurance policy in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code shall be deemed to have registered or maintained registration of a motor vehicle in violation of that Section. Any owner who fails to respond to such a request shall be deemed to have registered or maintained registration of a motor vehicle in violation of Section 7-601 of this Code.

(e) If the owner responds to the request for information by asserting that his or her vehicle was covered by a liability insurance policy on the verification date stated in the Secretary's request, the Secretary may conduct a verification of the response by furnishing necessary information to the insurer named in the response. The insurer shall within 45 days inform the Secretary whether or not on the verification date stated the motor vehicle was insured by the insurer in accordance with Section 7-601 of this Code. The Secretary may by rule and regulation prescribe the procedures for verification.

(f) No random sample selected under this Section shall be categorized on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, economic status, or geography.

(g) (Blank).

(h) This Section shall be inoperative upon the effective date of the rules adopted by the Secretary to implement Section 7-603.5 of this Code.

(Source: P.A. 102-982, eff. 7-1-23.)