Yeah, Illinois does technically allow digital proof of insurance, but I’ve seen officers still prefer the physical card. There’s no requirement to carry both, but it’s smart just in case—especially if your phone dies or you’re in a dead zone. Faded cards can be an issue; if the info isn’t legible, they might give you a hard time. I’ve seen people get warnings for that. Keeping multiple backups isn’t overkill at all with how inconsistent enforcement can be here.
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, I’ve only ever used my phone for proof and never had an issue—maybe I’ve just been lucky or caught officers on good days. I do keep a paper card in the glove box, but it’s more out of habit than worry. The only time I saw someone get hassled was when their info was way out of date, not just faded. Guess it really depends on who you run into.
I do keep a paper card in the glove box, but it’s more out of habit than worry.
Same here. My instructor said to always have a backup, so now it’s just part of my routine. I’ve only been pulled over once (speed trap, ugh) and the cop was fine with my phone, but I still get paranoid about my battery dying or something. I guess it’s one of those “better safe than sorry” things.
I get what you mean about worrying over your phone dying. I’ve had my phone freeze up right when I needed to show proof once, and that was stressful. But is it actually required to have a paper card in Illinois, or is digital always fine? I’ve heard mixed things—some folks say cops can be picky, others say it’s totally cool now. Anyone actually had trouble with just the digital version? I keep both, but sometimes I wonder if I’m just being paranoid.
I totally get the paranoia—honestly, I do the same thing and keep a paper card in my glove box just in case. I’ve heard Illinois is supposed to accept digital proof now, but you never know when you’ll run into an officer who’s old-school or if your phone decides to die at the worst possible moment. For me, it’s not worth the risk of a ticket or hassle, especially on a road trip where you might not have service. It’s such a tiny thing to carry, and it’s saved me stress more than once.
