(A) (1) No person shall operate, register or maintain registration of, and no owner shall permit another person to operate, register or maintain registration of, a motor vehicle designed to be used on a public highway or within the village unless the motor vehicle is covered by a liability insurance policy.
(2) The insurance policy shall be issued in amounts no less than the minimum amounts set for bodily injury or death and for destruction of property under 625 ILCS 5/7-203, and shall be issued in accordance with the requirements of 625 ILCS 5/7-203, as amended. No insurer other than an insurer authorized to do business in the state shall issue a policy pursuant to this section for any vehicle subject to registration under this traffic code. Nothing herein shall deprive an insurer of any policy defense available at common law.
(B) The following vehicles are exempt from the requirements of this section:
(1) Vehicles subject to the provisions of 625 ILCS 5/8-101 et seq., 5/18a-300 et seq., 5/7-609, 5/12-606 or 5/12-707.1 of the Illinois Vehicle Code;
(2) Vehicles required to file proof of liability insurance with the state’s Commerce Commission;
(3) Vehicles covered by a certificate of self-insurance under 625 ILCS 5/7-502;
(4) Vehicles owned by the United States, the state or any political subdivision municipality or local mass transit district;
(5) Implements of husbandry;
(6) Other vehicles complying with laws which require them to be insured in amounts meeting or exceeding the minimum amounts required under this section; and
(7) Inoperable or stored vehicles that are not operated, as defined by rules and regulations of the Secretary.
(C) (1) Every employee of a state agency, as that term is defined in the state’s Auditing Act, being 30 ILCS 5/1-1 et seq., who is assigned a specific vehicle owned or leased by the state on an ongoing basis shall provide the certification described in this section annually to the director or chief executive officers of his or her agency.
(2) (a) The certification shall affirm that the employee is duly licensed to drive the assigned vehicle and that:
1. The employee has liability insurance coverage extending to the employee when the assigned vehicle is used for other than official state business; or
2. The employee has filed a bond with the Secretary of State as proof of financial responsibility, in an amount equal to, or in excess of the requirements stated within this section.
(b) Upon request of the agency director or chief executive officer, the employee shall present evidence to support the certification.
(3) The certification shall be provided during the period of July 1 through July 31 of each calendar year, or within 30 days of any new assignment of a vehicle on an ongoing basis, whichever is later.
(4) The employees authorization to use the assigned vehicle shall automatically be rescinded upon:
(a) The revocation or suspension of the license required to drive the assigned vehicle;
(b) The cancellation or termination for any reason of the automobile liability insurance coverage as required in division (C)(2)(a)1. above; or
(c) The termination of the bond filed with the Secretary of State.
(5) All state employees providing the required certification shall immediately notify the agency director or chief executive officer in the event any of these actions occur.
(6) All peace officers employed by a state agency who are primarily responsible for prevention and detection of crime and the enforcement of the criminal, traffic or highway laws of the state and prohibited by agency rule or policy to use an assigned vehicle owned or leased by the state for regular personal or off-duty use, are exempt from the requirements of this section.
(Prior Code, § 24-2-9) (Ord. 09-408, passed 8-3-2009)