Illinois passes insurance rate controls and consumer‑fee crackdown bills

Governor J.B. Pritzker announced his intention to sign two bills that cleared the Illinois House, giving the state Insurance Department authority to regulate automobile and homeowners insurance premiums. The measures, sponsored by Rep. Thaddeus Jones, require insurers to give policyholders at least 60 days’ notice before raising rates by more than 10 % and prohibit “excessive, inadequate, or unfairly discriminatory” pricing, as well as cost‑shifting based on out‑of‑state loss data. The department will be able to review and reject rate filings that do not meet the new standards. Pritzker said, “Too many families have dealt with unexplained, unfair insurance price hikes on their homes and cars, so this legislation helps protect consumers.”

In a separate effort, Rep. Chung advanced four consumer‑protection bills to the governor’s desk: requiring retailers to honor all advertised sales or coupons, mandating disclosure of mandatory fees on purchases, banning no‑return policies that limit customers to store credit, and obligating public utilities to fully inform residents before proposing rate increases. Chung emphasized, “These bills are a first step in making life more affordable in our community.” All measures have passed both chambers and await the governor’s signature.