Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Coverage

There are so many different types of car insurance coverage that it’s even tough to get a handle on the basics. The following article examines bodily injury liability. Keep reading to learn what bodily injury liability insurance is, why it’s necessary and how much you need.

As you learn about bodily injury liability, you’ll also learn the basics of what to look for in a good policy. Learning the ins and outs of car insurance will help you to better pick between bodily injury liability car insurance companies and choose what type of coverage you need.

You can compare affordable bodily injury liability car insurance quotes today. It’s as easy as entering your ZIP code into our free quote tool. Get started now.

What is bodily injury liability insurance?

Bodily injury liability car insurance is a type of insurance coverage that covers medical expenses. This kind of insurance coverage activates if you’re the party that caused an accident.

For example, let’s say you hit another vehicle with three people inside and your bodily injury liability insurance coverage is $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. Any medical expenses incurred over those limits are your responsibility to pay out of your own pocket.

Your coverage pays for up to $250,000 in medical expenses per person. If Person A’s expenses cost 175,000, Person B’s cost $50,000 and Person C’s cost $300,000 you would have to personally pay $50,000 to cover the remainder of Person C’s medical expenses.

However, that number cannot exceed a total of $500,000 for the entire accident. The total costs of the above accident are $525,000, so you are also on the hook for the $25,000 that’s over your limit.

After an accident, how to act and what to avoid are both important things to know.

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Do I need bodily injury liability coverage?

Unless you live in New Hampshire, you must carry bodily injury insurance. New Hampshire doesn’t require its residents to carry bodily injury coverage though it’s highly recommended that all drivers have it.

Drivers in all other states have to have liability insurance. Each state has its own minimum requirement, though purchasing more than the minimum is wise.

How much does bodily injury liability insurance cost?

Bodily injury liability insurance rates vary by state. Each state has a minimum amount of liability insurance that they require drivers to carry.

The average cost of liability insurance in the U.S is $611.12 a year, or $51/mo.

See the table below for detailed information on what kind of insurance you’re required to carry and how much.

Minimum Liability Coverage Requirements by State

State	Type of Insurance Required	Minimum Coverage Amount
Alaska	Bodily injury liability	$50,000 per person $100,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000 minimum
Arizona	Bodily injury liability	Minimum $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	Minimum $10,000
	Uninsured motorist Bodily injury	Minimum $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
	Uninsured motorist Property damage	Minimum $10,000
Arkansas	Bodily injury	$25,000 per person /$50,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000 per accident
California	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$15,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$30,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$5,000
Colorado	Death or injury of one person	$25,000
	Death or injury of more than one person	$50,000
	Property damage liability	$15,000
Connecticut	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
Delaware	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$15,000 per person $30,000 per occurrence $5,000 in funeral services coverage
	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$10,000
Florida	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$10,000 Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
	Property damage liability	$10,000 Property Damage Liability (PDL)
Georgia	Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000 per accident
	Uninsured motorist Bodily injury	$25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
	Uninsured motorist Property damage	$25,000 with a $250, $500, or $1000 deductible
Hawaii	Bodily injury liability	$20,000 per person $40,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$10,000 minimum
	PIP/"No-fault" coverage	$10,000 minimum
Idaho	Bodily injury or death per person resulting from an accident you cause	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death liability resulting from an accident you cause	$50,000
	Property damage per accident resulting from a collision you cause	$15,000
Indiana	Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
	Uninsured motorist	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000 minimum
	Underinsured motorist	$50,000 minimum
Iowa	Injuries of one person	$20,000
	Injuries of more than one person	$40,000
	Property damage liability	$15,000
Kansas	Injury or death per person in an accident caused by you	$25,000
	Total injuries or the death per accident the insured caused by you	$50,000
	Property damage in an accident the insured driver caused by you	$25,000
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
Kentucky	Bodily injury liability for one person	$25,000
	Bodily injury liability total for an accident	$50,000
	Property damage liability	$25,000
	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$10,000
Louisiana	Injury/death per person	$15,000
	Injuries or death per accident	$30,000
	Property damage per accident	$25,000
Maine	Death or injury per person	$50,000
	Total death or injury per accident	$100,000
	Property damage per accident	$25,000
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	N/A
	Medpay	N/A
Maryland	Bodily injury liability of one person	$30,000
	Bodily injury liability two or more people	$60,000
	Property damage liability	$15,000
Massachusetts	Bodily injury liability	$20,000 per one person $40,000 total per accident
	Property damage liability	$5,000 per accident
	No-fault personal injury	$8,000
	Uninsured motorist	$20,000 per one person $40,000 per accident
Michigan	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$50,000 (for drivers enrolled in Medicaid) $250,000 all others
	Personal property protection (PPI)	$1 million
	Bodily injury liability	$50,000 per person $100,000 per incident
	Property damage liability	$10,000 per incident
Minnesota	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$40,000 per person per accident. ($20,000 for medical expenses and $20,000 for non-medical expenses)
	Bodily injury liability	$30,000 per person $60,000 for two or more people (per incident)
	Property damage liability	$10,000
	Uninsured motorist Bodily injury	$25,000 per person $50,000 for two or more people (per incident)
	Underinsured motorist Bodily injury	$25,000 per person $50,000 for two or more people (per incident)
Mississippi	Bodily injury per person	$20,000
	Total bodily injury per accident	$40,000
	Property damage per accident	$10,000
Missouri	Injury or death per person in an accident you caused	$25,000
	Total injuries or death per accident you caused	$50,000
	Property damage per accident you caused	$10,000
	Uninsured motorist	$25,000 in bodily injury per person $50,000 in bodily injury per accident
Montana	Injury or death of one person in an accident you caused	$25,000
	Total injuries or death of more than one person in an accident you caused	$50,000
	Property damage in an accident you caused	$20,000
Nebraska	Injury or death per person in an accident you caused	$25,000
	Total injuries or death per accident you caused	$50,000
	Property damage per accident you caused	$25,000
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	$25,000 to cover your own injury per person $50,000 to cover total injuries or death per accident
Nevada	Bodily injury or death of any individual resulting from an accident the vehicle owner/driver causes	$25,000 per person
	Total bodily injury or death liability resulting from an accident the vehicle owner/driver causes	$50,000 per accident
	Total property damage resulting from an accident the vehicle owner/driver causes	$20,000 per accident
New Hampshire (Drivers aren't technically required to carry insurance)	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Medpay	$1,000 to cover medical expenses after a crash
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	Same amount of coverage as liability
New Jersey	Bodily injury	None required, but optional starting at a minimum of $10,000 per person and $10,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$5,000
	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$15,000 per person, per accident Up to $250,000 for brain and spinal cord injuries
New Mexico	Injuries to one person in an accident	$25,000
	Injuries to all people in an accident	$50,000
	Property damages caused by an accident	$10,000
New York	Personal injury liability	$25,000 per person with a maximum of $50,000 per accident
	Liability coverage for death	$50,000 per person with a maximum of $100,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$10,000 per accident
	Personal injury protection (PIP)	$50,000 per person
	Uninsured motorists	$25,000 per person with a maximum of $50,000 per accident
North Carolina	Injuries to one person	$30,000
	Injuries to more than one person	$60,000
	Property damage liability	$25,000
North Dakota	Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per person $50,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000
Ohio	Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per person $50,000 per incident
	Property damage liability	$25,000
Oklahoma	Injury or death of a single person	$25,000
	Injury or death of more than one person	$50,000
	Damage to personal property	$25,000
Oregon	Injuries of ONE person	$25,000
	Injuries of MORE THAN ONE person	$50,000
	Property damages	$20,000
	Personal injury protection (also known as Medical Payments/MedPay)	$15,000
	Uninsured motor	$25,000 per person and $50,000 per total accident
Pennsylvania	Medical benefits coverage (also known as First-Party Benefits), a form of personal injury protection, to cover medical expenses for yourself or others, regardless of fault	$5,000
	Liability insurance to cover medical costs for injuries to one person, capped at $30,000 per accident	$15,000
	Property damage if you’re at fault	$5,000
Rhode Island	Bodily injury coverage to cover the injuries of just one person	$25,000
	Injuries of more than one person	$50,000
	Property damaged in a car accident	$25,000
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	$25,000
South Carolina	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death liability in an accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner/driver of the insured vehicle	$25,000
South Dakota	Bodily injury liability coverage per person to cover the costs associated with the injury or death of an individual as the result of an accident you cause	$25,000
	Bodily injury liability coverage per accident to cover the costs associated with the total bodily injury or death liability resulting from an accident you cause	$50,000
	Property damage liability coverage to cover the costs associated with property damages incurred by another individual or individuals resulting from an accident you cause	$25,000
	Uninsured/underinsured motorist	Same amount of coverage as liability
Tennessee	Bodily injury or death of an individual resulting from an accident you cause	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death liability resulting from an accident you cause	$50,000
	Property damage liability coverage to cover the total costs of another party or party’s property damage resulting from an accident you cause	$15,000
Texas	Bodily injury liability	$30,000 per person $60,000 per accident
	Property damage liability	$25,000
Utah	Injury or death to any one person in an accident	$26,000
	Injury or death to two or more people in an accident	$65,000
	Damage to property in an accident	$15,000
	PIP coverage per person	$3,000
Vermont	Death or injury of one person	$25,000
	Death or injury of more than one person	$50,000
	Property damage liability	$10,000
Virgina	Death or injury of one person	$25,000
	Death or injury of more than one person	$50,000
	Property damage liability	$20,000
Washington	Bodily injury liability	$25,000 per one person $50,000 total per accident
	Property damage liability	$10,000 per accident
West Virgina	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$20,000
Wisconsin	Bodily injury or death of one person in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$25,000
	Total bodily injury or death in an accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$50,000
	Property damage per accident caused by the owner of the insured vehicle	$10,000
	Injury to one person for both Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists	$25,000
	Injury to more than one person for both Uninsured/Underinsured Motorists	$50,000
Wyoming	Bodily injuries/death of ONE person	$25,000
	Bodily injuries/death of MULTIPLE people	$50,000
	Property damage	$20,000

In addition to bodily injury liability car insurance, many states require property damage liability insurance and uninsured motorist coverage.

How much bodily injury liability insurance should I buy?

Injury and death from car crashes can be incredibly costly according to the CDC. Not having enough bodily injury liability insurance can bankrupt a person.

Consider how much you could possibly pay out of pocket if you’re sued or have to pay for someone’s medical expenses. The safest bet is to purchase as much as you can afford to ensure you keep your assets if expenses are high after a crash.

Bodily injury liability car insurance exists to make sure that drivers’ financial futures aren’t jeopardized if they cause a crash.

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance: The Bottom Line

Now that you understand bodily injury liability car insurance and why drivers should have it, learn more elements and terms to help you understand your policy.  Understanding all the insurance terms can go a long way when it comes to how to buy bodily injury liability car insurance.

Find out what kind of bodily injury insurance rates are available to you by using our free quote tool. Enter your ZIP code and get started now.

Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save

 Secured with SHA-256 Encryption