Bodily Injury Liability: Introduction

Making sure that you have the right car insurance helps to ensure that we are driving legally and are not subject to lose our license if we get caught uninsured. However, new motorists or those who have not been insured in a long time may find it difficult to understand the different types of policies. Which policies are legally mandated and which are just additions that can further protect you? In this article, we’re going to look at one of the most common applications of car insurance: bodily injury liability coverage. We’ll go over what it is, what it covers, what it doesn’t cover, costs, and how much of it you’ll actually need.

What is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

Bodily injury liability insurance coverage covers injury-related costs of another person due to a car accident that you are involved in, where you are the at fault side.

In the case of an accident where you violate a law, not only can the other car be damaged, but the passenger of the other car may be severely hurt.

And if you violated a law, you are legally responsible for the other person's injury.

You will likely be obligated to pay their medical bills.

With bodily injury insurance applied, you will be able to mitigate these expenses.

Bodily injury liability insurance is a form of auto insurance coverage that is designed to pay out when you injure others during a car accident that you were responsible for. In most cases, people consider this a way to pay for another person’s medical expenses, but that isn’t the only thing bodily injury liability will cover.

For example, bodily injury liability insurance may also cover any legal fees that are incurred as a result of the collision with the other motorist.

Let’s take a closer look at the things you can expect bodily injury liability insurance to cover!

What Does Bodily Injury Cover in Car Insurance?

Medical Expenses

Medical expenses are the most common thing you can expect bodily injury liability to cover, and the injuries covered can range from minor to severe. It can also be used to cover follow-up appointments with doctors, physical therapy, and other long-lasting treatments that may not be over in a single visit to the hospital.

Lost Wages

If someone loses income because of their injuries, personal injury coverage may also cover the amount that they lost due to it. Wages can be covered over a period of a few days or even a few months, depending on the extent of the injuries that were received in the collision. This is also subject to your current bodily injury policy limits.

Legal Fees

Bodily injury coverage payouts may also be used to cover the legal fees that result from an accident that you were responsible for. Going to court over a car accident can become a pricey business, and any leftover money after settlements and expenses can go towards covering the legal fees that you had to pay.

What is Not Covered by Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

Bodily injury coverage won’t cover anything that exceeds your maximum coverage, which is why states are so stringent about the minimum amount of coverage they require motorists to have. Your coverage can range from as little as $15,000 per person all the way up to $50,000 per person.

Bodily injury coverage also won’t pay out for any damage you may cause to the vehicle of the other motorist after causing a collision. To be able to pay for any damage incurred to property, including vehicles, you will also need a minimum level of property damage liability coverage.

How Much Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Do I Need?

A lot of people ask themselves, “How much bodily injury liability insurance should I carry?”

Since bodily injury liability coverage is mandated in the vast majority of states, you’ll need to figure out how much coverage is required at minimum so that you can drive legally. If you fail to get the minimum about of bodily injury coverage, then you may end up getting your license taken away.

If you’re found driving uninsured or underinsured, you may also need SR22 insurance, also known as a certificate of financial responsibility, so that you can legally drive once again. To avoid all of the hassle and hardship this can cause, make sure that you get the minimum amount of coverage when buying car insurance.

Here’s a table that shows the minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage required, organized by state:

State	Minimum bodily injury liability coverage
Alabama	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Alaska	$50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Arizona	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Arkansas	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
California	$15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
Colorado	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Connecticut	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Delaware	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Florida	N/A
Georgia	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Hawaii	$20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
Idaho	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Illinois	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Indiana	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Iowa	$20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
Kansas	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Kentucky	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Louisiana	$15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
Maine	$50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Maryland	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
Massachusetts	$20,000 per person, $40,000 per accident
Michigan	$50,000 per person, $100,000 per accident
Minnesota	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
Mississippi	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Missouri	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Montana	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Nebraska	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Nevada	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
New Hampshire	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
New Jersey	N/A
New Mexico	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
New York	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
North Carolina	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
North Dakota	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Ohio	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Oklahoma	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Oregon	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Pennsylvania	$15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
Rhode Island	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
South Carolina	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
South Dakota	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Tennessee	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Texas	$30,000 per person, $60,000 per accident
Utah	$25,000 per person, $65,000 per accident
Vermont	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Virginia	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Washington	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
West Virginia	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Wisconsin	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident
Wyoming	$25,000 per person, $50,000 per accident

Recent Reviews

Matthew Spigner Insuranker

Policy Type: Auto Insurance

Company name: GEICO Insurance

2.6 / 5

I was a loyal GEICO customer for 15 years, with a pristine unblemished driving history and high coverage levels [and had never filed a previous claim]. I recently had a minor fender bender that was deemed by GEICO Claims to be '100% my fault.' Shortly thereafter, I received a form follow-up letter from GEICO stating that, for that reason, GEICO would not pay for damage repairs to my vehicle. A shocker to me. Does an insurance policy with these terms really represent meaningful protection? Thank G-d that it was a minor accident. I now do business with a carrier that has my back. BUYER BEWARE! It was definitely an eye opener for me. An elderly 86 y.o. male driver, with minimal situational awareness swerves abruptly into my lane, dragging his driver side panel against my front passenger side bumper. No witnesses, other than this unintelligible elderly male driver, his wife and a police officer that showed up on the scene twenty minutes later to record statements. The icing on the cake --- The 'final' verdict was rendered by Claims Adjuster #2, that contacted me several weeks after I was informed by Claims Adjuster #2, that the case was closed, and that the fault was clearly that of the elderly gentleman, and that they would be receiving no claims monies [Again, a complete absence of anything resembling 'no-fault coverage' on either side].

Judith Akin Insuranker

Policy Type: Auto Insurance

Company name: Allstate Insurance

5 / 5

We had Allstate roadside assistance through their SUV insurance coverage and were always delighted by their fair service and treatment.

Insuranker

Policy Type: Auto Insurance

Company name: Allstate Insurance

5 / 5

I have Allstate truck insurance for 7 years by now and never had any issues with them. Service is fast, honest, dedicated and professional. Replies to any requests within a day. My full coverage (including towing, etc.) is the best you can get in that rate, which is particularly awesome, and I shopped around so I'm saving you some research time here. With other companies you only get personal liability and property damage at the same rate. They really give you the best value for the least amount of money which is hard to find with insurance companies. Reputable and Reliable. Allstate is highly recommended for every insurance need!

Insuranker

Policy Type: Auto Insurance

Company name: Allstate Insurance

4.8 / 5

As a Florida citizen, car insurance rates are expensive here. With COVID-19 being around, working from home becoming a norm and we drive less. Allstate was very understanding of the situation and offered us a pay per mile car insurance. It was a very pleasant surprise. There's a daily rate as well as a per mile rate. It is brilliant as I will save roughly $300 compared to my previous insurer offered 15% COVID-19 discount. Very thankful.

Celeste Abdala Insuranker

Policy Type: Auto Insurance

Company name: Allstate Insurance

5 / 5

I have been an Allstate customer for roughly 5 years after switching from State Farm. The car insurance policy is much cheaper. I never experienced any issue with my car since I became a policyholder (touch wood) so I cannot attest about their claims handling, however they are really great and easy to work with and I have utilized their good driver discounts a couple of times, as well as other discounts.

Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Coverage: Everything You Need to Know

Table of contents

What is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

What Does Bodily Injury Cover in Car Insurance?

Medical Expenses

Lost Wages

Legal Fees

What is Not Covered by Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

Compare Bodily Injury Liability Auto Insurance Quotes

How Much Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Do I Need?

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