Bodily injury liability is a type of car insurance that helps pay for medical expenses, legal fees and other costs if you cause an accident that injures someone else. This coverage applies to people outside your car like other drivers, passengers, or pedestrians.
It does not cover injuries to you or your passengers. That’s usually handled by personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments coverage (MedPay). Bodily injury liability insurance provides coverage for physical injuries to others involved in an accident when the policyholder is at fault.
Most states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of bodily injury liability coverage as part of their auto insurance policy.
Bodily injury liability sets two limits: how much it covers per person, and how much it covers per accident. You can also choose higher limits for better protection.
By having bodily injury liability coverage, drivers can make sure that they are protected in the event of an accident, and that they can provide financial support to those who are injured. This coverage not only helps pay for immediate medical costs but also offers peace of mind by covering potential future expenses related to the injury.
If you’re at fault in an accident and someone is hurt, your bodily injury liability coverage steps in. It pays for things like:
Your policy will list two limits:
Example: If your limits are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident, your insurance company would cover up to $50,000 for each injured person, but no more than $100,000 total for the accident, including legal expenses.
This coverage is designed to protect other people, not you.
It typically covers:
It does not cover:
Bodily injury liability typically pays for:
This coverage helps protect you from having to pay these costs out of pocket, including lost income due to the injured person’s inability to work.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what this coverage can include:
No, bodily injury liability protects people you injure in other vehicles or outside your own car.
If you want coverage for injuries to you or your passengers, you may need to add:
Both options help pay for medical bills regardless of who’s at fault.
The right amount depends on your budget, risk tolerance and assets.
Most states set a minimum required amount, but that might not be enough to fully protect you after a serious accident. If the injuries you cause cost more than your liability limits, you could be personally responsible for the rest, meaning you may have to pay the remaining costs out of pocket.
Common minimums might look like:
But many drivers choose higher limits, such as $100,000/$300,000, for better protection.
Here’s what typically happens after an accident:
Driving without this coverage, especially in a state where it’s required, can lead to:
Even in no-fault states (where each driver’s insurance pays for their own injuries), bodily injury liability is still required to cover serious injury lawsuits.
Your premium will depend on factors like:
Generally, increasing your bodily injury limits won’t dramatically raise your overall premium—but it can offer much better protection.
Ask a VIU by HUB Advisor to help you compare quotes and options.
Almost every U.S. state requires bodily injury coverage, though minimum limits vary.
For example:
These two terms sound similar but they aren’t the same.
Think of bodily injury as a specific coverage type in auto insurance, while personal injury is a broader legal concept.
Auto liability insurance includes two parts:
| Type | What it covers |
| Bodily Injury Liability | Injuries you cause to other people in an accident |
| Property Damage Liability | Damage you cause to someone else's vehicle or property |
Auto liability insurance includes two parts: bodily injury liability and property damage liability coverage. They work together to protect you financially if you’re at fault. Most states require both types as part of a minimum auto insurance policy.
In the context of bodily injury liability coverage, the numbers $100k/$300k/$100k refer to the coverage limits within an auto insurance policy. The first number ($100k) is the most your insurance company pays for injuries to one person.
The second number, $300k, is the per accident limit, indicating the total maximum amount the insurance company will cover for all injuries in a single accident, regardless of the number of injured people. The third number, $100k, typically refers to property damage liability coverage, which is the maximum amount the insurance will pay for damage to another person’s property in an accident. These limits help to make sure that drivers are financially protected in the event of an accident.
References:
https://www.progressive.com/answers/how-much-car-insurance-do-i-need/
https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/insurance/minimum-car-insurance-requirements
