Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

Understand Bodily Injury Liability Coverage and Your Options

Bodily injury liability insurance helps pay for other people’s injury-related expenses when you’re legally responsible for an auto accident, up to your policy limits. It generally does not cover your own injuries.

Choosing the right limits with your car insurance isn’t always as simple as meeting your state’s minimum requirements. Freeway Insurance can help you understand your coverage options, compare available policies from multiple insurance companies, and find coverage that fits your needs and budget. Get a quote online, call us, or visit a Freeway office for personal help from an insurance agent.

Key Takeaways:

Bodily injury liability helps cover injuries to others when you’re legally responsible for an auto accident, up to your policy limits.
Most states require bodily injury liability coverage, but minimum limits and requirements vary by state.
Coverage limits are typically shown as per-person and per-accident amounts, such as 25/50, which represents $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident.
State minimum coverage may not be enough for every driver. Higher limits can provide additional financial protection if a serious accident results in costly injuries.
Freeway can help you compare coverage options from multiple insurance companies and find liability coverage that fits your needs and budget.

What Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance?

Bodily injury liability insurance is a type of auto liability coverage that helps pay covered injury-related expenses for other people when you’re legally responsible for a car accident.

Depending on the accident and policy, this may include injuries to other drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or cyclists. Bodily injury liability is one component of auto liability insurance. The other is property damage liability, which generally helps pay for damage you cause to another person’s vehicle or property.

What Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover?

Bodily injury liability coverage may help pay for injury-related expenses resulting from an accident where you are found at fault. Coverage depends on your insurance policy terms, applicable state laws, and the circumstances of the claim. Common covered expenses may include:

Medical and emergency expenses (ambulance, hospital bills, rehabilitation)
Lost wages or lost income due to injuries
Pain and suffering compensation, when applicable
Funeral expenses in case of a fatal accident
Legal defense fees and court costs if you are sued

How bodily injury claims are handled can also vary by state. In at-fault states, bodily injury liability generally helps cover injuries when you’re legally responsible for an accident. In no-fault states, injured drivers typically first turn to their personal injury protection (PIP) coverage for certain expenses, although bodily injury liability claims may still apply in some circumstances.

What Doesn’t Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover?

Bodily injury liability is designed primarily to cover injuries to other people rather than your own injuries or property damage. Bodily injury liability insurance generally does not cover:

Your own injuries or medical expenses
Damage to your own vehicle or property
Damage you cause to others’ vehicles or property (covered by property damage liability)
Intentional injuries or damage
Claims or expenses exceeding your policy’s coverage limits

Depending on the state and policy, coverage such as personal injury protection (PIP) or Medical Payments (MedPay) may help pay eligible medical expenses for you and your passengers.

Who Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover?

Bodily injury liability insurance applies to people injured in an accident for which you are legally liable. Depending on your policy, state law, and the circumstances of the accident, this may include:

Drivers and passengers in other vehicles involved
Pedestrians or cyclists injured in the accident
In some cases, passengers in your own vehicle, depending on policy terms and state laws

Coverage can vary, so review your policy or speak with an insurance agent if you’re unsure who is covered.

How Do Bodily Injury Liability Limits Work?

Bodily injury liability limits determine the maximum amount an insurance company will pay toward covered bodily injury claims. Limits are commonly expressed as:

Per-person limit: The maximum amount your insurer will pay for bodily injuries to a single person in a covered accident.
Per-accident limit: The maximum total amount your insurer will pay for all bodily injuries to multiple people resulting from a single covered accident.

For example, if your policy has $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident limits (100/300), it will pay up to $100,000 for each injured individual, but not more than $300,000 total for all injured parties combined in one accident. These coverage limits are coverage maximums, not deductibles.

What Does 25/50 Bodily Injury Liability Mean?

A 25/50 bodily injury liability limit generally means your policy can pay up to $25,000 for bodily injury to one person and up to $50,000 total for bodily injuries to multiple people in a single covered accident.

For example, if two people are injured in an accident for which you’re legally responsible, the policy could pay covered claims subject to the $25,000 per-person limit, with no more than $50,000 paid for all bodily injury claims combined.

Bodily Injury Liability Requirements by State

Bodily injury liability requirements are set at the state level, so the minimum amount of coverage drivers must carry depends on where they live. These coverage limits are typically expressed as two numbers: the maximum amount an insurer will pay for injuries to one person and the maximum it will pay for injuries to multiple people in a single accident. State minimums provide a baseline for legal compliance, but drivers may choose higher limits for greater financial protection.

State minimums establish the amount of coverage needed to satisfy applicable legal requirements, but drivers may choose higher limits for additional financial protection.

State	Minimum BI Liability
Alabama	$25,000/$50,000
Alaska	$50,000/$100,000
Arizona	$25,000/$50,000
Arkansas	$25,000/$50,000
California	$30,000/$60,000
Colorado	$25,000/$50,000
Connecticut	$25,000/$50,000
Delaware	$25,000/$50,000
Florida*	Bodily injury liability is generally not required.
Georgia	$25,000/$50,000
Hawaii	$20,000/$40,000
Idaho	$25,000/$50,000
Illinois	$25,000/$50,000
Indiana	$25,000/$50,000
Iowa	$20,000/$40,000
Kansas	$25,000/$50,000
Kentucky	$25,000/$50,000
Louisiana	$15,000/$30,000
Maine	$50,000/$100,000
Maryland	$30,000/$60,000
Massachusetts	$20,000/$40,000
Michigan	$250,000/$500,000 default; lower limits may be selected, with $50,000/$100,000 the lowest available option.
Minnesota	$30,000/$60,000
Mississippi	$25,000/$50,000
Missouri	$25,000/$50,000
Montana	$25,000/$50,000
Nebraska	$25,000/$50,000
Nevada	$25,000/$50,000
New Hampshire*	Auto insurance is generally not mandatory; financial responsibility requirements apply.
New Jersey	Standard Policy: $35,000/$70,000; Basic Policy does not include BI by default, with $10,000 per accident available as an option.
New Mexico	$25,000/$50,000
New York	$25,000/$50,000
North Carolina	$50,000/$100,000
North Dakota	$25,000/$50,000
Ohio	$25,000/$50,000
Oklahoma	$25,000/$50,000
Oregon	$25,000/$50,000
Pennsylvania	$15,000/$30,000
Rhode Island	$25,000/$50,000
South Carolina	$25,000/$50,000
South Dakota	$25,000/$50,000
Tennessee	$25,000/$50,000
Texas	$30,000/$60,000
Utah	$25,000/$65,000
Vermont	$25,000/$50,000
Virginia	$50,000/$100,000
Washington	$25,000/$50,000
West Virginia	$25,000/$50,000
Wisconsin	$25,000/$50,000
Wyoming	$25,000/$50,000
Washington, D.C.	$25,000/$50,000

Florida*: Florida requires drivers to purchase a minimum of $10,000 PIP and $10,000 property damage auto liability insurance but no BIL auto liability insurance.
Michigan: Michigan’s default bodily injury liability limits are $250,000 per person and $500,000 per accident. Drivers may select certain lower limits, with $50,000/$100,000 being the lowest available option.
New Hampshire*: Motorists are not required to carry auto insurance coverage. However, if you are responsible for someone else’s injuries and damages, you must show proof of financial responsibility. Choosing the minimum liability coverage available can protect your assets if you cause an accident.
New Jersey: New Jersey offers different policy structures. The Standard Policy includes minimum bodily injury liability limits of $35,000 per person and $70,000 per accident. The Basic Policy does not include bodily injury liability by default, although $10,000 per accident may be purchased as an option.

State insurance requirements can change. Check your state’s current requirements or speak with a licensed insurance agent when selecting coverage.

Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Required?

Bodily injury liability insurance is required in most U.S. states as part of your car insurance policy. The specific minimum coverage amounts vary by state.

Some states have different insurance or financial responsibility structures. Florida, for example, generally does not require bodily injury liability coverage for most drivers, while New Hampshire generally does not require all drivers to maintain auto insurance.

Meeting your state’s minimum requirements allows you to satisfy applicable liability insurance requirements, but the minimum amount may not provide enough financial protection for every driver.

How Much Bodily Injury Liability Coverage Do I Need?

The amount of bodily injury liability coverage you need depends on your state’s requirements, your financial situation, and how much protection you want if you’re responsible for a serious accident.

State minimums may satisfy legal requirements, but injury-related costs can exceed minimum policy limits. When choosing coverage amounts, consider factors such as:

Your assets and net worth
Household income and financial obligations
Number of drivers and vehicles in your household
Cost difference between coverage limits
The potential financial impact of a serious accident

If bodily injury claims exceed your coverage limits, you may be personally responsible for the remaining costs. For added protection, umbrella insurance can extend your liability limits beyond what your auto insurance policy provides.

What Happens If an Injury Claim Exceeds Your Liability Limits?

If a covered bodily injury claim exceeds your policy limits, your insurance company generally pays up to the applicable limit. You may be personally responsible for amounts that exceed your available coverage.

Suppose your bodily injury liability limit is $50,000 per person, but a covered injury claim totals $80,000. Your insurer will pay up to $50,000, and you may be personally responsible for the remaining $30,000. This risk highlights the importance of selecting adequate coverage for additional financial security.

Woman getting a liability report form the police woman after a car accident and another woman speaking to a male police in the background

Helpful Car Insurance Resources

Liability Car Insurance: Learn how bodily injury and property damage liability work together and how liability limits affect your protection.
Property Damage Liability Insurance: Understand how property damage liability can help cover damage you cause to another person’s vehicle or property.
Full Coverage Car Insurance: Review how liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage commonly work together.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Learn how UM and UIM coverage may provide protection when an at-fault driver has little or no insurance.
Types of Car Insurance: Explore common auto insurance coverages, including liability, PIP, MedPay, collision, and comprehensive coverage.

Bodily Injury Liability vs. Personal Injury Protection (PIP) vs. Medical Payments (Medpay)

Bodily injury liability, personal injury protection (PIP), and Medical Payments coverage (MedPay) can all involve injury-related expenses, but they serve different purposes.

Coverage	Generally Pays For	Fault-Based?
Bodily injury liability	Injuries to others caused by you	Yes
Personal injury protection (PIP)	Medical expenses and lost wages for you and passengers, regardless of fault	No
Medical Payments (MedPay)	Eligible medical expenses for you and passengers, regardless of fault	No

*Availability and requirements for PIP and MedPay vary by state.

Bodily Injury Liability vs. Property Damage Liability

Bodily injury liability and property damage liability are the two primary components of liability auto insurance, but they cover different types of losses.

Bodily Injury Liability	Property Damage Liability
Covers injury-related expenses for others	Covers damage to other vehicles or property.
Includes medical bills, lost wages, and legal fees	Includes repairs to vehicles, fences, mailboxes, etc.
Required in most states	Also required in most states.

Both coverages commonly appear together in liability limits. For example, 100/300/50 generally represents $100,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $300,000 of bodily injury liability per accident, and $50,000 of property damage liability per accident.

Do Bodily Injury Liability Limits Affect Car Insurance Cost?

Yes. The bodily injury liability limits you choose can affect the overall cost of your car insurance. Higher liability limits generally cost more than lower limits because they provide greater financial protection if you’re responsible for an accident involving serious injuries.

Your total car insurance premium also depends on factors such as your driving history, location, age, vehicle, selected coverages, and insurance company. Because rates vary by driver and insurer, comparing available options can help you find the right balance between coverage and cost.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

Is Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Required in Every State?

No. Requirements vary by state. Most states require drivers to maintain liability insurance, but mandates and alternatives for bodily injury liability vary by state. Check your state’s current requirements when selecting coverage.

What Happens If My Bodily Injury Limits Aren’t Enough?

Your insurer generally pays covered bodily claims up to your policy limits. You may be personally responsible for amounts beyond those limits. Higher limits or umbrella insurance can provide additional protection.

Does Bodily Injury Liability Cover My Passengers?

It may. Coverage depends on who was injured, policy terms, state laws, and circumstances. Injuries to unrelated passengers in your vehicle may be covered. Personal injury protection (PIP) or Medical Payment Coverage (MedPay) also provides coverage for your passengers’ injuries regardless of fault.

Is Bodily Injury Liability the Same as Personal Injury Protection (PIP)?

No. Bodily injury liability covers injuries to others when you’re legally responsible. PIP covers your and your passengers’ injuries regardless of fault, subject to state and policy rules.

Does Full Coverage Include Bodily Injury Liability?

Yes, bodily injury liability is typically included in what is commonly called full coverage. Bodily injury liability coverage specifically helps pay for the injury-related expenses of others. A full coverage policy generally combines state-required liability coverage, including bodily injury liability where required, with collision and comprehensive coverage.

Does Bodily Injury Liability Have a Deductible?

No, bodily injury liability insurance typically does not have a deductible. If a covered accident or bodily injury claim occurs, the insurance company pays eligible expenses up to the applicable policy limits.

Does Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Cover Death?

Yes. Bodily injury liability insurance may help cover funeral expenses, wrongful death claims, and other eligible costs when someone dies in an accident for which you’re legally responsible. Coverage depends on the policy terms, applicable state laws, and available liability limits.

What Should I Do After an Accident That Causes Injuries?

After a car accident involving injuries, check everyone’s safety and call 911 if emergency assistance is needed. Exchange insurance and contact information with the other driver, document the accident when safe, and notify your insurance company as soon as possible. Your insurer can explain the claims process and how your bodily injury liability coverage may apply.