What is Bodily Injury Liability?
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance, also known as BI Liability, is part of your auto insurance policy. This coverage protects drivers who cause accidents that result in physical injuries to others.
By covering medical expenses, lost income, legal fees and even funeral costs, BI Liability helps the at-fault driver manage the overwhelming financial burden that comes with serious car accidents.
Most states in the US require drivers to carry Bodily Injury Liability Insurance. It’s the law and part of being a responsible driver.
Not only is it the law in many states but also a financial safety net if the driver gets into a major accident.
Without this insurance the at-fault driver would be personally liable for all medical expenses, legal fees and other damages to the injured people.
Learn more about how this coverage works. You want to make sure you have enough protection for yourself and others to stay safe on the road.
What Does Bodily Injury Liability Cover?
Bodily Injury Liability coverage includes the following expenses below that may result from a car accident where you are at fault.
Medical Expenses
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance covers medical expenses for injuries to others in an accident caused by you. This may include costs for emergency services, hospital stays, surgeries, medication, physical therapy and ongoing medical treatments.
Since medical costs can add up fast, having enough BI coverage ensures the injured party gets the necessary care without putting the financial burden on the at-fault driver.
Loss of Income
If the injured party can’t work due to the accident, Bodily Injury Liability Insurance will cover lost income.
For example if an injured person misses weeks or even months of work while recovering, BI Liability will help cover their lost wages. This is especially important for the primary breadwinner in the family.
By covering lost income BI Liability provides financial support during recovery.
Pain and Suffering
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance will also pay the injured party for pain and suffering. This is usually determined by how severe the the injuries were and the impact on the victim’s lifestyle from the accident.
While this is a more subjective aspect of coverage, it acknowledges accidents have emotional and physical consequences beyond the direct costs.
Legal Counsel and Legal Fees
If the injured party decides to sue the at-fault driver, Bodily Injury Liability Insurance will cover legal fees during the lawsuit. This includes the cost of a lawyer, court fees and settlement costs.
Lawsuits can be expensive and time consuming. BI Liability Insurance ensures the at-fault driver is not personally responsible for these large expenses.
Funeral Expenses
In the event of a fatality in the car accident, Bodily Injury Liability Insurance will cover the funeral expenses. This provides financial support to the family of the deceased during a very difficult and trying time.
How Much Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Do I Need?
Most states in the U.S. require drivers to have Bodily Injury Liability Insurance, but the amount of coverage varies by state.
The most common minimum coverage requirement is $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, often written as “25/50.” However, it’s important to note that these minimums may not be sufficient in the event of a serious accident.
Which States Require Bodily Injury Liability Coverage?
Most states in the US require bodily injury liability coverage to drive, except for New Jersey, Florida and parts of Alaska.
In some states, there are conditions to be met to be exempt from this coverage. For example in Alaska, residents of remote areas can opt out of car insurance altogether.
New Jersey and Florida don’t require bodily injury liability insurance but drivers in these states still must purchase different coverage options like property damage liability and personal injury protection.
Property damage liability covers the cost of damage to another person’s vehicle or property in an at-fault accident and personal injury protection covers medical expenses in an accident regardless of fault.
To determine the bodily injury liability insurance requirements in your state, use the table below.
| State | Requirements |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Alaska | (Auto insurance is optional for certain Alaska residents) $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $100,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Arizona | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Arkansas | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| California | $15,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $5,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Colorado | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Connecticut | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident |
| Delaware | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $15,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) per person $30,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) per accident |
| Florida | $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $10,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Georgia | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Hawaii | $20,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $40,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $10,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Idaho | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Illinois | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Indiana | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Iowa | $20,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $40,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Kansas | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident PIP: $4,500 Medical, $900/Month for 1 year disability/loss of income, $25/Day in-home services, $2,000 Funeral costs, $4,500 Rehab. Survivors: $900/Month for 1 year disability/loss of income, $25/Day in-home services. |
| Kentucky | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Louisiana | $15,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Maine | $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $100,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $100,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $2,000 Medical payments coverage (MedPay) Single liability limit per accident of $125,000 |
| Maryland | $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $60,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $30,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $60,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $15,000 Uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage per accident |
| Massachusetts | $20,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $40,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $5,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $20,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per person $40,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per accident $8,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Michigan | $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $100,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident outside Michigan $10,000 Property damage outside MI $1M Property protection in MI $250,000 PIP ($ Lower for some Medicare/Medicaid). |
| Minnesota | $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $60,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $40,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Mississippi | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Missouri | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
| Montana | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Nebraska | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident |
| Nevada | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| New Hampshire | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage $1,000 Medical payments coverage (MedPay) |
| New Jersey | $5,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $15,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| New Mexico | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| New York | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $50,000 Liability coverage for death per person $100,000 Liability coverage for death per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM) per accident $50,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| North Carolina | $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $60,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $30,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $60,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) per accident |
| North Dakota | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $30,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Ohio | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Oklahoma | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Oregon | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident $15,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Pennsylvania | $15,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $5,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $5,000 Medical benefits |
| Rhode Island | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| South Carolina | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) |
| South Dakota | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident |
| Tennessee | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Texas | $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $60,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Utah | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $65,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $15,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $3,000 Personal injury protection (PIP) |
| Vermont | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $50,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $100,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $10,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage (UM/UIM-PD)per accident |
| Virginia | Optional auto insurance: Minimum limits apply; $500 Fee if no insurance. $30,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $60,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $30,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per person $60,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident $20,000 Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) per accident |
| Washington | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
| Washington, D.C. | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident $5,000 Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) per accident |
| West Virginia | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $25,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist property damage coverage (UMPD) |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $10,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident $25,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per person $50,000 Uninsured motorist coverage (UM) per accident |
| Wyoming | $25,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per person $50,000 Bodily injury liability coverage per accident $20,000 Property damage liability coverage per accident |
What Are the Bodily Injury Liability Limits?
Each Bodily Injury Liability policy has a coverage limit, which the policyholder selects when purchasing the insurance.
BI Liability is generally presented in a “number/number” format, indicating two types of limits:
- Per Person Limit: This is the maximum amount of money the insurance company will pay to a single person in an accident. For example, if the limit is $50,000, the insurer will pay up to $50,000 for each person injured. If two people are injured, the insurer may pay up to $100,000 combined.
- Per Accident Limit: This is the total amount the insurer will pay for all injuries in a single accident. For example, if the per accident limit is $100,000 and four people are injured, the insurer will pay a maximum of $100,000.
Policyholders should choose limits that equal or exceed their assets to have adequate protection. Inadequate coverage can leave drivers personally responsible for damages if they exceed their policy’s limits.
What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury Liability Coverage and Property Damage Liability Coverage?
The main difference between Bodily Injury Liability Insurance and Property Damage Liability Insurance is the nature of the expenses they cover:
- Bodily Injury Liability Insurance: Pays for medical expenses, lost income, legal fees, pain and suffering, and funeral expenses resulting from injuries to other people.
- Property Damage Liability Insurance: Compensates for damage to another person’s property, such as vehicles, buildings, or other structures, caused by the policyholder in an accident.
In essence, BI Liability covers non-property-related expenses, while Property Damage Liability covers physical damage to property.
How Much Does Bodily Injury Coverage Cost?
Bodily Injury Liability Insurance costs vary depending on where you live, your driving record, type of vehicle and how much coverage you choose. Higher limits cost more.
For example, a policy with $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident will cost more than one with lower limits.
Some states have higher average costs due to traffic density, accident rates and medical expenses.
If you want to balance cost with coverage, compare policies from different companies and your personal risk.
How Can a Policyholder Purchase More Coverage to Protect Their Assets?
You can add umbrella insurance to get more coverage beyond what Bodily Injury Liability Insurance provides.
Umbrella insurance is a secondary policy that kicks in when the primary BI Liability policy limits are used up. This extra layer of protection is especially important for people with significant assets that could be at risk in the event of a big accident.
Become an Insurance Navy Policyholder today, Get a Free Quote!
Bodily injury liability insurance is required in most states but it’s more than that, it’s a protection for your assets and your peace of mind on the road. Don’t be an uninsured motorist by risking your assets and your future.
Get started today with smarter, more affordable coverage. Call one of our licensed insurance agents at 888-949-6289 or visit us online to get your free quote in minutes. Drive with confidence!
Frequently Asked Questions About Bodily Injury Liability
What Is the Most Common Bodily Injury Coverage?
The most common bodily injury coverage limits required by states are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident (25/50). However, drivers often opt for higher limits to provide greater financial protection.
What Does 100-300 Bodily Injury Mean?
A “100-300” bodily injury policy provides a maximum of $100,000 in coverage per person and $300,000 per accident. This means that for any single accident, insurance companies will pay up to $100,000 for each injured person but not more than $300,000 in total for all claims combined.
What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury Liability and Medical Payments Coverage?
The key difference between Bodily Injury Liability and Medical Payments coverage is that BI Liability covers the medical expenses of other parties injured in an accident caused by the policyholder, while Medical Payments coverage pays for the policyholder’s own medical expenses regardless of who is at fault. Medical payments coverage is optional and can cover the policyholder and their passengers regardless of fault.
