What is bodily injury liability coverage?
Bodily injury (BI) liability coverage pays for medical bills and related expenses when you injure others in an accident. It's required by law in most states, and it's typically included in standard car insurance policies alongside property damage liability coverage.
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Key takeaways
Bodily injury liability covers medical expenses for people you injure in an accident
It can also cover lost wages and legal fees if the driver you injured files a lawsuit
Most states require drivers to carry a minimum amount of bodily injury liability
What does bodily injury liability cover?
When you're at fault in an accident, bodily injury liability may cover:
- Medical expenses: The other driver's injury-related medical costs resulting from the accident
- Lost wages: Income the other driver loses if their injuries prevent them from working
- Legal fees: Your defense costs if the other driver sues you over the accident
Example:If you rear-end someone at a red light and they sustain neck and knee injuries, your bodily injury liability can pay for their medical bills, any wages they lose during recovery, and legal expenses if they sue.
What bodily injury liability doesn't cover
Bodily injury liability only applies to the other party. It doesn't apply to you or your passengers. If you need coverage for your own accident-related medical expenses, you either need:
- Personal injury protection (PIP): Available in select states, PIP covers your own medical expenses and your passengers' regardless of who's at fault.
- Medical payments coverage (MedPay): If PIP isn't available in your state, medical payments coverage can help pay your own accident-related medical bills as well as your passengers'.
If you're injured in an accident that wasn't your fault, the at-fault driver's bodily injury liability may cover your medical expenses up to their policy's limits.
How much bodily injury liability do you need?
Drivers are required to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage in most states, so you'll need at least the bodily injury liability limits required by your state. However, accident-related medical bills can pile up quickly. To better protect your assets, consider choosing a bodily injury liability coverage limit equal to or more than your net worth.
To calculate your net worth when determining how much car insurance you need, add up your assets, including:
- Bank and retirement accounts
- Property you own, including your house and car
Then subtract your debts to get your total net worth. Aim for a bodily injury limit of at least this amount, since injuries are often the most expensive portion of a claim after a car accident.
Pro tip:
If your net worth is greater than $500,000, which is often the maximum amount of liability coverage offered by auto insurers, an umbrella insurance policy through Progressive can give you up to $5 million in added liability protection.
How much does bodily injury liability cost?
Bodily injury liability doesn't have a standalone price, but is priced as part of your overall auto insurance premium. What you pay depends on your individual circumstances.
Here are a few situations that could affect your bodily injury liability rate:
You choose higher coverage limits
Increasing your bodily injury limits will generally raise your premium. But higher limits also come with greater protection if you're at fault in a serious accident.
You have an at-fault accident or traffic violation on your record
Insurers view accidents and violations as indicators of future risk, which can increase your rate. If the incident is more recent, it could have a larger impact.
You're a new or young driver
Less experience behind the wheel typically means a higher rate, which tends to decrease as you build a clean driving history.
You live in a high-risk area
If the area where you live has a high rate of accidents or claims, your rate may be higher.
What are bodily injury liability limits?
Your bodily injury liability limits set the maximum amount your insurer will pay after an at-fault accident. They're typically shown as a split limit, where each number represents a different cap. A common example is 25/50/25, which breaks down as:
- $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person injured
- $50,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
- $25,000 of property damage liability per accident
The first number is the maximum your coverage will pay toward any one person's injuries. If we're using a $25,000/$50,000 policy as an example, that's $25,000 per injured person. The second is the ceiling across all injuries in a single accident, regardless of how many people are injured. The third covers property damage, a separate coverage that's included in the same limit structure.
If you want your coverage to align with your net worth, focus on the per accident total.
What happens if you don't have bodily injury liability?
Bodily injury liability is required for drivers in nearly every state. Driving without your state's minimum required coverage could result in fines or even jail time, depending on your state and the circumstances.
If you cause an accident and you have too little or no bodily injury coverage, you may have to pay the other driver's medical bills yourself.
If the other driver has uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, they may file a claim through their own policy. However, you could still be held responsible for those costs in some circumstances.
Get the right amount of bodily injury liability coverage from Progressive
New Progressive customers
Call 1-866-749-7436 or quote car insurance online and we can help you choose the right BI liability coverage for your needs.
Current Progressive customers
Log in to your policy or call us at 1-866-749-7436 to discuss changes to your current BI liability limits.
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