Bodily injury liability is a type of car insurance that helps cover medical bills, legal fees, loss of income, and other expenses up to your policy limits related to injuries sustained by others in a car accident you cause. It’s part of liability car insurance and is mandatory in most states.
Jerry’s insurance experts put together a quick overview of bodily injury liability and how it works here:
What does bodily injury liability insurance cover?
Bodily injury liability insurance, or BI, helps cover medical costs associated with injuries sustained by others in an at-fault accident. Expenses typically covered by BI include:
- Medical expenses and other medical bills.
- Legal fees
- Lost income
- Pain and suffering
- Funeral costs
Bodily injury liability car insurance coverage does not pay for your or your passengers’ medical expenses or injuries. It also does not cover medical bills in excess of your policy limits. To ensure you’re fully protected, experts recommend a full coverage car insurance policy that includes increased liability limits, collision insurance, and comprehensive insurance.
How bodily injury liability insurance works
If you’re found to be at fault for an accident, your insurance company will pay others’ medical bills and expenses up to your policy’s limit. Plus, your insurer will cover the cost of legal defense if you’re sued following an auto accident you caused.
Bodily injury liability insurance coverage generally has two types of coverage limits:
- Per-person limits: This represents the maximum amount your car insurance provider will pay to cover each injured person involved in the accident.
- Per-accident limits: This represents the maximum amount your insurance provider will pay to cover damages from a single accident.
For example: If you cause an accident that injures three people and results in medical expenses of $10,000 per person, or $30,000 total, a bodily injury liability policy with a $15,000 per person limit and a $30,000 per accident limit would cover all your costs.
However, if the same accident results in more than $15,000 worth of medical expenses for any one person or totals more than $30,000 for the entire accident, you’ll be responsible for paying the amount that exceeds your policy limit out-of-pocket.
This is why insurance experts recommend drivers purchase higher liability limits than those required by your state’s car insurance laws.
How much bodily injury liability insurance do you need?
To drive legally, every state except Florida requires you to purchase an auto insurance policy that meets or exceeds your state’s insurance requirements for bodily injury liability coverage.
Liability insurance coverage limits are typically written as a series of three numbers, such as 25/50/10. The first two numbers represent the amount of bodily injury coverage per person and per accident you’ve purchased, while the final number represents your property damage liability coverage limits.
Depending on the state you reside in, you may also have the option to choose a combined single limit (CSL) for both bodily injury liability and property damage liability. This means there’s no stated limit per person; the dollar figure is the maximum amount that will be paid out for all injuries and property damage.
Here’s how much BI coverage is required in each state and the District of Columbia:
| State | Bodily injury liability insurance minimum |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| District of Columbia | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| Florida | BI coverage not requires |
| 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 | $25,000 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 | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident |
| 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 | $30,000 per person / $60,000 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 |
* Required for drivers who choose to use car insurance to prove financial responsibility
While you won’t be legally required to carry more than the state minimum bodily injury liability coverage limits, drivers should remember that, according to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost of a liability claim for bodily injury is $24,211.1
If multiple people are injured or killed in an accident, that number could be even higher. With the minimum amount of coverage, you likely won’t have adequate insurance to pay for these costs, and you could be sued for the remaining balance.
That’s why the insurance experts at Jerry recommend drivers carry higher limits of at least 100/300/100 liability coverage. That means you should purchase:
- $100,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $300,000 of bodily injury liability coverage per accident
- $100,000 of property damage liability coverage
If you have a high net worth and/or future earnings potential, you may also benefit from umbrella insurance.
Is 50/100/50 liability insurance enough? According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average auto liability claim in 2022 is $24,211 for bodily injury per person and $5,313 for property damage. On the high side, a few days in the hospital can cost $100,000 per person, a new car replacement is $50,000 on average, and the average settlement in a car accident lawsuit is $23,000. 50/100/50 liability coverage may offer protection, but higher liability limits of 100/300/100 or 250/500/250 will cover the worst cases.
How much does bodily injury liability coverage cost?
Because BI isn’t usually sold on its own, it’s easiest to calculate its cost as half of your overall liability policy costs. For example, the average driver pays about $928 annually for minimum liability car insurance coverage, which makes the average annual cost for property damage insurance about $464.
Increasing bodily injury liability limits to $50k or $100k will increase your average rates—but it’s much more affordable—and much less of a hassle—than the potential lawsuits you’ll face if you don’t have adequate coverage.
Here are the average annual rates for minimum bodily injury liability car insurance in each state, plus averages for increased limits of $50k and $100k.
| State | State minimum limit | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $764 | $842 | $937 |
| Alaska | $1,340 | $1,505 | $1,600 |
| Arizona | $798 | $1,001 | $1,096 |
| Arkansas | $733 | $821 | $916 |
| California | $787 | $1,069 | $1,164 |
| Colorado | $723 | $982 | $1,077 |
| Connecticut | $1,178 | $1,254 | $1,349 |
| Delaware | $996 | $1,174 | $1,269 |
| District of Columbia | $929 | $1,015 | $1,110 |
| Florida | $2,090 | $2,768 | $2,863 |
| Georgia | $1,253 | $1,422 | $1,517 |
| Hawaii | $981 | $1,111 | $1,206 |
| Idaho | $509 | $569 | $691 |
| Illinois | $756 | $802 | $897 |
| Indiana | $509 | $567 | $662 |
| Iowa | $522 | $577 | $687 |
| Kansas | $662 | $685 | $780 |
| Kentucky | $1,304 | $1,514 | $1,609 |
| Louisiana | $1,255 | $1,789 | $1,884 |
| Maine | $488 | $493 | $590 |
| Maryland | $1,090 | $1,131 | $1,26 |
| Massachusetts | $717 | $854 | $949 |
| Michigan | $1,414 | $1,458 | $1,553 |
| Minnesota | $805 | $837 | $932 |
| Mississippi | $712 | $861 | $956 |
| Missouri | $785 | $846 | $941 |
| Montana | $536 | $672 | $1,067 |
| Nebraska | $621 | $654 | $749 |
| Nevada | $753 | $1,079 | $1,174 |
| New Hampshire* | $511 | $541 | $636 |
| New Jersey | $1,120 | $1,251 | $1,346 |
| New Mexico | $653 | $733 | $828 |
| New York | $1,459 | $1,544 | $1,639 |
| North Carolina | $511 | $550 | $645 |
| North Dakota | $875 | $888 | $983 |
| Ohio | $590 | $647 | $742 |
| Oklahoma | $721 | $914 | $1,009 |
| Oregon | $840 | $883 | $978 |
| Pennsylvania | $635 | $738 | $833 |
| Rhode Island | $798 | $932 | $1,027 |
| South Carolina | $1,360 | $1,525 | $1,620 |
| South Dakota | $639 | $661 | $756 |
| Tennessee | $713 | $790 | $885 |
| Texas | $1,022 | $1,161 | $1,256 |
| Utah | $804 | $923 | $1,018 |
| Vermont | $434 | $462 | $557 |
| Virginia | $733 | $753 | $658 |
| Washington | $777 | $936 | $1,031 |
| West Virginia | $704 | $760 | $855 |
| Wisconsin | $506 | $550 | $645 |
| Wyoming | $342 | $380 | $475 |
| National average | $928 | $1,050 | $1,145 |
Other factors affecting liability insurance costs
Insurance providers use more than just your address to calculate your premiums. Additional factors involved in determining insurance costs include:
- Driving experience: Less driving experience means a higher risk of accidents, which means higher rates for coverage.
- Driving record: A history of tickets, at-fault accidents, and other violations indicates you’re a high-risk driver, which means increased premiums.
- Insurance history: A short automobile insurance history or lapses in coverage could lead to higher insurance costs.
Depending on your state, auto insurance companies may also use your age, credit score, gender, and marital status to calculate your insurance rates.
Learn more: How is car insurance calculated?
FAQ
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Will bodily injury liability cover you or your passengers?
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Does bodily injury insurance coverage have a deductible?
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Can health insurance replace your auto policy for medical bills?
Sources
Liz Jenson is an insurance writer who specializes in general automotive and insurance topics. Liz’s mission is to produce informative and useful content to help car owners make smart choices when buying cars and car insurance. Since joining Jerry in 2021, Liz has written nearly 4,000 long- and short-form articles on topics including state-specific insurance recommendations, common car insurance questions, and deep dives into vehicle model details. Before they came to Jerry, Liz was a full-time student at Indiana University, Bloomington working on a double major in English and French.
Sarah Gray is an insurance writer with nearly a decade of experience in publishing and writing. Sarah specializes in writing articles that educate car owners and buyers on the full scope of car ownership—from shopping for and buying a new car to scrapping one that’s breathed its last and everything in between. Sarah has authored over 1,500 articles for Jerry on topics ranging from first-time buyer programs to how to get a salvage title for a totaled car. Prior to joining Jerry, Sarah was a full-time professor of English literature and composition with multiple academic writing publications.
