The policyholder and any family members listed on the policy are generally covered by bodily injury liability coverage, no matter what vehicle they are driving, provided they have permission to be behind the wheel.
Alternate name: bodily injury liability
How Auto Insurance Bodily Injury Coverage Works
Auto insurers often sell bodily injury coverage in terms of its maximum payouts. Policies will often list two numbers that refer to the thousands of dollars the insurer will pay toward bodily injury coverage per person and per accident, respectively. For instance, “25/50” refers to payment caps of $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident. For example, say you have 25/50 bodily injury coverage and cause an accident that injures every member of a family of four. Your insurance will pay up to $25,000 per person to cover medical costs, lost wages, and other associated costs. But if each of the four injured people has $25,000 worth of medical costs, your insurance will still pay out only a maximum of $50,000 for this accident—which means you’ll be on the hook to pay the remaining $50,000.
Do I Need Auto Insurance Bodily Injury Coverage?
Every state except New Hampshire and Florida requires drivers to carry a minimum amount of bodily liability insurance or pay a fee (as well as property liability, which is often listed as a third number). For example, Virginia requires drivers to either buy bodily injury coverage or pay a $500 Uninsured Motor Vehicle Fee. Even if you live in a state that does not require bodily injury liability coverage, you’ll still be considered financially responsible if you cause an accident that injures other people. Carrying bodily injury liability coverage will often be an easier and cheaper option than paying out of pocket, even for residents of states that don’t require coverage. Additionally, since state car insurance minimums tend to be somewhat low, it often makes sense to purchase additional liability coverage so that a bad accident does not leave you financially vulnerable.
How to Get Auto Insurance Bodily Injury Coverage
Bodily injury liability coverage is a basic part of any auto insurance policy. However, you’ll need to consider how much coverage to buy and determine which insurer to purchase your coverage from. You can start by getting quotes from multiple insurers. You’ll need to provide some basic information about yourself, your driving history, your vehicle, who else the policy will cover, and how the vehicle will be used. You can request car insurance quotes for state-mandated minimum bodily injury coverage, as well as quotes for higher levels of coverage. Adjusting your deductible is one way to help make higher levels of coverage more affordable.
