Key Takeaways
As part of your car insurance, Bodily Injury Liability pays for the person's medical bills who suffered an injury in the crash, you caused. In simple terms, if you are responsible for an accident and if there are casualties, Bodily Injury Liability Coverage will help you save out-of-pocket expenses. However, knowing that if the bill exceeds your policy limits, you settling the difference is important.
Nearly every state has made Bodily Injury Liability mandatory for auto owners. Each state has defined its minimum coverage requirement to demonstrate your on-road financial responsibility. But consumers are free to buy any coverage beyond the legal minimum.
The Bodily Injury Liability generally covers the following expenses:
The following expenses are not covered under the Bodily Injury Liability:
Minimum coverage is mandatory in almost every state to be considered a legal driver. This minimum amount is referred to as a limit. As far as insurance companies are concerned, the coverage limit is the total amount payable by the company to cover any claim against you.
Liability coverage is often written in split limits. The limits are mentioned on the declaration page of your policy and look something like this - 40/60 or, at times, 20/50/30. Each number mentioned corresponds to a different coverage type. The first number refers to bodily injury per person, and the second refers to bodily injury per accident. In some policies, there is a mention of a third number; this refers to the limit for property damage.
The Bodily Injury Liability insurance cost is determined based on many factors, such as the coverage limit of your purchased policy, the state you live in, and your driving history. The more coverage, the more the price. Also, your coverage will likely cost more if you have recently had an accident or moving violation.
In the table below, you will find the state-wise average minimum requirement for Bodily Injury Liability insurance.
| State | Min. Coverage Per Person | Min. Coverage Per Accident |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Alaska | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| Arizona | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Arkansas | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| California | $15,000 | $30,000 |
| Colorado | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Connecticut | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Delaware | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Florida | Not Required | 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 | $50,000 | $100,000 |
| 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 | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| New Jersey | Not Required | Not Required |
| New Mexico | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| New York | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| North Carolina | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| 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 | $30,000 | $60,000 |
| Washington, D.C. | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| West Virginia | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Wisconsin | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Wyoming | $25,000 | $50,000 |
BI claims are "third-party claims," which means a claim is filed against the driver's insurance company that caused the accident.
An accurate accident record is required to receive a reasonable amount for your expenses. You should be able to provide the following documents to make a claim.
Once you have made a claim,
The auto insurance rates published in this guide are based on the results of research completed by Way.com’s data team. Using a mix of public and internal data, we analyzed millions of rate averages across U.S. ZIP codes.
Quotes are typically based on a full coverage policy average unless otherwise noted within the content.
These rates were publicly sourced from insurer filings and should be used for comparative purposes only — your own quotes will differ. Given this, it’s important to go through our insurance steps form to find how much you can save with way.com
Way.com’s Insurance Broker Quote Data
The minimum coverage requirement will differ depending on your home state. On average most states require at least 25/50/25 Bodily Injury Liability coverage. This split means $25000 medical expenses per person, $50,000 maximum coverage per accident, and $25,000 maximum coverage for property damage.
While Bodily Injury Liability covers only the victim's medical expenses, liability insurance covers both - property damage and bodily injury/medical expenses if you are responsible for the accident.
In case of a crash, Bodily Injury Liability will pay for all necessary medical care, including hospitalization and the purchase of assistive devices like crutches and wheelchairs. It also covers funeral costs, lost wages if the victim cannot work due to the accident, and legal fees if the victim sues you for any bodily injury.
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