Liability auto insurance is a form of car insurance policy that is mandated by law in most states. If you cause a car accident—in other words, if you are responsible for an accident—responsibility insurance helps cover the other person's expenses. Liability auto insurance comes in two forms: coverage of personal injury liability and coverage of property damage liability. Drivers in most countries must have all forms of coverage.
Looking for cheap liability car insurance can be a hassle. At present, there are thirteen top insurance companies available in at least five states which offer the cheapest and best liability car insurance. The most affordable providers were mostly not big names, but these insurers could not sell policies everywhere.
Among the significant insurers, State Farm provided the most competitive liability-only coverage in absolute terms, with a six-month quote of only $356, 55 percent less than the average price of $469. For those current or former military members who apply, USAA is by far the cheapest alternative. Its six-month average is just $215. Some smaller insurance firms can have very inexpensive liability insurance. Farm Bureau affiliates cost our sample driver an average of $218 for six months, and Erie, accessible in 12 states and Washington D.C., costs $226.
Your auto insurance policy makes a distinction between the people you may have hurt and the things you might have broken. People are protected by the coverage of bodily injury damages when incidents fall within the scope of property harm. If you purchase auto insurance, you will be able to set different limits (the maximum sums your insurer will pay on a claim) for any of these forms of coverage.
You're likely to need some of both, as every state in the U.S.—except New Hampshire—requires some liability coverage. The sum you need can vary depending on the state and your financial condition. However, you should review the criteria of your form below or speak to a local insurance provider to make sure you have the coverage you need.
Liability auto insurance is intended to cover damages when you cause an accident, but it can be short-lived. Health bills and auto repairs can be too costly, and a split second may be the difference between a regular day and the start of bankruptcy. Liability insurance does not cover the risk of fixing your vehicle or paying medical expenses. This coverage is intended to compensate others for the harm you do behind the wheel. By covering some or all of the costs of an accident, insurance coverage serves as a barrier between an accident and a financial disaster.
There are three critical restrictions on liability insurance in an automobile policy, which you can always see summed up in three numbers. One difference to be remembered—while body limitations are limited per person, property damage liability is limited to an injury limit. If you hit three cars, the cumulative amount your insurer will pay will be the final number.
Technically, liability-only auto insurance applies to the purchase of only liability insurance, either for personal harm or for property damages. This compensation only provides for medical treatment and vehicle injury costs to the other party in an accident. An auto insurance policy is another way to define the legal minimum amount of car insurance you can purchase to drive your car.
In 22 states, you need to obtain liability coverage to have minimum coverage. In 28 other states and Washington, D.C., drivers are also required to purchase one or more of the following to satisfy their minimum insurance requirements:
Liability-only coverage is also characterized by what is most noticeably lacking: crash and extensive range. In addition to liability, these two insurance coverages usually make up the most significant portion of your auto insurance bill.
A rental car liability insurance usually covers damages to other people's property (e.g., their cars) and medical bills for other people's accidents in an accident that you are legally liable for. In the U.S., every state needs a minimum amount of car insurance liability insurance, so you might already be covered by your personal auto insurance.
Fundamentally, liability auto insurance coverage is part of your auto insurance policy that helps cover the other driver's bills if you cause a car accident. Bodily injury liability helps pay the other driver's medical costs, lost wages, and emergency assistance if you are involved in a car accident, and you are at fault.
Both sections of the liability insurance cover a wide variety of possible costs. Bodily injury compensation insurance helps pay for medical expenses that the injured party can pay for. It can also pay for rehab therapies or other continuing costs. On top of that, if you hurt someone and they sue you, liability insurance will pay bills of attorney or court costs. Finally, it will compensate for the loss of salaries.
Without liability protection, you will be responsible for all of these expenses yourself.
Harm to a property is a similar scenario. If you hit a car, you will pay for repairs and rental vehicles. If you run into a house, you can pay for any renovations. Property can also include items in a person's car. If you are in a minor fender bender, but the other driver had $4,000 worth of crystal in his trunk, the property damage liability insurance will cover the replacement—and the new bumper.
Except for New Hampshire, every state requires drivers to have liability insurance (though Virginia waives liability if you pay $500). Each state sets its minimum standards of insurance coverage, and many require additional forms of insurance. These standards are placed in place by State regulators to protect drivers. If you're in an accident and another driver is at fault, you should be able to get back up and run fast.
Responsibility insurance makes this possible.
Bear in mind that the state-mandated minimums are—minimums. They have not suggested levels of coverage or even default levels. It's the insurance equivalent to a PG-13 film rating. It would help if you were 13 to get in, but that doesn't mean a 27-year-old isn't going to be afraid, insulted, or sick. Your tolerance beyond your bare minimum is up to you.
Liability auto insurance is intended to cover your finances in the event of an accident. In some cases, it's a particular piece of "car" insurance because your car isn't the thing you're trying to make sure of. Instead, if you're found to be at fault for a bad accident, you want insurance to protect you and your belongings. How much liability insurance you need depends on your net value. Start with the worst-case scenario and work backward.
You hit another car, you total it, and you seriously hurt four people. If you are at fault, you will be liable for the vehicle's value and the medical expenses of all four passengers. Now, you're looking at $500,000 worth of bills to pay for. Can your liability policy cover them? If you don't have enough coverage—that is, if the limits aren't that high—you would be directly liable for any excess. If you can't or won't pay, the people you hurt can sue you for that money. You could end up losing your house or have your income garnished in certain jurisdictions. The more you've got to lose, the more they're going to come for.
The State Liability Insurance Minimums can not cover the value of all of your properties. Know that liability insurance is intended to protect your financial security, so getting more coverage will keep your savings, home, and wages safe if the worst happens. As a general rule of thumb, you may calculate the absolute maximum coverage you will need by calculating your net value. That's just the sum of all the cash you've got and the things you own, minus your debt.
If you don't have many things, there's no reason to sue you, and you might not need any extra coverage. You may also have a higher tolerance to risk. Additional liability coverage is not free, and you can decide that extra money in your wallet is worth more than peace of mind from extra coverage.
State | Requirements |
---|---|
Alabama | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Alaska | $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Arizona | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
Arkansas | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
California | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident |
Colorado | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
Connecticut | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
Delaware | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $15,000 personal injury protection per person $30,000 personal injury protection per accident |
Florida | $10,000 property damage liability per accident
$10,000 personal injury protection |
Georgia | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Hawaii | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $10,000 personal injury protection |
Idaho | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
Illinois | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
Indiana | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Iowa | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
Kansas | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident Personal injury protection including $4,500 in medical expenses, up to $900 per month for a year for disability or loss of income, $25 per day for in-home services, $2,000 for funeral burial or cremation costs, and $4,500 for rehabilitation Survivors benefits including up to $900 per month for a year for disability or loss of income and $25 per day for in-home services |
Kentucky | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Louisiana | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Maine | $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $2,000 medical payments coverage |
Maryland | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident $30,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $60,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $15,000 uninsured/underinsured property damage coverage per accident |
Mass. | $20,000 bodily injury liability per person
$40,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $20,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $40,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $8,000 personal injury protection |
Michigan | $50,000 bodily injury liability per person
$100,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident outside Michigan $1 million property protection within Michigan $250,000* personal injury protection *Lower PIP limits available for certain Medicare and Medicaid recipients |
Minnesota | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $40,000 personal injury protection |
Mississippi | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Missouri | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
Montana | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
Nebraska | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
Nevada | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
New Hampshire | (Minimum limits if driver purchases car insurance, which is optional.)
$25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage $1,000 medical payments coverage |
New Jersey | (Basic policy)
$5,000 property damage liability per accident $15,000 personal injury protection |
New Mexico | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident |
New York | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $50,000 liability for death per person $100,000 liability for death per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage per accident $50,000 personal injury protection |
North Carolina | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $30,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $60,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
North Dakota | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $30,000 personal injury protection |
Ohio | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Oklahoma | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Oregon | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $15,000 personal injury protection |
Pennsylvania | $15,000 bodily injury liability per person
$30,000 bodily injury liability per accident $5,000 property damage liability per accident $5,000 medical benefits |
Rhode Island | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
South Carolina | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage |
South Dakota | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident |
Tennessee | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident |
Texas | $30,000 bodily injury liability per person
$60,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident |
Utah | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$65,000 bodily injury liability per accident $15,000 property damage liability per accident $3,000 personal injury protection |
Vermont | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $100,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $10,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
Virginia | (Minimum limits if a driver purchases car insurance, which is optional. Drivers who don’t purchase insurance pay a $500 fee.)
$25,000 bodily injury liability per person $50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage per accident $20,000 uninsured/underinsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
Washington | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident |
Washington, D.C. | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $5,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage per accident |
West Virginia | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $25,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist property damage coverage |
Wisconsin | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $10,000 property damage liability per accident $25,000 uninsured motorist coverage per person $50,000 uninsured motorist coverage per accident |
Wyoming | $25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury liability per accident $20,000 property damage liability per accident |
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
Vehicle liability insurance aims to offset the cost of damage caused by a car accident. In individual states, if the driver is found to be at fault in the accident, his insurance provider shall cover the property and medical costs of the other parties involved in the accident to the limits set by the policy.
The average liability car insurance cost would come to about $538.73 a year for liability insurance (including personal injury liability and property damage liability), $322.61 for accident coverage, and $148.04 for comprehensive coverage.
Liability car insurance provides financial compensation to drivers who damage someone else or their property while driving a vehicle.
Liability auto insurance is a form of car insurance policy that is mandated by law in most states. If you cause a car accident—in other words, if you are responsible for an accident—responsibility insurance helps cover the other person's expenses. Liability auto insurance comes in two forms: coverage of personal injury liability and coverage of property damage liability. Drivers in most countries must have all forms of coverage
Liability-only car insurance applies to the purchase of only liability insurance, either for personal injuries or for property losses.
The average liability car insurance cost would come to about $538.73 a year for liability insurance (including personal injury liability and property damage liability), $322.61 for accident coverage, and $148.04 for comprehensive coverage.
If you have comprehensive and liability coverage for your vehicle, the coverage would typically apply to your rental car in the United States. If you rent a car in the U.S. of equivalent value to your personal vehicle, your car insurance policy is likely to be sufficient for the rental.
How much liability insurance you need will depend on your net value. Start with the worst-case scenario and work backward.
Liability policy on its own does not shield your vehicle in any way, only injury and harm that you can cause to others.
If you have comprehensive and liability coverage for your vehicle, the coverage would typically apply to your rental car in the United States. If you rent a car in the U.S. of equivalent value to your personal vehicle, your car insurance policy is likely to be sufficient for the rental.
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