What is bodily injury liability mean in terms of auto insurance? The short answer is that bodily injury liability insurance helps pay for medical expenses and lost income for those you injure in an accident you cause. It is one component of liability car insurance, which is required in most states.

author-img
Written by:
Prachi Singh
Contributing Writer
Prachi is an insurance writer with a master’s degree in business administration. Through her writing, she hopes to help readers make smart and informed decisions about their finances. She loves to travel and write poetry.
author
Reviewed by:
Laura Longero
reviewer icon
Executive Editor
Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

What does bodily injury liability insurance cover?

Bodily injury liability pays, up to your policy limits, for injuries or death that you (the policyholder), or other drivers covered by your car insurance policy, are found responsible for after a motor vehicle accident. Policy terms vary, but typically bodily injury liability car insurance will cover:

  • Medical expensesCast and crutches
  • Funeral expenses
  • Loss of income
  • Pain and suffering
  • Legal defense if a lawsuit results from the auto accident

Policy limits for bodily injury liability are per person and per accident and coverage is written as such. For example, $25,000/$50,000 means that the maximum payout per person injured in an accident you cause is $25,000, and the maximum payout for all people injured in one accident is $50,000. This coverage may also be written as 25/50.

Bodily injury liability does not cover your injuries, only the injuries of others for which you’re liable. For your personal injuries, you need other insurance such as personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments (MedPay).

Is bodily injury liability coverage mandatory?

Yes, in most states bodily injury liability is required as part of the state minimum liability auto insurance requirements you must carry to drive legally.

Car insurance companies normally require that you carry the same level of liability coverage on each vehicle listed on your policy. In some states, you must carry the same liability limits on all cars that you own.

How much bodily injury liability do I need?

Many experts recommend bodily injury liability coverage of $100,000 per person and $300,000 per accident (referred to as 100/300 coverage). If you can afford higher limits, that is even better for protecting your assets. 

How much does bodily injury insurance cost?

How much you pay for bodily injury insurance depends on several factors, including how much coverage you want, your driving record and where you live.

What happens if I don’t have bodily injury liability coverage?

If you don’t carry bodily injury liability and the state requires it, penalties such as fines, suspension of your license, and/or vehicle registration can be levied.

Also, without bodily injury liability coverage on your car insurance policy, you will be held personally responsible for any injuries you cause to others in an auto accident. This could mean you must liquidate property, savings and other assets to pay for a judgment against you.

A few states don’t require bodily injury liability coverage; however, it is still recommended that you carry this coverage to better protect you and your assets.

If you do carry bodily injury liability coverage, but with low limits, you still could be putting yourself at risk financially, since if you cause a serious accident where injury expenses exceed your limits, you can be held responsible for the amount above your limits.

What is the difference between bodily injury liability and medical expense car insurance coverage?

Bodily injury liability and medical payments are not the same type of coverage; each is in place to cover different things. BI is to protect those you may injure in an accident, while Medical Payments coverage is there to cover you and your passengers when injured, no matter who was at fault in the accident.

Medical payments may also cover policyholders and their family members when they are injured while riding in someone else’s car or when they are hit by a car while on foot or bicycling. Coverage is limited to the terms and conditions contained in your specific car insurance policy.

On the other hand, bodily injury does not cover you if you are injured in an accident. Bodily injury liability (BI or BIL) is for those you injure if you’re at fault in an accident. BI is mandatory in most states.

If you and your regular passengers already have health insurance that covers similar expenses, medical payments coverage may be unnecessary. Check your health insurance policy for details since some exclude coverage for injuries received in a car accident.

Explore our detailed guide on what liability car insurance covers

Laura Longero

Ask the Insurance Expert

Laura Longero

Executive Editor

Laura is an award-winning editor with experience in content and communications covering auto insurance and personal finance. She has written for several media outlets, including the USA Today Network. She most recently worked in the public sector for the Nevada Department of Transportation.

John McCormick

Ask the Insurance Expert

John McCormick

Editorial Director

John is the editorial director for CarInsurance.com, Insurance.com and Insure.com. Before joining QuinStreet, John was a deputy editor at The Wall Street Journal and had been an editor and reporter at a number of other media outlets where he covered insurance, personal finance, and technology.

Leslie Kasperowicz

Ask the Insurance Expert

Leslie Kasperowicz

Managing Editor

Leslie Kasperowicz is an insurance educator and content creation professional with nearly two decades of experience first directly in the insurance industry at Farmers Insurance and then as a writer, researcher, and educator for insurance shoppers writing for sites like ExpertInsuranceReviews.com and InsuranceHotline.com and managing content, now at CarInsurance.com.

Nupur Gambhir

Ask the Insurance Expert

Nupur Gambhir

Managing Editor

Nupur Gambhir is a content editor and licensed life, health, and disability insurance expert. She has extensive experience bringing brands to life and has built award-nominated campaigns for travel and tech. Her insurance expertise has been featured in Bloomberg News, Forbes Advisor, CNET, Fortune, Slate, Real Simple, Lifehacker, The Financial Gym, and the end-of-life planning service.

Please Enter Valid Question. Min 50 to max 250 characters are allowed. Only (& ? , .) charcters are allowed.
Please Enter Valid Email.
Error: Security check failed
Thank You, Your message has been received. Our team of auto insurance experts typically answers questions within five working days. Note that due to the volume of questions we receive, not all may be answered. Due to technical error, please try again later.
Get quotes near you!
Please enter valid zip
author image
Contributing Writer

Prachi is an insurance writer with a master’s degree in business administration. Through her writing, she hopes to help readers make smart and informed decisions about their finances. She loves to travel and write poetry.