The Ins and Outs of Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

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Bodily Injury Liability Insurance

If you are responsible for a car accident, you may be held responsible for tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in damages. Bodily injury liability coverage keeps you from having to pay medical bills or other accident-related expenses incurred by the driver or passengers in the car that you hit. Keep reading to learn more about what is covered (and just as importantly, what isn’t covered) by your liability insurance.

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What Is Bodily Injury Liability?

Your bodily injury liability coverage is comprised of two parts, which are generally written out like 25/50 or $25,000/$50,000. The first number states how much your auto insurance will pay out for bodily injury to a single person involved in the car accident. The second number tells you the limit of what your insurance will pay out if multiple people are hurt in an accident that you caused. In other words, whether two people or ten people were injured in an accident that you were responsible for, your insurance will pay out no more than that number.

Bodily injury liability can cover a variety of expenses. If the person that you hit requires hospitalization, skilled nursing care, surgeries, therapy or medication, those medical expenses would be covered by your liability insurance. Additionally, if that person misses work because of an accident-related injury, lost wages can be claimed under liability insurance, as can compensation for pain and suffering. If the accident results in a fatality, funeral and burial expenses would also be covered by your insurance. Your liability coverage may be used to cover legal fees if the person that you hit decides to sue you for damages.

It’s important to remember that your policy limit is simply the maximum amount that your insurance will pay out. If the expenses from bodily injuries exceed your policy limits, you can legally be held financially responsible for the rest.

What Is Not Covered by Bodily Injury Liability

Bodily injury liability only covers the driver or passengers of the vehicle that you hit.

It does not cover:

♦ Repair or replacement costs for the vehicle or property that you hit

♦ Your injuries

♦ Injuries of your passengers

♦ Repairs to your vehicle or property

♦ A collision that was intentional

How Much Liability Insurance Do I Need?

If someone is badly injured in an accident, medical bills and lost wages can quickly mount, far exceeding the state’s minimum requirements for coverage. Experts generally recommend that you carry $100,000/$300,000, but even that may not be enough. Your insurance agent can help you determine how much bodily injury liability you need to protect yourself and your assets.