Bodily Injury Liability
Bodily injury liability coverage pays for medical expenses of the other driver and passengers involved in an accident that you caused. Because others involved in the accident may suffer injuries or even death, your insurance company will pay for the costs incurred from this portion of your liability coverage.
Payments to others may cover:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Lost wages
- Legal fees
There are two numbers you need to understand in your bodily injury liability. When you look at coverage, it will look like this:
$25,000/$50,000
The first number is the maximum your insurance company will pay for injuries to a single person involved in the accident (not you). The second number refers to the total amount per accident your insurance company will pay for injury damages, regardless of the number of people involved.
It’s important to get enough coverage in bodily injury liability. While choosing a low amount of coverage may save you a little in your premium, should you cause an accident and expenses exceed what your insurance covers, you will be responsible for any expenses that go over that amount.
For example, if you purchase $5,000/$10,000 in bodily injury liability and the expenses are $25,000, you will be responsible for $15,000 in expenses. Most people don’t have this much money, so be sure to buy enough liability coverage to pay for the inevitable.
