Bodily injury liability
Bodily injury liability is the auto coverage for claims that you legally caused another person's injury or death. It can pay covered damages and provide a legal defense, within the policy's exclusions and limits. The declarations page shows the amount available per injured person and per accident. It does not pay your own injuries.
Also called: bodily injury, bi, bodily injury liability coverage
Bodily injury liability is the part of an auto policy that responds when someone else is hurt in a crash you are legally responsible for. The most it pays is set by the limits on your declarations page, and anything above those limits can fall back on you. Two numbers matter most: the amount available for one injured person and the amount available for everyone hurt in one accident. If you are comparing limits, our guide on how much car insurance you need puts them in context.
How the limits work
Connecticut's legal wording for auto policies (opens in a new tab) has the insurer pay on behalf of the insured the sums the insured becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of bodily injury or property damage caused by an accident involving a covered vehicle. Exclusions, conditions and limits still apply.
Take a Connecticut policy with the minimum limits, $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, according to the Connecticut Insurance Department (opens in a new tab). The $40,000 injury amount below is an example; the limits are the Connecticut figures.
Hover or tap a row to highlight it.
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Covered damages | $40,000 |
| Per-person limit | $25,000 |
| Most the insurer pays | $25,000 |
| Left against the insured | $15,000 |
If two injured people have covered damages totaling $80,000, the $50,000 per-accident limit is the most available for both of them, subject to the policy and how the claim is divided. The wording in Connecticut also provides for a defense and certain supplementary payments, but an injury alone does not mean every expense or judgment is covered.
Limit types and what each changes
Common structures, according to the NAIC (opens in a new tab):
- Split limits such as 25/50 mean $25,000 at most for one injured person and $50,000 at most for everyone hurt in one accident. Higher splits such as 50/100 or 100/300 raise both numbers.
- Combined single limit is bodily injury and property damage liability expressed as one total.
- State minimum limits satisfy the financial-responsibility law but can leave you personally exposed above the limit.
- Higher optional limits raise the most the insurer pays. They usually cost more, and the difference is set by the insurer or agent in a quote; see the average cost of car insurance in Connecticut for reference points.
- Umbrella liability may add limits after the auto limits are used up, under the umbrella policy's own requirements and exclusions.
New York's Auto Plan can provide optional bodily injury limits up to $250,000/$500,000, according to the New York Department of Financial Services (opens in a new tab). That is not available from every insurer or in every state.
Bodily injury liability is third-party coverage. Medical payments coverage and personal injury protection are first-party coverages that pay for your own medical costs, and the NAIC (opens in a new tab) describes them as paid without regard to fault.
Where you will see the term
The exact label appears most on personal and commercial auto policies, in the quote, binder, declarations page, renewal notice, insuring agreement and claim letters. A quote shows proposed limits and premium, a binder gives temporary evidence of coverage, and the declarations page shows the selected limits, while the insuring agreement, exclusions, conditions and endorsements decide the actual coverage.
Homeowners, condo and renters policies carry a comparable personal liability (opens in a new tab) coverage that may not use the phrase "bodily injury liability" on the declarations page. Business owners and general liability policies cover claims alleging bodily injury and property damage (opens in a new tab). Life, health and pet insurance are not liability coverage.
Connecticut and New York rules
In Connecticut, Conn. Gen. Stat. § 14-112 (opens in a new tab) requires financial responsibility for motor vehicles, and the minimum personal auto limits are $25,000 for one person, $50,000 for two or more people in one accident and $25,000 for property damage, according to the Connecticut Insurance Department (opens in a new tab). Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-334 (opens in a new tab) authorizes the minimum policy provisions, and Conn. Gen. Stat. § 38a-336 (opens in a new tab) requires uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage, generally with bodily injury limits not below the statutory minimum unless a legally valid reduction is made.
In New York, Vehicle and Traffic Law § 311 (opens in a new tab) requires an owner's policy to provide at least $25,000 for one person and $50,000 for two or more people in bodily injury, $50,000 for the death of one person and $100,000 for two or more, and $10,000 for property damage. Insurance Law § 3420 (opens in a new tab) requires written confirmation of coverage and limits within 60 days after a qualifying written request from an injured person or claimant. New York also requires $50,000 of no-fault personal injury protection per person, according to the New York Department of Financial Services (opens in a new tab).
Questions to ask an agent or insurer
- What are my bodily injury limits per person and per accident? This is the maximum available for one injured person and for all injured people in one accident.
- Is my coverage split-limit or combined single limit? The answer shows whether bodily injury and property damage have separate limits or share one total.
- Does the liability limit include defense costs, or are they paid in addition? Defense costs inside the limit leave less for damages; New York requires qualifying policies not to be written on a defense-within-limits basis (opens in a new tab).
- What coverage pays for my injuries or my passengers' injuries? Medical payments or personal injury protection may provide first-party benefits, depending on the state and policy.
- What notice and cooperation steps apply after an accident or claim letter? Prompt notice helps the insurer investigate and defend the claim.
Frequently asked questions
These come up once someone is hurt or a claim letter arrives.
Does bodily injury liability pay my own medical bills?
No. It protects you against covered claims by other people. Your own bills may involve medical payments coverage, personal injury protection, health insurance or another coverage that applies.
Does it pay for the other driver's car?
No. Property damage liability is a separate coverage, unless the policy uses a combined single limit that covers both under one total.
Should I report an accident if nobody seems hurt?
Yes, report it promptly. Delayed notice can complicate the investigation and defense, and the policy may set notice duties. New York Insurance Law § 3420 (opens in a new tab) has specific protections and prejudice rules for late notice.
What if the injury claim is larger than my limit?
The insurer's payment is limited by the policy limit, and the insured may remain responsible for covered damages above it, subject to applicable law, settlement terms and other insurance such as an umbrella policy.