How it works
Bodily injury limits are usually written as two numbers: the most the policy pays for any one injured person and the most it pays for everyone hurt in one accident.
Example: with limits of 50/100, the policy pays up to $50,000 for one person's injuries and up to $100,000 in total for everyone injured in the same crash. If the injured people's costs go higher, you can be sued for the rest.
Bodily injury liability is one half of liability coverage. The other half, property damage liability, pays for damage you cause to other people's cars and property. Together they form the coverage that 49 states and the District of Columbia require drivers to carry. Each state sets its own minimum limits, and serious injuries can cost far more than those minimums, so it is worth thinking about how much you could lose in a lawsuit when you choose your limits.
Related terms
Sources
- NAIC, A Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance bodily injury liability applies to injuries you cause to someone else
- Insurance Information Institute, What is covered by a basic auto insurance policy? risk of being sued and buying more than the state minimum
- Insurance Research Council, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorists: 2017–2023 (press release) as of February 20, 2025
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