WHAT IS LIABILITY AUTO INSURANCE?
Liability insurance helps pay for the damages claimed by other drivers resulting from an accident that is primarily your fault. Any driver of a motor vehicle needs liability insurance of at least their state’s minimum required limits.
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WHAT DOES LIABILITY INSURANCE COVER?
Liability car insurance covers bodily injury and property damage claims resulting from an accident where you’re at-fault. The limits in your policy are the maximum amounts your insurance company will pay for bodily injury and property damage claims. Liability coverage is broken up into bodily injury and property damage. Typically these are expressed as three amounts separated by slashes, such as $25,000/$50,000/$25,000, as we have explained to the right and below.
$25,000 | Bodily Injury per Person
When you are found at-fault in a covered accident, bodily injury per person refers to the maximum amount that your car insurance policy will pay for injuries sustained by one person in that accident. In this example, that amount is $25,000.
$50,000 | Bodily Injury per Accident
Bodily injury per accident refers to the maximum amount that your policy will pay for all injuries sustained by two or more people resulting from a covered accident where you are at-fault. It is commonly twice or three times the amount of the per person bodily injury limit. In this example, the amount is $50,000.
$25,000 | Property Damage
Property damage liability coverage pays for any damage done to another person’s property, or loss of that property, in a covered accident where you are at-fault. In this example, the maximum amount that your policy would pay is $25,000.
BODILY INJURY COVERAGE
Bodily injury coverage pays for claims related to injuries that others sustain in an accident that you are at-fault for.
Example:
You cause an accident with another driver who has three passengers in their car (4 total people) and your liability insurance limit is $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident. Your policy will pay at most $25,000 to cover the bodily injury claims of any one of the four people in the vehicle but only up to $50,000 in total for all bodily injury claims resulting from the accident. If one person’s injuries total $25,000, that means the remaining $25,000 of your bodily injury per accident amount would need to cover the injuries of the remaining 3 people. If the damage is more than the covered limits, you will be personally responsible for paying the rest out-of-pocket.
PROPERTY DAMAGE COVERAGE
Property damage liability coverage refers to the maximum amount that your car insurance policy will pay for the other driver’s property damage or loss of property if you are found at-fault in an accident. Property includes the driver’s vehicle and any other property that is damaged or lost.
Example:
You rear-end the driver in front of you at a stoplight. No one is hurt but there is damage to both cars and your property damage limit is $25,000. Your insurance company will pay up to $25,000 for damages to the other driver’s car if a claim is filed. If the damage is more than $25,000, you will be personally responsible for paying the rest out-of-pocket.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED UNDER LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Liability insurance does not cover collision coverage or comprehensive coverage. It also doesn't include coverages such as:
- Medical expenses
- Uninsured motorist property damage
- Uninsured/Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage
- Rental car reimbursement
- Roadside assistance
WHO NEEDS LIABILITY CAR INSURANCE?
In most states there is a minimum liability coverage that is required by law for anyone who drives a vehicle. You can check your state's minimum coverage requirements by clicking here.
Get the cheapest liability car insurance with SafeAuto
At SafeAuto, we understand that shopping for car insurance can be stressful and pricey. As the leading car insurance provider in state minimum coverage, we want to provide you with a car insurance quote in as little as 3 minutes or less, so you can get back to enjoying the road ahead!
Conditions, Limitations & Exclusions
All coverages listed above are subject to various conditions, limitations, and exclusions, all of which are described fully in the car insurance policy. It is essential to read through your policy to learn how the above coverage types applies to you, and what you can do to maximize the benefits you receive. SafeAuto is available 24/7 to help you customize your liability auto insurance that gets you what you need at a price you can afford.