- Car Insurance
Bodily injury liability coverage and property damage liability coverage are required in most states. If you cause an accident, these coverage options will protect you against litigation and loss resulting from the other driver’s property and physical damage.
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Both of these coverage options have fixed coverage limits and these limits are determined by your insurance policy. In this guide, we’ll look at the state minimum requirements for liability coverage limits and help you to get the cover that you need.
Bodily Injury Coverage vs Property Damage Coverage
If you are found to be at-fault for an accident, bodily injury coverage protects you against the medical expenses of the other party. It will also cover you for legal fees, lost wages, and other expenses that are a direct result of the other driver’s injuries.
Bodily injury cover is typically fixed as a per person amount and a per accident amount, with the latter typically being twice the size of the former.
As for property damage insurance, this covers you for damage done to the other driver’s vehicle, as well as damage done to fences, yards, doors, telephone poles, and anything else that feels damaged during the accident.
There is also something known as umbrella insurance. This provides protection beyond the maximum amount provided by liability insurance.
Minimum Liability Insurance Coverage by State
A specific amount of liability coverage is required in every state. For you to be completely legal on the roads, you need to make sure these requirements are met.
We have listed all minimum state requirements below but bear in mind that this only covers liability insurance. Many of these states also have minimum requirements relating to other forms of coverage, including personal injury protection, medical payments, and more, details of which you can find at the bottom of the below list:
- Alabama = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Alaska = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $100,000.
- Arizona = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000.
- Arkansas = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- California = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000.
- Colorado = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Connecticut = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Delaware = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Florida = Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000.
- Georgia = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Hawaii = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $20,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $40,000.
- Idaho = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Illinois = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Indiana = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Iowa = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $20,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $40,000.
- Kansas = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000 Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Kentucky = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Louisiana = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000.
- Maine = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $100,000.
- Maryland = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $60,000.
- Massachusetts = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $20,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $40,000.
- Michigan = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $20,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $40,000.
- Minnesota = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $60,000.
- Mississippi = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Missouri = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000. Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Montana = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Nebraska = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Nevada = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- New Hampshire = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- New Jersey = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000.
- New Mexico = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- New York = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- North Carolina = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $60,000.
- North Dakota = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Ohio = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Oklahoma = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Oregon = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Pennsylvania = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $15,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000.
- Rhode Island = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- South Carolina = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- South Dakota = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Tennessee = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Texas = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $30,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $60,000.
- Utah = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $65,000.
- Vermont = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Virginia = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Washington = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Washington D.C. = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- West Virginia = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Wisconsin = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
- Wyoming = Per Person Cover for Bodily Injury = $25,000; Per Accident Cover for Bodily Injury = $50,000.
Do You Need More than the Minimum?
If you have a lot of financial assets, it’s generally not a good idea to stick with the minimum coverage. The more you have, the greater the target on your head following an accident.
You can save yourself a few bucks by keeping your cover to a minimum, but if the claim exceeds your cover then you’ll be responsible. And if you don’t have the cash but you do have the assets, they may be seized.
Other Types of Coverage Options
In addition to bodily injury liability and property damage liability, many states also require the following:
Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage
With underinsured/uninsured motorist protection, you will be covered even if the other driver doesn’t have adequate auto insurance. You are required to have uninsured/underinsured coverage in all of the following states:
- Connecticut
- D.C
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- Nebraska
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Medical Payments
Medical payments coverage is designed to cover medical bills and is optional in most states. However, residents of Maine, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania are required to have medical payments cover as part of their minimum auto insurance coverage.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
PIP is a more extensive and all-encompassing form of medical payments coverage, one that pays for medical expenses and also covers lost earnings, childcare costs, and more. It is required in 15 states, including:
- Delaware
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Texas
- Utah
Bottom Line: Liability Limits and Coverage Options
We’ve only just scratched the surface with regard to the types of coverage options that you can purchase.
In addition to all of the coverage options outlined above, policyholders can also choose to add collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, roadside assistance, pet injury cover, and more. Insurance companies offer dozens of options and features, all geared towards protecting you when you are in a car accident and keeping your losses to an absolute minimum.
The next time you buy a car insurance policy, make sure you understand all of these elements and know exactly what your state minimum limits are and what additional coverage options you need based on the type of car you try, the area in which you live, and more.
For more information, read our many other guides on car insurance, including how to find the cheapest policies and how to get the best car insurance discounts.
Source: pocketyourdollars.com