Bodily Injury Liability

What is bodily injury liability coverage?

Bodily injury liability coverage pays for injuries you cause to other people in an at-fault accident. It covers the other party’s medical bills, lost income during recovery, rehabilitation costs, and legal expenses if they sue you. It does not cover your own injuries or those of your passengers; that is what personal injury protection (PIP) or medical payments coverage handles.

How do bodily injury liability limits work?

Limits are written as two numbers: per person and per accident. A 100/300 limit means up to $100,000 for any one injured person and up to $300,000 total per accident regardless of how many people are hurt. For example, a crash injuring two people with $80,000 each in medical costs totals $160,000, which falls under the per-accident cap. A crash with three people each claiming $120,000 hits the per-accident ceiling at $300,000 even though total damages reach $360,000, and you are personally responsible for the $60,000 gap.

What are Georgia’s minimum bodily injury limits?

Georgia requires only $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident, as detailed in our overview of Georgia’s minimum auto coverage requirements. A moderate injury involving a broken bone, an emergency room visit, physical therapy, and several weeks of missed work can easily exceed that threshold. If you are at fault and your limit is $25,000, the injured party can pursue you for the remainder and collect from personal assets including savings, home equity, and future wages. Bodily injury liability coverage also pays your legal defense costs when the injured party files a lawsuit, and those attorney fees count toward your policy limit, leaving less room for the underlying damages.

How much bodily injury coverage is enough in Georgia?

Carrying 100/300 or 250/500 bodily injury limits costs only modestly more per year than state minimums, but the gap in protection is significant. For example, a Georgia household with $300,000 in net worth carrying only the 25/50 state minimum has essentially no buffer between a serious at-fault accident and a judgment that could attach to their home equity. An umbrella policy can extend bodily injury protection further for a few hundred dollars annually, typically starting at $1 million in additional coverage, as explained in our guide on umbrella policies and asset protection in Georgia.

Does bodily injury liability cover lawsuits?

Bodily injury liability coverage pays your legal defense costs in addition to damages awarded against you. Attorney fees and court costs fold into the claim and count toward your policy limit, so a drawn-out case can consume a meaningful portion of coverage before any settlement is paid. Higher limits leave more room for both defense and damages. The right bodily injury limit depends on your assets, income, and the financial risk you are willing to carry personally. Our FAQ on what an umbrella policy covers explains how an umbrella layer above your auto limit can extend that protection further. A free coverage review is the clearest way to match your limits to your actual exposure.