In most areas, drivers are obliged by law to carry liability insurance on their vehicles. In the event of an automobile accident, liability coverage pays for the other person’s medical bills and other costs.
The two types of auto liability coverage are bodily injury and property damage liability. Most states require drivers to obtain both types of insurance.
LIABILITY INSURANCE COVERAGES
One of the most common types of insurance is general liability. Damages to another person’s property or medical expenses for those who are injured as a result of the policyholder’s negligence are covered.
These two forms of coverage in auto liability insurance assist pay for the medical bills of others and repair damage to their property:
Insurance for bodily injury (sometimes abbreviated as “BI”)
Bodily injury liability insurance helps cover the costs of another person’s medical care if you are at fault for the accident. For example, this coverage can help you avoid having to pay for the X-rays and care of the injured person.
Insured against property damage (sometimes abbreviated as “PD”)
In the event that you cause damage to another person’s property (such as their automobile), property damage liability coverage can assist in covering the cost of repairs. For example, if you rear-end another vehicle, this coverage can help you avoid having to pay for the other driver’s vehicle repair out of your own money.
Limits on liability insurance coverage
Depending on the policy limitations you select, your insurer will pay a certain amount for a covered liability insurance claim. For bodily injury liability and property damage liability, each state mandates that drivers acquire a certain amount of supplemental coverage. Liability limits on your auto insurance policy can be divided into three categories:
Liability limit for property damage
This is the most your insurance company will pay to fix damage you’ve caused to someone else’s property. Amounts won’t be paid out in excess of what you’ve established as a cap.
Liability cap for personal injuries.
This determines the maximum amount of compensation that can be given to anyone harmed as a result of an accident that you caused.
Limit of culpability for bodily harm caused by an accident.
If you cause an accident that results in medical bills for other individuals, this limits the amount your insurance company will pay out. It’s critical that you establish this cap at a level that you’re comfortable with, because it may be necessary to use this money to cover the medical bills of numerous people.
Packaged bodily injury and property damage limits are the norm for most insurers, There are many options for purchasing liability coverage, such as the following:
25/50/10 ($25,000 BI per person limit, $50,000 BI per accident limit, $10,000 property damage limit) or 100/300/50 ($100,000 BI per person limit, $300,000 BI per accident limit, $50,000 property damage limit) are the two most common limits.
You may not be able to choose separate limits for bodily injury or property damage coverage if your insurer offers a package deal.
PRECISELY HOW MUCH DO YOU PAY FOR LIABILITY INSURANCE?
Many factors, including how much coverage you select, influence how much you’ll spend in liability insurance premiums. Liability insurance premiums tend to rise in direct proportion to the amount of coverage you purchase. As an insurance agent, they can provide you with an estimate of the costs associated with raising your deductible.
Do you know how much liability insurance you should buy?
To put it another way, you’d have to pay for any charges that exceed your liability coverage limitations on your own. It may be a good idea to purchase additional coverage in order to exceed the state’s minimal liability limitations.
The following is something to think about: Three people in another vehicle were hurt in a crash caused by your negligence. Your bodily injury liability cap is set at $50,000 per person and at $100,000 per accident. People 1 and 2’s medical expenditures total $40,000, but Person 3’s costs $25,000, and you are likely covered. In this case, the total cost of injuries is $95,000, which is less than the $100,000 per-accident maximum on physical injury damages for each individual.
It’s possible, though, that each of the three people incurred $50,000 in medical expenses. Your bodily injury liability insurance would cover $100,000 of the costs, and you may have to pay the rest yourself.
What is not covered by liability insurance?
After an accident, damage to your own automobile is not usually covered by liability insurance; collision insurance does. Damage from other causes, such as hail, which may be covered by comprehensive coverage, is also not cost-effectively repaired with this method.
In the event of an accident that you cause, liability coverage does not cover your own medical expenses. For this kind of coverage, you may want to look into medical payments coverage. If you have any questions concerning auto liability insurance or the coverage requirements in your state, talk to your insurance agent.
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