What is bodily injury liability?
Bodily injury liability is the part of a car policy that pays for injuries the policyholder causes to other people, such as their medical bills, lost pay and pain, up to the policy limit. Arizona’s regulator says it pays for bodily injury to others for which you become legally responsible in a crash.
Last checked November 9, 2026 · Official sources (5)
What does bodily injury liability pay? An example
Example: a driver in Dallas turns left in front of you. You break your wrist. Your medical bills, lost pay and pain add up to a claim the insurer values at $22,000. You do not claim against your own policy for this. You claim against the other driver’s bodily injury liability coverage, because that driver caused the crash.
If that driver carries the Texas minimum of $30,000 per person, the insurer can pay your $22,000 in full. If your claim were worth $45,000, the policy would stop at $30,000 for you, and the rest would depend on your own UIM coverage or the driver’s personal money.
Why does bodily injury liability matter if you were hurt?
In most states it is the main source of money for an injury claim. Its limit often sets a practical ceiling on what you can collect without going after the driver personally. Ask the other insurer early for the bodily injury limit; some insurers share it only with the policyholder’s permission or in a lawsuit.
NAIC explains that this coverage protects the at-fault driver against the injured people’s claims for damages. That is why the adjuster works for the driver’s insurer, not for you.
What are the bodily injury minimums in Arizona and Texas?
| State | Per person | Per accident |
|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $25,000 | $50,000 |
| Texas | $30,000 | $60,000 |
Minimums in other states are on each state page. Many drivers buy more than the minimum, and some carry an umbrella policy on top. If the driver who hit you had only the minimum, expect the insurer to talk about the limit early in the claim.
Bodily injury liability vs. PIP and MedPay
Bodily injury liability pays other people. PIP and MedPay pay you and your passengers from your own policy. Arizona’s regulator puts it plainly: bodily injury coverage does not pay your own injuries, and you need MedPay for that.
Questions
Can I claim against my own bodily injury liability coverage?
Not for your own injuries. It covers people you injure. Your passengers may be able to claim against it if you caused the crash.
What does 30/60/25 mean?
In Texas it means $30,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage.
What if my damages are more than the limit?
You may turn to your own UIM coverage or seek the rest from the at-fault driver personally, which is often hard to collect.
Find out if you are owed money.
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See if I’m owed moneySources (5)
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, checked 2026-11-09. “Bodily injury coverage pays for bodily injury to others for which you become legally responsible due to an auto accident in which you were involved.”
- Arizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions, checked 2026-11-09. “It does not pay for bodily injuries you may sustain. You need Medical Payments coverage to have your own injuries covered under an auto policy.”
- Texas Department of Insurance, checked 2026-11-09. “Texas law requires you to have at least $30,000 of coverage for injuries per person, up to a total of $60,000 per accident, and $25,000 of coverage for property damage.”
- NAIC, checked 2026-11-09. “Bodily injury liability insurance does not protect you or your car directly. If you cause an accident in which other people are injured due to your negligence, this insurance protects you against their claims for damages.”
- A.R.S. § 28-4009(A)(2)(b), checked 2026-11-09. “(i) $25,000 because of bodily injury to or death of one person in any one accident. (ii) Subject to the limit for one person, $50,000 because of bodily injury to or death of two or more persons in any one accident.”