What Liability Coverage Covers
What liability coverage is for
Liability coverage is the part of an auto insurance policy concerned with harm you cause to other people — not with your own vehicle. Most states require drivers to carry at least some amount of it, and the required amount varies from state to state.
It is usually written as two separate parts:
- Bodily injury liability — helps cover certain costs associated with injuries to other people when you are responsible for a covered accident.
- Property damage liability — helps cover certain costs associated with damage to someone else's property in a covered accident.
Reading the limits
Liability limits are often shown as three numbers, such as 25/50/25. Those numbers are in thousands of dollars, and they mean:
- The maximum the policy may pay for bodily injury to one person in a covered accident.
- The maximum the policy may pay for bodily injury per accident, across everyone injured.
- The maximum the policy may pay for property damage per accident.
A policy written at those limits would not pay above them. Costs beyond the limit are generally the responsibility of the at-fault driver.
What it does not cover
Liability coverage does not pay for damage to your own vehicle. That is what collision and comprehensive coverage are for, and both are separate coverages that may or may not be part of a given policy.
It also does not cover intentional damage, and it generally does not cover use of the vehicle outside what the policy permits. What is and is not covered is set out in the policy itself.
What to check on your own policy
Whether a particular cost is covered depends on your policy's terms, limits, exclusions and your state's requirements. The policy document and your insurance provider are the authority on that — not a general article like this one.
This article is general education about how auto insurance coverage works. It is not insurance advice, it does not describe any specific policy or provider, and it does not state what any policy will cost or cover. Road Cover is not an insurance carrier.