Best Bodily Injury Liability (BI) Car Insurance Companies (2023)

The best bodily injury liability (BI) car insurance companies are GEICO and USAA. Liability insurance costs $43 per month on average, including property damage and bodily injury liability car insurance rates.

Most states require drivers to carry some level of bodily injury liability car insurance. Below, compare car insurance from the top providers and learn how to keep your bodily injury liability car insurance quotes low.

When you’re ready to secure affordable bodily injury liability car insurance, enter your ZIP code into our free quote tool above to compare quotes from the best companies near you immediately.

What are the best bodily injury liability car insurance companies?

Almost every state requires drivers to carry some level of bodily injury liability car insurance.

You will be able to quickly purchase bodily injury coverage from virtually every national provider.

To find the best provider for you, compare average annual car insurance rates from the top companies in the table below.

Keep in mind that the rates above do not reflect only the cost of bodily injury liability insurance. Instead, the totals represent complete policies, which include bodily injury liability coverage.

From our research, the best bodily injury liability car insurance companies are GEICO car insurance company and USAA car insurance company.

GEICO is available in all 50 states and underwrites policies to all drivers. The company is also known for providing cheaper quotes for teens and other young drivers.

Plus, GEICO offers an accident forgiveness program to help mitigate liability insurance increases if you cause a minor accident.

USAA offers cheaper average rates than GEICO in most states, but only military personnel can use its services, putting it in our number two spot.

However, those who do qualify also have access to an accident forgiveness program and many stackable car insurance discounts.

The cost of car insurance varies widely depending on your state, driving record, age, and coverage requirements. Plus, not every company is active or available in every part of the country.

So, other car insurance companies we highly recommend for bodily injury liability coverage include:

• Allstate car insurance company
• American Family car insurance company
• Nationwide car insurance company
• State Farm car insurance company
• Travelers car insurance company

To secure your cheapest bodily injury liability car insurance rates, compare quotes online from multiple companies.

What is bodily injury liability car insurance?

Liability insurance is legally required in almost every state, and for a good reason — it ensures drivers can always cover expenses to a third party if they cause an accident.

There are two types of liability insurance, property damage, and bodily injury.

Whenever you see liability limits, they will typically be written in a three-number format, such as: 25/50/25

The first number tells you how much bodily injury liability protection you have per person; in this case, it’s $25,000. The second number tells you how much you have per incident, $50,000.

The final number, $25,000, tells you how much property damage coverage you have per incident. Property damage liability insurance covers only the other party’s vehicle and other personal property.

For insurance policies that cover your own damages, invest in collision and comprehensive coverage.

What is covered under bodily injury coverage? Medical bills and lost wages for the other party, including hospital bills and follow-up care.

However, bodily injury liability also helps cover your legal fees if you’re sued by the other party, as well as funeral and burial expenses if the accident is fatal.

So, does bodily injury cover you if you cause the accident? No, other than legal fees, your liability insurance only covers the other party’s damages.

For insurance policies that assist with your own medical needs, invest in medical payments coverage (MedPay) or personal injury protection (PIP) if those are available to you.

According to the Insurance Information Institute (III), the average bodily injury liability claim cost was $18,417 in 2019, whereas property damage claims averaged closer to $3,600.

But how are liability insurance claims filed? In at-fault states, after a car accident you cause, the other driver files a third-party claim through your liability policy.

The incident is investigated until the other party accepts the settlement amount.

In no-fault states, you each file a claim against your own policies regardless of fault unless the damage costs exceed your state’s legal tort threshold, in which case the at-fault driver’s liability coverage applies.

If another driver hits you, keep track of receipts for all expenses related to the accident, as well as a record of medical bills and examinations.

When in any automobile accident, take photos of the scene if possible, and provide full details about exactly what happened to the police and the insurance company. This will help you prepare for any potential lawsuits, whether it’s a covered accident, a fault accident, or some other situation.

Also, document if you lost any wages due to the accident and be prepared to discuss the incident with a claims adjuster.

Be aware of your regional laws, as you may be subject to compensation time limits. Your insurance policy will help determine your coverage per accident limits.

How much bodily injury liability coverage do I need?

Most states require drivers to buy bodily injury liability car insurance to use the roads legally. However, Florida residents do not need to carry bodily injury liability insurance.

Similarly, New Hampshire and Virginia allow drivers to waive car insurance if they provide proof of financial responsibility.

But if you choose to purchase insurance in those states, you need bodily injury liability protection.

In the table below, compare the liability limits required by law in each state, where the first two numbers represent bodily injury limits, and the final number represents property damage.

Typically, legal liability limits are not substantial enough to offer you adequate protection.

Experts recommend investing in liability limits that match the value of your assets or the highest levels you can reasonably afford.

For example, wealthier drivers who fear lawsuits should invest in higher coverage limits, as low limits may expose your assets if you cause a serious accident.

Those drivers may also consider personal liability umbrella policies, which provide coverage beyond the reach of car insurance liability policies.

How much does bodily injury liability car insurance cost?

Typically, bodily injury liability insurance is sold alongside property damage liability car insurance. The national average cost of liability insurance is $43 per month or $516 annually.

Find your state in the table below to determine the average cost of liability insurance where you live.

Interestingly, liability insurance gets cheaper when you increase your limits. Make informed insurance coverage decisions by taking potential medical care and medical expenses into account. Each state’s insurance requirements will vary.  So while it still results in higher car insurance rates, you technically get a better coverage value per dollar spent.

However, your rates depend on your age, driving record, coverage needs, ZIP code, and more.

To find the best liability car insurance company for you, compare quotes online from multiple providers.

Best Bodily Injury Liability (BI) Car Insurance Companies: The Bottom Line

Bodily injury liability insurance is legally required in almost every state. GEICO and USAA underwrite the cheapest average insurance rates across the country.

Fortunately, auto insurance providers make it easy for most drivers to secure affordable basic liability policies, including bodily injury insurance.

But if you’re a higher-risk driver, or you just want to save money on your bodily injury liability car insurance, ask about the following discounts:

• Claim-free discount
• Driver’s Ed discount
• Good driver discount
• Paid-in-full discount
• Paperless discount

You can also save money on car insurance by increasing your deductible limits, comparison shopping, and enrolling in an accident forgiveness program.

Find the best bodily injury liability car insurance company for you by entering your ZIP code into our free rate tool below and immediately compare quotes from reputable providers.