Kentucky requires owners of motor vehicles registered in the Commonwealth to carry auto liability insurance coverage on their vehicles.
Generally speaking, car owners must maintain liability coverage of at least the following amounts:
- $25,000 for bodily injury damages sustained by any one person and not less than,
- $50,000 for bodily injury damages sustained by all persons as a result of a single accident.
Liability insurance pays out if the policyholder is responsible for someone else’s injuries in a car accident. As car accident attorneys in Lexington, KY, Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer helps Kentuckians who have been injured in accidents collect insurance payments they need to recover from serious injuries. Our team is proud to have recovered over $300 million for our fellow Kentuckians who were struggling to overcome serious injuries. We want to help you, too, if you’ve been injured by another driver’s negligence.
Reach out to Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer today if you have been seriously injured in a car accident caused by someone else in Lexington. We’ll review your accident and explain your legal options in a free initial consultation.
What Is Bodily Injury Liability, and How Does It Protect You?
Bodily injury liability insurance should pay when the policyholder causes a wreck and is responsible for another party’s injuries.
However, insurance companies will try to settle a claim for the lowest amount possible. You need an experienced attorney with Kentucky Courage to stand up to the insurer and hold them fully accountable to you.
Coverage Overview: What Does Bodily Injury Liability Cover?
Bodily injury coverage can be used for more than medical bills. It may also be used to cover the following:
- Lost wages: If the injured person was unable to work while recovering, the at-fault driver’s bodily injury liability coverage would pay to make up the income they lost.
- Funeral costs: In a fatal crash, liability coverage would pay for funeral and burial costs instead of or in addition to medical bills.
How Much Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Do You Need?
Kentucky, like most states, requires a minimum amount of liability coverage, known as a 25/50/25 policy. This provides up to $25,000 for one person’s bodily injuries in a crash and up to $50,000 for all bodily injuries suffered in a single crash (and up to $25,000 for property damage suffered). You can be fined up to $1,000 and be sentenced to jail for not maintaining the auto liability insurance coverage required in Kentucky.
You can always buy additional coverage. Insurance brokers suggest that you should buy coverage that matches the value of your assets or your net worth. A lawsuit could seek compensation beyond what your car insurance pays if the injured party suffered catastrophic injuries that were your fault.
Average Cost of Bodily Injury Liability Coverage
The cost of bodily injury liability coverage depends on a variety of factors, including where you live, your driving history, how much coverage you purchase, the make, model, and year of the car you own, and other factors.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage Limits Explained: Per-Person vs. Per-Accident
Bodily injury liability coverage limits are always quoted as per person and per accident. In a $25,000/$50,000 policy, this means that one person hurt in an accident could claim up to $25,000 for their bodily injuries and lost income, and if multiple people are injured in one accident, there is $50,000 available for all those covered.
If two people were injured in an accident, they could each access as much as $25,000. But if three people were injured, they still have up to $50,000 to draw from, which, if divided evenly, would be only $16,666 each.
Bodily Injury Liability vs. Property Damage Liability Coverage: What’s the Difference?
The second component of auto liability coverage is property damage coverage. Because it is liability coverage, it pays for damage the at-fault driver causes another motorist.
In most cases, auto liability property damage coverage pays to repair or replace a damaged motor vehicle. It can be used for any kind of property damage, such as to a bicycle or for a fence or landscaping destroyed in a car accident. If you had tools and equipment in your car that you used in your job that were destroyed in an accident, the at-fault driver’s property damage coverage should pay for you to replace them.
Schedule A Free Case Review with Our Experienced Lexington Personal Injury Attorneys
If you have been seriously injured by another motorist while driving, let us help you demand the compensation you deserve from their auto liability insurance and/or other assets.
Contact Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer to set up your free consultation. Find out how Kentucky Courage can help you get what you are due.
