What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury Protection?

If you’re in a car accident in Illinois, there are different kinds of auto insurance that may provide coverage for your injuries, property damage, and other losses. Illinois has minimum liability coverage insurance requirements for all drivers, but optional insurance coverage also exists. Let’s explore some of the common types of auto insurance and whether they might be right for you.

What Is Bodily Injury Coverage?

Illinois is an at-fault state for auto insurance claims, which means that a driver at fault for causing a car accident must pay for the consequences. They typically do so through a type of insurance called liability coverage, which includes two main components: bodily injury and property damage coverage.

If you suffer an injury caused by another driver’s negligent actions, you will typically file a claim for bodily injury with their insurance provider. The mandatory minimum liability coverage for all drivers in Illinois is:

• $25,000 per person for bodily injury
• $50,000 per accident for bodily injury
• $20,000 per accident for property damage

Additionally, Illinois requires that drivers have uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM) and, if you have higher UM limits, underinsured motorist bodily injury insurance (UIM). These forms of insurance allow you to file a claim for bodily injury with your own insurance provider if the other driver doesn’t have insurance or if their insurance doesn’t cover your bodily injury expenses.

What Is Personal Injury Protection?

Personal injury protection (PIP) insurance is a type of insurance available in no-fault states, where injured motorists file their first claims with their own insurance company regardless of who was at fault for the accident. In no-fault states, drivers can only pursue a liability claim or lawsuit against an at-fault driver if they meet certain thresholds, such as debilitating injuries or considerable medical bills.

PIP insurance is not available in Illinois. It would only come into play in the event you’re involved in an accident in a state with a no-fault system, like Michigan.

What Other Insurance Options Are Available in Illinois?

While insurers do not offer PIP packages in Illinois, there are several optional extras you might want to consider for added protection. First-party insurance policies offer some of the same benefits as PIP. These include:

• Medical Payments: Also called MedPay, this insurance goes toward medical bills you or a passenger in your vehicle sustain as a result of an accident.
• Collision: This insurance pays for damage in an accident involving another car or a fixed object, like a tree or a telephone pole.
• Comprehensive: This type of insurance pays for damage caused by a source other than a collision, such as hail, fire, or theft.
• Rental reimbursement: This pays a specific dollar amount per day to rent a vehicle while yours is in the shop due to a covered loss.

While these optional policies cost extra, they provide valuable protection and peace of mind. Consider adding them to your policy if you can afford to do so.

Contact Our Illinois Car Accident Lawyers

Hurt in a car accident in Illinois? If so, contact Holley, Rosen & Beard, LLC, for a free initial consultation with one of our experienced lawyers. We’ll review your case, explain your options for seeking compensation, and help you understand the Illinois auto insurance system.