Liability Car Insurance

No, liability insurance does not cover a stolen car. Liability insurance covers damage that you cause to other people or their property in an auto accident that's your fault, but it does not cover damage caused by a car if it's involved in an accident after being stolen. However, if you want to make sure your car is protected in the event it's stolen, comprehensive coverage will pay to repair or replace a car that's damaged or unrecovered because of theft.

Also, the owner of a stolen car won't be responsible for damage caused by their car if it's taken without their permission. Common law in the U.S. states that an owner of a stolen car won't be held liable for any property damage or injuries caused by an accident that the stolen vehicle was involved in.

You should have liability-only insurance if the annual cost of full coverage exceeds 10% of your car's value. At that point, the extra coverage might not be worth the added cost of paying for more than liability-only insurance. But this is just a general rule of thumb, and the decision to switch to liability-only insurance depends on state coverage requirements and each driver's financial situation.

When Liability-Only Insurance Is Worth It

The main advantage of liability-only insurance is that you'll save on your premium. Since liability insurance offers minimal protection for the policyholder, it is less expensive than full coverage insurance.

However, if your car is damaged by an accident that you cause or another damage-causing event, then you'll have to pay for the repairs out of pocket. If you have the financial means to pay for repairing or replacing your car, and your state doesn't require you to have any other types of insurance, then you could take the risk of switching to liability-only insurance. 

Liability-Only Insurance & State Coverage Requirements

Liability only insurance pays for other people's property damage and injuries resulting from accidents that you cause. Almost every state requires that drivers carry a certain amount of liability insurance.

Some states also require drivers to carry other types of insurance, including uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage and personal injury protection (PIP). If your state requires you to have multiple types of coverage, then you cannot legally drive with liability-only insurance.

Liability-Only Insurance vs. Full Coverage

If your state allows it, then you'll need to decide whether to purchase liability-only insurance or full coverage. Full coverage insurance generally refers to a policy that includes both collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision insurance covers damage to your vehicle after an accident. Comprehensive coverage, on the other hand, pays to repair or replace your car if it's damaged by something other than an accident, like vandalism or a natural disaster.

If your car is leased or financed, you will likely be required to carry full coverage insurance. Even if your car is paid off, you shouldn't purchase liability-only insurance if your vehicle is still worth a lot or you're not in the financial position to pay to repair or replace it. Liability-only insurance could also be risky if you live a high-traffic area where your vehicle is more likely to be damaged.

If your car is totaled and you only have liability insurance, you will have to pay to replace the vehicle yourself or file a claim with the other driver's insurance company. Liability coverage alone does not protect your car in any way, just injuries and damage you may cause to others. You need to have collision, comprehensive, or new car replacement coverage if you want your insurance company to pay to replace a totaled car. However, if your vehicle is damaged or totaled in an accident that isn't your fault, you should make a claim on the at-fault party's property damage liability policy to get your car repaired or replaced.

Only Having Liability Insurance Will Not Cover:

• Damage to your vehicle from an accident.
• Damage to your vehicle from fire, hail, flooding, fallen trees/limbs, or animal strikes.
• Injuries you or your passengers incur.
• Theft or vandalism of your vehicle.

On the other hand, collision coverage would help if you cause a run-in with another vehicle or object that totals your car. Comprehensive coverage would apply to damage caused by a fire, storm, or animal encounter, as well as if your car is stolen. Finally, new car replacement coverage would let you recover the full value of a newly purchased vehicle that gets totaled.

Single-limit liability in car insurance is when an insurer will pay up to one fixed amount for all property damage and bodily injury claims against the policy. For example, a single-limit policy with a limit of $300,000 would cover all valid property damage and bodily injury claims until the total amount reached $300,000. Single-limit liability differs from the more common split-limit liability, which has separate limits for bodily injury and property damage liability.

A split-limit liability policy might be written as 25,000/50,000/25,000. These three numbers refer to the limit per person, per accident, and for property damage respectively. Under this policy, bodily injury claims for one person's injuries would be covered up to $25,000, bodily injury claims for one accident would be covered up to $50,000 regardless of the number of people with injuries, and total property damage claims would be covered up to $25,000.

Single-Limit vs. Split-Limit Liability

Though most policies are sold with split limits, single-limit policies are a newer option and can be purchased from some companies. Single-limit liability car insurance policies are often more expensive because a single limit provides additional coverage.

Single-limit liability also means that a policyholder is less likely to be sued for damages that are not covered by insurance, so drivers with more assets are especially likely to benefit from single-limit policies. But drivers with fewer assets who want to save on their insurance premium should probably purchase a policy with split limits.

You need enough liability insurance to cover the full value of your assets. Your bodily injury liability coverage should be as much as your net worth, while your property damage liability insurance can be slightly lower since property damage claims are usually less expensive. Purchasing enough liability insurance to cover the value of your assets protects you from financial ruin if you cause a serious car accident.

When to Carry Only the Minimum Liability Coverage

Although almost every state requires drivers to carry liability insurance, the minimum coverage is not always enough to cover the cost of an accident. It's always best to carry as much liability coverage as you can afford, especially if you have a high net worth.

If you don't have many assets or think the risk is worth it, you might be comfortable with carrying only the minimum coverage. But no matter what, make sure you're carrying enough insurance to comply with state law and avoid paying fines for driving uninsured.

Liability Limits on Auto Insurance

Liability limits on auto insurance are the maximum amount that your insurance company will pay for injuries and property damage in accidents that you cause. Liability limits are typically written as three numbers divided by slashes.

For example, Arizona's liability coverage requirements are 50/30/10. That means drivers need to carry $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person, $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, and $10,000 in property damage liability coverage overall.

Your insurance company will never pay for anything beyond the limits of your policy. Using the Arizona example, if you cause an accident that leads to $70,000 in medical bills for the other driver, you will have to pay for $40,000 if you are only carrying the minimum insurance required. And if you can't afford to pay the full amount, the other driver can sue, and you can have your assets seized or wages garnished to cover the remainder.

Liability-only insurance is car insurance that pays for other people's injuries or damage to other people's property, but not the policyholder's injuries or property. The term “liability-only car insurance” is used to distinguish policies with basic coverage from those with collision insurance and comprehensive coverage.

Liability insurance is the only type of auto insurance that is mandatory in almost every state. It's split into two main categories of coverage: bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

What Bodily Injury Liability Insurance Covers

• Medical expenses
• Legal fees
• Loss of income
• Pain and suffering
• Funeral costs

What Property Damage Liability Insurance Covers

• Repairs to/replacement of cars
• Repairs to/replacement of items in the car during an accident
• Repairs to/replacement of other property, like a mailbox, fence, or house
• Legal fees
• Loss of income

Liability-only insurance is the least expensive car insurance, since it provides such minimal coverage. However, driving with only liability insurance can lead to expensive bills for your own property or injuries.

Liability-only insurance is not always an option, either. Some states require drivers to carry other types of insurance as well, like uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage (UM/UIM) and Personal Injury Protection (PIP). And if your car is leased or financed, your lender will likely require you to purchase collision and comprehensive insurance.

For tips on whether liability-only insurance is enough for your situation, check out WalletHub's guide on how much car insurance to get.

Liability car insurance costs an average of $588 per year nationally. The exact cost of a liability auto insurance policy varies based on several factors, including the state, insurance company, driver's record, and amount of coverage purchased.

Liability Car Insurance Cost by Company

• Geico: $506 per year
• USAA: $633 per year
• Progressive: $649 per year
• Travelers: $691 per year
• Liberty Mutual: $879 per year
• State Farm: $919 per year
• Allstate: $954 per year
• Nationwide: $1,005 per year
• Farmers: $1,073 per year

These sample quotes reflect minimum coverage requirements in California. The best companies should generally stay the same from state to state, though.

On average, liability car insurance costs 51% less per year than full coverage insurance, which usually includes liability along with collision and comprehensive coverage. Liability car insurance only covers expenses incurred by other people in accidents where the policyholder is at fault. Nearly every state requires drivers to carry it, though most states require other types of coverage as well.

How much liability car insurance you purchase will be the main factor that influences your premium. Each state has its own coverage requirements, which can vary widely. For example, Alaska requires drivers to purchase $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident, while Arizona only requires $30,000.

The main difference between full coverage and liability insurance is that full coverage pays for damage to the policyholder's vehicle in addition to injuries and property damage caused to others. Liability insurance only covers the cost of others' property damage and injuries in accidents that the policyholder causes. Liability insurance is required in most states, while full coverage insurance is only required for drivers who are leasing or financing their cars.

Differences Between Full Coverage and Liability Insurance

Types of Insurance Commonly Included in Full Coverage

Comprehensive

Comprehensive insurance pays for damage to your vehicle caused by something other than an accident, such as vandalism. It is only required if you are leasing or financing a car.

Collision

Collision insurance pays to repair or replace your vehicle if it is damaged in an accident, regardless of fault. It is only required if you are leasing or financing a car.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) and MedPay

Personal injury protection and MedPay cover your medical expenses after an accident, regardless of fault. PIP is required in 14 states, and MedPay is required in two.

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for your expenses after an accident caused by a driver with little-to-no insurance. It is required in 18 states and the District of Columbia in some form.

Should You Get Liability or Full Coverage?  

You should get full coverage insurance as a precaution if you can afford it. No matter how good of a driver you might be, your vehicle is likely going to get damaged in some way or another. Having full coverage insurance will provide a wide financial safety net that will alleviate some of the burden that comes with handling car issues.

However, if you're worried about the value proposition, a good rule of thumb is to consider dropping full coverage if the cost exceeds 10% of your vehicle's value.

If you only have liability insurance and were hit by another car, the at-fault driver's liability insurance will pay for your injuries or property damage. If the other driver has no insurance, you can file a claim with your own uninsured motorist coverage, if you have it.

Your liability insurance will not apply when you are hit by another car because it only pays for other drivers' medical bills and vehicle repairs when you are at fault. Consequently, if you have liability-only insurance, you will need to pay out of pocket for your own bills if you cause an accident. But if another driver is at fault, their liability coverage will pay for the damage they cause to you and your property, up to their policy limits.