In a 100/300 auto insurance policy, the 100 and 300 are referring to the bodily injury liability limits (in thousands) of the insurance coverage policy.
The 100 allows that the policy will cover up to $100,000 of bodily injury per single person injured in an accident and the 300 means the policy will cover up to $300,000 total for bodily injuries per accident.
Typically, you will see such policies include a third number (for example, 100/300/100).
What that last 100 represents is the amount of property damage liability coverage, in thousands, included with the insurance coverage. This is called split limit coverage.
What Does 100/300/100 Insurance Coverage Mean?
In a 100/300/100 policy, then, up to $100,000 bodily injury per single person injured in an accident would be covered, as well as up to $300,000 in total for bodily injuries per accident, and up to $100,000 for damage to other people’s property would be covered by the policy.
What is the difference between 50/100 and 100/300 Car Insurance Coverage?
In a 50/100 policy, only up to $50,000 of bodily injury sustained by a single person injured in an accident would be covered by the policy (and $100,000 total for bodily injury per accident).
As mentioned above, a 100/300 policy would cover up to $100,000 of bodily injury sustained by a single person injured in an accident and up to $300,000 total for bodily injury per accident– so the 100/300 policy offers more coverage (both per person and per accident).
What is Liability Coverage?
Liability coverage is compensation for other people who have been injured in an accident someone insured under your policy was responsible for.
Liability coverage will not pay for the injuries of anyone covered under your policy. 100/300/100 auto insurance coverage is a liability policy.
Is 100/300 Insurance Required?
100/300 insurance coverage policies are often purchased voluntarily, although some finance companies require them, including vehicle leasing companies.
This makes sense because leasing companies want to make sure that you’re protected financially if you were to be found responsible for causing damages or injuries while driving the leased vehicle.
Limits as high as 100/300 are not required by state law unless there are special circumstances.
Examples of this include Florida, where drivers who have been convicted of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol must carry a policy maintaining liability limits of 100/30/50.
While 100/300 policies aren’t mandated in general by state authorities, 100/300 policies are a standard limit of liability coverage suggested by national auto insurance carriers.
Certain industries will require 100/300/100 policies, including (but not limited to) food delivery drivers, couriers, and rideshare companies like Lyft and Uber.
Why Carry 100/300 Limits Voluntarily?
Even when higher limits are not required, they’re worth thinking about.
The state minimum coverage requirements in most states aren’t very much compared to what an accident could cost.
While many states require a minimum of 25/50 coverage, 100/300/50 policies are often affordable and give you more protection financially.
Is 100/300 Insurance Enough?
If 100/300 isn’t required as coverage but may be a good idea, a follow-up question might be, “is 100/300 coverage even enough?”
The truth is, the lower the numbers, the lower the premiums. And lower premiums are hard to resist. In the long run, though, it is important to make sure you have enough car insurance coverage.
Any damages stemming from an accident that was your fault, even if those damages exceed your insurance coverage, are your financial responsibility. Not being able to pay for these damages could lead to loss of savings and/or other assets– even financial ruin.
If you can’t pay for whatever financial need remains after insurance coverage limits are exceeded, courts will go after your assets if you are the party at fault. Depending on what your assets are, you may have much to lose.
The more assets you have, the more auto insurance coverage you should absolutely have.
So How Much Car Insurance Do I Actually Need?
The easiest way to get started on this question is to find out what your state requires. These limits will be your starting point– having more than the minimum coverage is to your advantage, as often damages from accidents will cost more than minimum coverage affords.
You should also consider who is driving your car. The experience, as well as driving records of your car’s driver(s), should influence your coverage choices.
Teen drivers can seriously affect your auto insurance premiums as well.
Depending on how often you drive and how far you drive, your risk of accident could be lower. This is important to consider when selecting auto insurance coverage.
If you’re only using your vehicle for infrequent errands, your risk is lower than someone who uses their vehicle for a daily commute or has a job that involves frequent travel/driving. The auto insurance coverage needs would be different for each of those situations.
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Higher known risk = higher necessary coverage.
In truth, 100/300/100 may not be a state requirement, but it’s definitely an amount of coverage to consider and one that many experts recommend. It may sound like more coverage than you need, but because the cost of accident damages can be astronomical, know that it is not a lot of coverage. In most cases, though, it is enough coverage.
Selecting 100/300/100 coverage increases the odds of you having plenty of coverage for most incidents. Do remember to take your assets into account, as that could be a reason to consider adding more coverage.
And no matter what situation you are in, remember that you can request a quote to find out what it would cost to increase your liability limits. Often, the difference in premiums is not as much as you’d expect.
Summary
100/300/100 (or 50/100/50, etc., and similarly written policies) coverage is called split limit coverage.
Split limit coverage splits auto insurance coverage into three parts:
- Bodily injury coverage per person
- Bodily injury covered per accident (total)
- Property Damages covered
Liability coverage is coverage for those injured (or property damaged) in an accident when you or a driver under your policy is at fault. Liability coverage does not cover your own personal injuries/damages.
100/300 insurance is not a minimum requirement in any state (although most states do have some standard recommended minimum requirement). However, 100/300 insurance is a standard recommendation by national auto insurance carriers.
100/300 insurance coverage is enough coverage for the majority of drivers.
Various risks, as well as your assets and net worth, should be assessed when selecting auto insurance coverage.
It is important to carry enough coverage for your unique situation so that in the event of an accident, you will not be held personally responsible for a large financial need you can’t afford. This could be detrimental to your personal financial stability.
Remember, even though not required, drivers may want to consider more insurance protection. You can usually find an affordable policy with coverage at the 100/300 level. Having that extra protection will be worth it should you ever need it.
Get in touch with Paradiso Insurance!
Be sure to read our recent article to help save you money when purchasing your auto insurance at 8 Must-Know Money-Saving Tips When Purchasing Auto Insurance
Related Pages: Auto Insurance