California Bodily Injury

Understanding how California bodily injury works will help you understand how you will get your medical care covered for your injuries. All states have requirements for the type of insurance coverage a driver must have to drive, in your state drivers are required to only carry Liability, which is separated into Bodily Injury Liability and Property Damage Liability.

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Bodily Injury Liability

California bodily injury rules mean you will seek medical coverage from the at fault drivers Bodily Injury Liability coverage. Because California does not require PIP coverage you may not have selected PIP insurance. Your own company can tell you if you have PIP coverage.

If you do not, your injuries will be paid for by the insurance company of the driver at fault in the accident, through their bodily injury liability coverage.

If you are at fault in the accident, your bodily injury liability will not cover these injuries, you will either need to open a PIP claim, if you chose this coverage, or you will need to use your health insurance.

Your coverage pays for serious and permanent injury or death to others when you cause a crash involving your automobile. Your insurance company will pay for injuries up to the limits of your policy and provide legal representation for you if you get sued.

To best understand how to have your car accident injuries paid for, call your own insurance company, even if you are not at fault. Your own insurance company can help you sort out how to proceed with this car accident injury.

Before calling your company, look over at this page, Car Accident Claim - 10 Essential Claim Tips to help you have the best outcome with your claim.

Property Damage Liability

This liability covers you if your car damages someone else's property. This means damage to their car, or their property, such as crashing into someone's fence, or if you crash into their home. Like Bodily Injury Liability, Property Damage Liability coverage will provide legal protection to you if you are sued after the accident.

At Fault State

California is a Fault State. This means that your insurance company and the company for the other driver will pay damages for medical claims, wage loss and other expenses based on the degree of fault.

California uses a Pure Comparative Fault rule, which means that an injured person can recover damages, even if the injured person was 99% at fault. However, the recovery will be reduced by amount of fault.

Determining who is at fault after a car accident is complicated and cannot be sorted out online. Your insurance company will help you with this.

California Statute of Limitations

The Statute of Limitations means that you must file a lawsuit or close or settle your case within your state time limits. The time clock starts on the day of the car accident.

Injury: 2 years

Property Damage: 3 years

To learn more about your State's insurance rules and regulations:

California State Website for Insurance Questions