Glossary

Bodily injury

Physical harm to a person, including sickness, disease and resulting death, that triggers liability and medical payments coverage under a homeowners policy.

Also called: BI

Bodily injury is the liability insurance term for physical harm to a person. In the standard ISO homeowners form (HO 00 03) it means bodily harm, sickness or disease, including required care, loss of services and death that results. It is one of the two kinds of harm that personal liability coverage (Coverage E) is built around. The other is property damage liability.

When someone outside your household is hurt and says you are legally responsible, the insurer defends you and pays what you owe, up to your liability limit. medical payments to others (Coverage F) handles smaller injuries on a no-fault basis. Say a guest trips on a loose porch board and breaks a wrist. Her medical bills can go to Coverage F, and if she later sues for lost wages and pain, Coverage E responds.

The definition has edges. Injuries to you and to resident relatives are not covered by the liability sections of the policy. Claims that involve only emotional distress, defamation or privacy generally fall outside the definition and call for personal injury coverage. Injury you cause intentionally is excluded. Because one serious injury can run past a typical $100,000 to $300,000 limit, see the liability limits guide before you accept the default.

Last reviewed October 10, 2026

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Related terms

Personal liability (Coverage E) Coverage that defends you and pays damages if you are legally responsible for injuring someone or damaging their property, at home or away from it. Medical payments to others (Coverage F) No-fault coverage that pays the medical bills of a guest hurt on your property, whether or not you were at fault, up to a small per-person limit. Property damage liability Coverage that pays when you are legally responsible for physically damaging someone else's tangible belongings or building, or for taking away their use. Personal injury Liability coverage for non-physical wrongs such as defamation, false arrest, invasion of privacy and wrongful eviction, usually added by endorsement. Premises liability The legal duty of an owner or occupier to keep property reasonably safe, and the exposure when a visitor is hurt by a wet step, loose railing or icy walk. Umbrella policy Extra liability coverage, typically sold in $1 million steps, that applies above your home and auto liability limits and may cover some claims they exclude.

Related guides

Dog bites, breed lists and homeowners liability Liability coverage usually pays when your dog bites someone, unless the insurer excluded the dog. How breed lists, bite history and state law work. Drones, firearms and other liability gray areas How homeowners policies treat hobby drones, guns, e-bikes and other gray areas: aircraft and intent exclusions, the business trap, and when to add coverage. Host liquor liability for parties at your home Whether your homeowners policy responds when a guest you served drinks and hurts someone, how state social host laws differ, and gaps to close before a party. Household employees and workers' comp Homeowners insurance usually does not cover on-the-job injuries to a nanny, housekeeper or gardener you employ. Workers' compensation is the coverage that fits. How much liability coverage should a homeowner carry? Many policies start at $100,000 of personal liability. How to size Coverage E to your assets, income and risks, and when an umbrella policy does the job. Injured contractors and workers at your home If a roofer, plumber or helper is hurt at your house, the contractor's workers' compensation usually pays. Your homeowners liability matters when it does not.

Related tools

How much liability and umbrella coverage do I need? Size your homeowners liability limit and an umbrella policy to the assets and income a lawsuit could reach, and to exposures like a pool, dog or teen driver.