Tools

Liability limits decoder

Type limits like 50/100/25 to see what each number means and test them against a crash you cause — including how much would be left for you to pay.

Runs entirely in your browser: nothing you enter is sent or stored by this site. Results are estimates for planning, not a quote or advice.

What it tells you

Liability coverage pays for injuries and damage you cause to other people, up to your liability limits. Most policies use split limits — three separate caps — and some use a single combined single limit. The decoder translates your limits into plain English and runs a what-if crash so you can see where the money would run out.

How to use it

  1. Enter the limits printed on your declarations page, such as 25/50/25, 100/300/100 or 300 CSL.
  2. Optionally pick your state to compare with its legal minimum.
  3. Describe a crash: how many people are hurt in the other vehicles, what each person's injury claim totals, and the property damage.

How split limits apply

  • Bodily injury per person caps what is paid to any one injured person.
  • Bodily injury per accident caps the total for everyone injured in the crash.
  • Property damage per accident caps payment for other people's cars and property.

With 25/50/25 limits and two people each claiming $40,000, the insurer pays at most $25,000 to each — $50,000 in total — and $15,000 per person is left unpaid. With a combined single limit, one amount covers all injuries and property damage together.

What "left for you to pay" means

Claims above your limits can be pursued against you personally. A court judgment can reach savings and, depending on state law, wages and other assets. That is why many advisers suggest limits well above state minimums, and an umbrella policy for people with significant assets.

Limits of the scenario

Real injury claims depend on medical costs, lost income, pain and suffering, comparative fault and state law. The scenario is a way to stress-test your limits, not a prediction. For a recommendation tailored to your situation, use the How much car insurance do I need? or read how much liability coverage do you need?.

Last reviewed October 4, 2026

Related guides

What 25/50/25 means: split liability limits explained How to read split liability limits like 25/50/25 or 100/300/100, with worked examples showing what each number pays and when you pay the rest. Liability car insurance explained What auto liability insurance pays for, what it never covers, how a liability claim works, and why your limits matter more than the price. Combined single limit vs split limits How a combined single limit differs from split liability limits like 100/300/100, with side-by-side examples and the states that accept a single limit. How much liability coverage do you need? A practical method for choosing car insurance liability limits based on what you own, what you earn and what extra coverage actually costs you.

Terms used here

Liability limits The most a liability policy will pay for injuries and property damage you cause, usually written as three numbers such as 100/300/100. Bodily injury liability The part of auto liability insurance that pays for injuries or deaths you cause to other people in a crash, plus your legal defense. Property damage liability The part of liability coverage that pays for damage you cause to other people's cars and property, such as fences, buildings and poles. Combined single limit One liability limit covering all bodily injury and property damage from a crash, instead of separate per-person, per-accident and property caps. Policy limit The most an insurer will pay for a covered loss under a coverage, stated per person, per accident or per vehicle on your declarations page.

Latest on this topic