What Does PLPD Mean in Car Insurance?

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Personal liability and property damage coverage (PLPD) pays for injuries and property damage due to a car accident caused by your negligence. PLPD only covers the other driver, their car and their passenger(s) when an accident is your fault. PLPD is required in most states, except New Hampshire and Virginia. Your auto insurance policy will most likely have PLPD at minimum because it’s required in most states. Keep reading to see how PLPD works and what your state’s requirements are.

What Does PLPD Cover?

PLPD stands for personal liability and property damage auto insurance and is meant to provide financial protection to you if you are found at-fault for someone's injuries or property damage during an automobile accident.

Personal Liability (PL)

Personal liability coverage compensates those who are physically injured by your negligence when you were behind the wheel. The following is usually covered in the event of an at-fault event:

  • Medical costs
  • Legal expenses and lawsuit settlements
  • Damages for pain and suffering
  • Lost wages

Property Damage (PD)

Property damage liability covers damage done to another person's property or vehicle caused by your negligence while you were behind the wheel.

What Isn’t Covered?

Auto liability insurance policies won’t cover the following:

  • Damage to your vehicle
  • Your injuries or the injuries of your passengers
  • Expenses that exceed the limits of your liability policy

To protect your own car and passengers, you’d need comprehensive and collision coverage (full coverage), possibly even MedPay if you don’t have health insurance or want to avoid paying a health insurance deductible.

Buying higher limits than your state’s minimum requirements is a good way to be sure you have sufficient coverage in the event of an accident.

Personal liability coverage compensates those who are physically injured by your negligence when you were behind the wheel.

How Does Personal Liability and Property Damage Work?

Personal liability and property damage (PLPD) coverage only kicks in when there has been a car accident that you caused. If you are at-fault for an accident that causes injury to another driver and/or damages to their vehicle, the other driver will file a claim with your insurance company. Your provider would then use your liability premiums to pay for damages caused to the other driver up to policy limits. If the cost of damages is higher because your liability limits are at minimum, you would have to pay out-of-pocket.

If you are a high-net person and want higher limits than possible on a standard policy, you can buy an umbrella policy that will provide more coverage in case of an accident.

Make sure you contact your insurance provider right away if there is an accident.

Personal Liability and Property Damage Coverage

Do I Need PLPD Coverage?

Most states require a specific amount of PLPD. Below is a list of minimum insurance requirements by state as per the Insurance Information Institute:

Alabama

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Alaska

  • $50,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $100,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Arizona

  • $15,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Arkansas

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

California

  • $15,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $5,000 property damage

Colorado

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Connecticut

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Delaware

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

District of Columbia

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Florida

  • $10,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $20,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Georgia

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Hawaii

  • $20,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $40,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Property damage liability covers damage done to another person's property or vehicle caused by your negligence while you were behind the wheel.

Idaho

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Illinois

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Indiana

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Iowa

  • $20,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $40,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Kansas

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Kentucky

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Louisiana

  • $15,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Maine

  • $50,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $100,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Maryland

  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Massachusetts

  • $20,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $40,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $5,000 property damage

Michigan

  • $20,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $40,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Minnesota

  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Mississippi

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Missouri

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Montana

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Nebraska

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Nevada

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

To protect your own car and passengers when at-fault, you’d need comprehensive and collision coverage, possibly even MedPay.

New Hampshire - Financial responsibility only. Insurance is not compulsory.

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

New Jersey

  • $15,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $5,000 property damage

New Mexico

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

New York

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

North Carolina

  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

North Dakota

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Ohio

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Oklahoma

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Oregon

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Pennsylvania

  • $15,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $30,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $5,000 property damage

Rhode Island

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

South Carolina

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

South Dakota

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Tennessee

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Texas

  • $30,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $60,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Utah

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $65,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $15,000 property damage

Vermont

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Virginia - Must pay Uninsured Motorists Vehicle (UMV) fee to the state Department of Motor, otherwise, insurance must be purchased.

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Washington

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

West Virginia

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $25,000 property damage

Wisconsin

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $10,000 property damage

Wyoming

  • $25,000 for bodily injury per person
  • $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
  • $20,000 property damage

Buying higher limits than your state’s minimum requirements is a good way to be sure you have sufficient coverage in the event of an accident.

Which States Don’t Require PLPD Insurance?

New Hampshire and Virginia do not require their drivers to have PLPD. However, Virginia residents are required to pay an uninsured motorist vehicle (UMV) fee ($500) to the state Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Otherwise, they need to buy PLPD.

How Do You Get PLPD Insurance?

PLPD is standard with auto policies because it is required in most states. In order to get insured, you need to provide the insurance company with the following information:

  • Your name
  • Your date of birth
  • Your address
  • Your driver's license number
  • The year, make and model of the vehicle being insured
  • When you bought the vehicle
  • Where the vehicle will be housed
  • Where you live
  • The current mileage of the car
  • The VIN (vehicle identification number)

The insurance company will then use the above information along with your credit information and driving history to calculate your rates.

Personal Liability and Property Damage Coverage

PLPD FAQs

How does PLPD work in Michigan?

PLPD works similarly in Michigan as it does in every other state, with a requirement of $20,000 for bodily injury per person, $40,000 for bodily injury per accident and $10,000 property damage. However, drivers are also required to have personal injury protection (PIP) because it is a no-fault state.

Is PLPD insurance required?

PLPD is required in most states. The exceptions are New Hampshire and Virginia.

What’s the difference between full coverage and PLPD insurance?

PLPD will cover the losses sustained by other drivers due to your negligence. Full coverage insurance contains liability, collision and comprehensive insurance, which covers you, your car and your passengers.

Key Takeaways

  • Personal liability and property damage (PLPD) coverage pays for physical injury and property damage losses sustained from driving accidents that are your fault.
  • PLPD does not cover losses you sustain from accidents you cause.
  • Every state except New Hampshire and Virginia requires PLPD.
  • PLPD comes standard with most auto insurance policies.

If you’re going to drive, you’re going to need PLPD. Enter your zip code below or call 855.214.2291 to compare multiple companies offering the lowest rates and receive free auto insurance quotes in minutes.

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