What Is the Difference Between Bodily Injury and Personal Injury Protection?

On Behalf of Johnston Law Offices P.C.   |   Jul 24, 2025   |   Car Accidents ,

If you were in a motor vehicle accident in Illinois, you may have questions about the different types of auto insurance claims you could file, including claims for bodily injury and personal injury protection. While these two types of insurance may sound similar on the surface, they are very different, with bodily injury coverage being a type of liability insurance and personal injury protection being no-fault insurance.

Bodily Injury (BI) Liability Coverage

As an at-fault auto insurance state, Illinois requires all drivers to have a minimum amount of liability insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage. The minimum required amounts of bodily injury coverage are:

  • $25,000 per person
  • $50,000 per accident

Liability insurance provides third-party benefits. In other words, you cannot file a claim for your bodily injuries against your own policy. Instead, when another driver is at fault for the collision that caused your injuries, you will typically file your bodily injury liability claim against their auto insurance policy. However, if the other driver doesn’t have liability insurance, or if you are the victim of a hit-and-run, you can file your claim against your own auto insurance policy for uninsured motorist bodily injury (UM) coverage.

Illinois also requires all drivers to have the same minimum amounts for UM coverage as for BI coverage. If you purchase higher amounts of UM coverage, you must also purchase underinsured motorist bodily injury (UIM) insurance, which covers your bodily injury expenses beyond the at-fault driver’s policy limits.

Personal Injury Protection (PIP) Coverage

PIP coverage is the standard type of auto insurance coverage in no-fault states. Regardless of who is at fault for the accident, injured parties can file a claim with their own PIP policy to recover compensation for medical expenses and lost wages. PIP policies also cover passengers in your vehicle and can even cover you if you are struck by a vehicle as a pedestrian.

Medical Payments (MedPay)

While Illinois does not have PIP coverage, it does have Medical Payments coverage, also known as MedPay, which works similarly. Like PIP coverage, MedPay is a form of no-fault, first-party auto insurance, meaning that if you have a policy, you can file a claim with your policy regardless of who is at fault for the accident that harmed you. It also extends coverage to your passengers and can even be used if you are the victim of a pedestrian accident.

However, MedPay only covers medical expenses related to the accident. It doesn’t cover lost wages in the same way PIP coverage does. And in Illinois, you must pay an additional fee for MedPay coverage. It does not replace your mandatory liability coverage but is an extra type of coverage you can have on top.

Contact Our Illinois Car Accident Lawyers

If you suffered injuries in an Illinois car accident, understanding your options for recovering compensation is crucial. Contact Johnston Law Offices P.C. for a free consultation with an experienced car accident lawyer and to learn more about how you can seek the compensation you need, whether through a first- or third-party claim or a personal injury lawsuit.