In personal liability insurance, what does bodily injury typically not include?

In personal liability insurance, bodily injury refers specifically to physical harm or injury inflicted on an individual. It includes medical expenses, lost wages, and any other costs associated with actual physical injuries suffered by a person.

The reason that intentional physical harm is not included in the definition of bodily injury is that personal liability insurance typically covers unintentional incidents where the insured may be found liable for accidental injuries to others. Insurance policies generally exclude coverage for intentional acts because these are willful actions where the insured consciously intended to cause harm. This exclusion aligns with the fundamental principle of liability insurance, which is designed to protect individuals from accidental occurrences rather than from consequences of their own deliberate actions.

In contrast, property damage claims pertain to damage to someone else's property, which falls outside the scope of bodily injury. Injuries to non-family members are still categorized as bodily injury claims as long as they are unintentional. Emotional distress claims can sometimes be included in bodily injury definitions but typically relate to legal interpretations, often requiring a physical injury to support the claim. Thus, while they might not always be covered under every personal liability policy, they do not negate the definition of bodily injury itself.