In this guide
The short version: the average bodily injury liability claim paid in 2024 was $28,278, and the average property damage liability claim was $6,770. Both are averages across all paid claims, so they’re a benchmark, not a prediction. After a one-third fee, case costs and medical liens, an average injury claim could leave you less than half.
What insurers paid per claim, 2015–2024
ISO, a Verisk business, tracks what auto insurers pay per claim. The Insurance Information Institute publishes the figures. “Claim severity” is the average paid per claim:
| Year | Injury (bodily injury liability) | Property damage liability | Collision |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $28,278 | $6,770 | $5,489 |
| 2023 | $26,178 | $6,554 | $5,521 |
| 2022 | $24,681 | $6,024 | $5,377 |
| 2021 | $23,592 | $5,036 | $4,583 |
| 2020 | $20,769 | $4,703 | $3,854 |
| 2019 | $19,151 | $4,326 | $3,828 |
| 2018 | $18,213 | $4,174 | $3,665 |
| 2017 | $16,234 | $3,797 | $3,517 |
| 2016 | $16,082 | $3,969 | $3,454 |
| 2015 | $17,014 | $3,628 | $3,377 |
From 2023 to 2024, the average injury claim rose 8% and the average property damage claim 3%. Since 2015, they’re up 66% and 87%.
What these averages include — and leave out
- Paid claims only, at all policy limits combined. Claims that were denied or never paid aren’t in the average.
- Injury figures leave out Massachusetts and most no-fault states, where your own insurance pays first for injuries. Property damage figures leave out Massachusetts, Michigan and New Jersey.
- Liability claims are paid by the at-fault driver’s insurer. Collision is paid by your own insurer; ISO’s collision figures are based on coverage with a $500 deductible.
- It’s an average, not a typical case. A few large claims can pull an average up, and the data doesn’t show a median.
What an average injury claim leaves you
The average is what the insurer pays, not what reaches your bank account. Using $28,278 and illustrative assumptions — a one-third fee before a lawsuit or 40% after one, case costs and $6,000 in medical liens:
| Settles before a lawsuit | Settles after a lawsuit | |
|---|---|---|
| Average injury claim paid | $28,278 | $28,278 |
| Lawyer’s fee (one-third / 40%) | −$9,426 | −$11,311 |
| Case costs | −$500 | −$5,500 |
| Medical liens | −$6,000 | −$6,000 |
| You keep | $12,352 | $5,467 |
Your own fee agreement, costs and liens decide the real number — under ABA Model Rule 1.5, a contingent fee agreement must be in writing and say how the fee is figured and which expenses come out. Run your figures through the settlement take-home calculator, and see how liens can be reduced in our medical liens guide.
Why your settlement won’t match the average
- Your damages. Medical bills, future care and lost income drive the value of an injury claim.
- The at-fault driver’s policy limits. An insurer generally pays up to its policy limit; above that, recovery depends on other coverage or the driver’s own assets.
- How fault is shared. If you’re partly at fault, many states reduce what you can recover, and some bar recovery entirely.
- Your own coverage. In no-fault states your own policy pays first for injuries, whoever caused the crash.
- Whether a lawsuit is filed. A lawsuit can raise the amount, but it also raises fees and costs, as the example above shows.
Frequently asked questions
What is the average payout for a car accident injury claim?
Insurers paid an average of $28,278 per bodily injury liability claim in 2024, according to ISO, a Verisk business, as published by the Insurance Information Institute. That figure covers paid claims at all policy limits and excludes Massachusetts and most no-fault states.
What is the average settlement for a car accident with no injuries?
For damage to a car or other property, the at-fault driver’s insurer paid an average of $6,770 per property damage liability claim in 2024. If your own collision coverage pays instead, the average collision claim was $5,489, based on a $500 deductible.
Is the average settlement what I should expect?
No. It’s an average across every paid claim, small and large, so it says little about any one case. Your medical bills, lost income, the at-fault driver’s policy limits and how fault is shared matter far more.
How much of a car accident settlement do I actually keep?
It depends on your lawyer’s fee, case costs and medical liens. In our illustrative example, an average $28,278 injury claim leaves about $12,352 if it settles before a lawsuit and about $5,467 after one — the take-home calculator runs your own numbers.
Have car accident settlements gone up?
The average bodily injury liability claim rose from $17,014 in 2015 to $28,278 in 2024, up 66%. The average property damage liability claim rose 87% over the same years.
Reviewed by
Morgan Hale, Editor. Writes about the financial side of injury claims — fees, liens, timelines and state rules — and checks every page against its sources before it’s published. Not a lawyer; “Morgan Hale” is a pen name. Editorial policy · How we calculate
Sources
- Facts + Statistics: Auto insurance — Private passenger auto insurance losses, 2015–2024 (ISO, a Verisk Analytics business) (Insurance Information Institute)
- ABA Model Rule 1.5 — Fees (contingent fee agreements: writing, method, expenses) (American Bar Association)
Not legal or financial advice. InjuryMath is not a law firm and does not sell or broker funding. This page gives general information based on the sources listed; your contracts and your state’s law control. For advice about your situation, talk to a licensed attorney in your state.