Minimum Louisiana car insurance
Louisiana requires only one kind of car insurance: Liability. But drivers often need more than the state minimum insurance to be properly insured. Let's look at the choices so you can make the right picks.
Minimum liability insurance in Louisiana:
Auto liability insurance pays other people if you cause a car accident. It covers their medical bills and property damage. Liability insurance does not cover damage to your own car or your injuries.
- $15,000 bodily injury per person
- $30,000 bodily injury per accident
- $25,000 property damage per accident
This is often written as 15/30/25.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist (UM/UIM) coverage:
- Louisiana insurance companies must offer you UM/UIM coverage but you can reject it in writing. UM/UIM pay your medical bills if you're hit by a driver who has little or no auto insurance. If you buy UM/UIM the minimum limits are 15/30. A form of UM called uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) is also available in Louisiana. This covers your vehicle damage caused by an uninsured driver.
More: Cheap car insurance in Louisiana
Medical payments (MedPay)- MedPay is available in Louisiana. It covers medical bills and funeral expenses for you and your passengers no matter who caused an accident, up to the MedPay limit you choose. If you have health insurance you may not need MedPay coverage.
Comprehensive and collision coverage:
- These optional types cover damage to your own car from hitting another car or an animal, vandalism, hail, flood, fire and explosions. Comprehensive insurance also covers theft if your car is stolen and not recovered.
You must show an insurance ID card (or other proof of financial responsibility) in Louisiana if:
- Law enforcement requests it
- Your vehicle is in a car accident
Penalties for not having auto insurance
- In Louisiana, failure to maintain required security or allowing coverage to lapse is subject to revocation of the vehicle's registration, vehicle impoundment, and cancellation of the vehicle's license plate. Sanctions will not be removed until the required security is provided and reinstatement fees paid.
- Submitting false information in an application for registration or vehicle inspection or otherwise that the vehicle was covered subject to the above-mentioned penalties for revocation, impoundment, and cancellation, but for a period of 12 to 18 months. Sanctions not removed until proof of security provided along with reinstatement fees.
- Failure to provide proof of insurance in Louisiana is subject to vehicle impoundment with a reinstatement fee of $100 for the first offense, $250 for a second offense,and $500 for subsequent offenses.
- Falsely stating to Louisiana Secretary of Public Safety that applicant has valid insurance is a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $500, nor more than $1,000, or jail for up to 30 days.
- Knowingly operating a motor vehicle without required liability insurance is punishable by a fine of not less than $500, and no more than $1,000. If the vehicle is involved in an accident and is not covered by the security, the owner is subject to the following:
- Fine not less than $500 nor more than $1,000;
- Registration of vehicle revoked for 180 days; and
- Driving privileges suspended for 180 days.
- With limited exceptions, no recovery for first $15,000 of bodily injury and $25,000 of property damage if owner or operator of vehicle in accident fails to own or maintain insurance.
Source: Property Casualty Insurers Association of America
Auto insurance complaints in Louisiana
The Louisiana department of insurance collects complaints against insurance companies. Shown below are national complaint ratios which reveal the number of complaints relative to a company's size.
Updated Aug. 10, 2018
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