If you own and operate a motor vehicle in Louisiana, you’re required to carry car insurance on your vehicle. When it comes to the type and amount of insurance coverage you need to carry on your car, the state determines the rules. It’s important to note, however, that if you have a lien or lease on your vehicle, your creditor might also have insurance requirements for you to meet.
To help ensure you have the required coverage on your vehicle, we’re going to share a bit about the minimum car insurance rules in Louisiana and what they mean for you.
Auto Insurance Liability Limits in Louisiana
Before you purchase a vehicle and drive it off the lot (or away from the seller), you must purchase insurance on it. In Louisiana, only liability coverage is required. Liability coverage includes:
- Bodily injury coverage
- Medical payments
- Property damage
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage.
Here’s the amount of coverage you need to carry in each category, and what that means for you.
Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: $15,000/$30,000
Bodily injury liability coverage covers the cost of injuries for the other party up to $15,000 per individual or $30,000 for an entire accident.
Medical Payments: $1,000
Medical payments cover the costs of medical payments for each passenger in your vehicle up to $1,000.00
Property Damage Liability Coverage: $25,000
Property damage liability coverage covers the cost of damage to the other party’s vehicle or property (fences, street signs, buildings, etc.) up to $25,000.
Uninsured Motorists Bodily Injury Coverage: $15,000/$30,000
Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage covers the costs associated with your personal injuries and the injuries of your passengers up to $15,000 per individual or $30,000 per accident if the other party does not carry insurance.
Understanding Liability vs. Full Coverage Car Insurance
When purchasing insurance, many people face confusion regarding the difference between liability and full coverage. To put it simply:
- Liability Coverage: Covers the costs of injuries and property damage for the other party involved in the accident if you are at fault.
- Full Coverage: Covers the costs of injuries and property damage for both parties involved in the accident.
In addition, full coverage also includes comprehensive and collision coverage. Below we outline each of those forms of coverage and what they include.
- Comprehensive Coverage: Covers the cost of vehicle repair or replacement in the case of an accident that was not a collision. Common incidents covered by comprehensive coverage include fire, hail, wind, theft, vandalism, and hitting (or being hit by) an animal.
- Collision Coverage: Covers the cost of vehicle repair or replacement in the case of a collision (your car being hit or hitting another vehicle or inanimate object.)
Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Louisiana
Although car insurance is costly, driving without insurance is even more so. Drivers caught operating a motor vehicle without proper insurance are subject to penalties outlined by the state. Common penalties for driving without insurance in the state of Louisiana include fines and possible driver’s license suspension.
Experienced Car Accident Attorneys Near You
If you’ve recently been involved in a car accident and you or the other party failed to carry proper insurance, you should contact a trusted attorney right away. At the law offices of E. Orum Young, we are knowledgeable in the best defenses for car accidents without insurance and will use our more than 35 years of experience to defend you.
To schedule your free consultation with our trusted team, call our office at 318-450-6453 or use our online contact form at any time of day or night! We look forward to talking with you soon.
