Louisiana Minimum Auto Insurance Requirements (2024)

Louisiana is one of many U.S. states that has a car insurance mandate for its drivers.

As is the case in many other states, Louisiana requires its drivers to buy certain levels of liability auto insurance, and additional insurance is available upon request.

Driving without insurance in this state could result in substantial penalties and consequences, and it could make you ineligible for seeking damages through another person’s auto policy if you are involved in an accident.

Compare car insurance quotes today to find the company that offers you the best rate for the coverage you need. Enter your ZIP code into our free quote tool above to get started.

How to Read Car Insurance Requirements

All Louisiana drivers should carefully review and comply with the state’s minimum liability insurance requirements, but you may also consider increasing your limits and buying other types of coverage.

After all, each coverage type can yield substantial benefits in different situations.

• Bodily Injury Liability – Louisiana drivers are required by law to purchase bodily injury liability insurance. This type of liability coverage makes it easier for you to be financially responsible for injuries that you cause to others because the benefits pay for other people’s medical bills or other expenses related to injuries.
• Personal Injury Protection (PIP) / Medical Payments – Louisiana makes its drivers take financial responsibility for the cost of other people’s medical expenses, but medical payments coverage for your own expenses is optional. You can choose if you want to add this type of coverage to your policy and what limit you desire if you do add it.
• Property Damage Liability – It is also a legal requirement for Louisiana drivers to be responsible for property damage and vehicle damage they cause for other people.
• Collision – Property damage liability insurance in Louisiana pays for vehicle expenses for other people if you cause the accident, but you will need collision or comprehensive insurance to pay for your own vehicle’s repairs or replacement.
• Comprehensive – A collision is only one of several types of events that could damage or destroy your vehicle. Comprehensive insurance pays for repair work or a full replacement for a wide range of events, including theft, severe weather damage, and more.
• Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage – Louisiana drivers can choose to add uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage to their policy as well. It will cover damage caused by someone without insurance.

Buying car insurance in Louisiana is a necessity, but you need to know what type of coverage to buy and how much of each type you need. Your policy will include a coverage limit for each type of insurance that you purchase.

Minimum Coverage for Louisiana

While you may have plans to buy extra or optional coverage types and increase your limits to enjoy great protection from your insurance policy, you need to confirm that your coverage complies with state requirements. Louisiana’s car insurance requirements include:

• Bodily injury liability coverage of $15,000 per person
• Bodily injury liability coverage of $30,000 per accident
• Property damage liability insurance of $25,000 per accident

These specific types of liability insurance enable Louisiana drivers to be financially responsible for damages you cause while driving, and this can help you to avoid possibly being sued for damages.

There are some instances when these minimum coverage requirements may not apply to you.

For example, there are special situations for stored vehicles, commercial vehicles, and more, and you should analyze the special insurance requirements for these situations in Louisiana before you buy your insurance policy.

When You Do Not Comply With Louisiana’s Insurance Law

The three primary reasons why you may need to show proof of auto coverage in this state are for vehicle registration, if you are in an accident, or if you are pulled over by law enforcement officials.

If state officials determine that you have not complied with Louisiana’s auto insurance laws, you may be subject to penalties that include:

• Removal of your license plates from the vehicle
• Getting your vehicle impounded

Minimum Requirement vs. Recommended Coverage

Violating the car insurance law in Louisiana can have noteworthy results in your life, and you understandably want to buy coverage today to prevent these consequences from affecting you.

Shopping for a new car insurance policy is easy to do when you request quotes online, but before you get to this step, you must decide how much insurance to buy.

The minimum liability requirements should be met if you want to avoid legal issues related to insurance, but you also should consider the advantages associated with buying optional coverage types and increasing your limits.

After all, all expenses are your responsibility regardless of whether your insurance benefits pay for them or not.

Setting Up Effective Auto Coverage

Driving without insurance even a single time in Louisiana can have expensive and devastating consequences for you, so you may need to shop around and set up coverage as soon as possible today.

After you take this step, you can request quotes online for the coverage types and limits you have selected. 

While you need to compare rates today to set up your policy without delay, you should also compare rates every six months going forward. By taking this step, you can identify lower rates that may be available to you in the future through other providers.

Enter your ZIP code below to begin comparing car insurance rates right away. You might be surprised by how much you can save!