Louisiana Car Insurance

Car Insurance In Louisiana

Louisiana Car Insurance 

Just like most states, to register and drive your vehicle in Louisiana, you have to have a minimum level of insurance coverage options. With 2.9 million licensed drivers who travel an average of 10,000 miles a year each, Louisiana isn’t prone to accidents. Drivers are involved in thousands of accidents every day and it’s important to get car insurance online to protect yourself from the accidents that may occur. The state that you live in determines the coverage level you are supposed to pay and every driver must have car insurance in Louisiana but it’s important to understand the specific laws and requirements in terms of coverages and limits in car insurance as seen below;

 

Coverage Requirements In Louisiana
 
Bodily Injury Liability. This covers the expenses incurred after the death or injury of a driver or pedestrian when the accident is your fault $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
 
Property Damage Liability. This covers the expenses incurred due to the damage of another’s property like vehicles, buildings or any other structures when the accident is your fault $25,000 limit for the damage

 

Aside from the above compulsory minimum requirements, other optional coverages can be rejected if you don’t want to purchase it and they are;

  • Medical payments after an accident and the minimum requirement is $1,000
  • Uninsured and Underinsured coverage where the requirement will thereby be $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
  • Collision and Comprehensive coverages

Fault-Based System in Louisiana

The state of Louisiana is a fault-car accident state since it follows a traditional fault-based system in terms of financial responsibility for the losses that result from a car accident like lost income, damages, injuries and more. This system implies that the person at fault for causing the accident is also responsible for the harm that has resulted hence the driver at fault’s insurance carrier absorbs the losses up to policy limits

Therefore, anyone who has suffered an injury or damage resulting from an accident has three ways he/she can proceed;

  • Filing a claim with his/her insurance company assuming the loss is covered in the policy
  • Filing a third-party claim with the driver at fault’s insurance carrier directly
  • Filing a personal injury lawsuit against the driver at fault in civil court

Insurance Discounts in Louisiana

  • Online purchase discount
  • Bundling
  • Switching providers
  • Safe driving discounts
  • Active military discounts

Driving Laws in Louisiana

If you live in Louisiana, it’s important to stay updated on its laws as they can change frequently. The state of Louisiana follows a graduated licensing system where teenagers of 15 years and older may obtain a learner’s permit. Before receiving a permit, teen drivers must complete a state-approved driver education course that contains 30 hours of in-class training with 8 hours of actual driving

Hence, when the permitted drivers reach 17 years and have passed the Louisiana driving test, he/she can be eligible for an unrestricted license. New drivers under the age of 18 are prohibited from using mobile phones in any way whilst driving. The state of Louisiana has a ban on texting while driving and those that overlook look it could face a fine of up to $175 for the first offense and later $500 for other offenses

Failure to Carry Car Insurance

It is illegal to drive your vehicle without proof of insurance or financial responsibility

Under the law of Louisiana, you as a driver are required to show documentary proof of financial responsibility in the following ways;

  • When it has been requested by a law enforcement officer
  • When you’re registering or renewing the registration of your vehicle
  • When you’re obtaining or renewing your driver’s license

You will be given 3 days to provide proof of insurance and failure to do so will result in your vehicle being impounded and your license place removed until proof is provided and all fined are paid which range between $75 to over $700

If you fail to purchase car insurance and you get into an accident with another driver who’s insured, the Louisiana “No Pay, No Play” law will prevent you from collecting the first $25,000 property damage and $15,000 in personal injury and it doesn’t matter if the other driver is at fault