What are the liability and uninsured motorist laws in Louisiana?
In Louisiana, drivers are required to carry liability insurance coverage for bodily injury and property damage. The minimum liability coverage for Louisiana driver’s is $15,000 for bodily injury, and $30,000 for property damage. If you are injured in a wreck and don’t have insurance yourself, the Louisiana “no pay, no play” law will apply and will reduce your claim by the first $15,000. This means that your damages have to exceed $15,000 before you would be entitled to any payment at all.
However, not all drivers comply with this requirement, and accidents involving uninsured drivers can happen.
To protect drivers in these situations, Louisiana has uninsured motorist (UM) laws that require insurance companies to offer UM coverage as part of a car insurance policy. UM coverage provides financial protection in case the policyholder is in an accident with an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Louisiana law requires UM coverage to have the same minimum limits as liability coverage, which are:
- $15,000 for bodily injury or death of one person in an accident
- $30,000 for bodily injury or death of two or more people in an accident
- $25,000 for property damage per accident
Drivers can opt out of UM coverage by signing a written waiver, but insurance companies are required to offer it as part of the policy.
It’s important to note that UM coverage is different from underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage, which provides additional protection if the at-fault driver has insurance, but their coverage limits are not enough to cover the full extent of damages. UIM coverage is not required by Louisiana law but is also typically offered by insurance companies.
So how much coverage should you purchase? That is an important question and one that few people seriously consider.
Many of us just get the cheapest coverage we can and hope for the best. That is not a good plan.
You should consider how expensive medical bills are and whether expensive medical bills might impact you financially. The last thing you want to do is lose your house or file for bankruptcy if someone without insurance crashes into you.
Here is a list of applicable Louisiana insurance laws:
Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 22, Section 1295:
Louisiana Department of Insurance, Auto Insurance:
Louisiana State Bar Association, Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage:
I am a Covington car accident attorney who can advise you of your rights if you have been injured by in a car crash.
We can help you with the insurance claims process if you qualify, and take steps to preserve your rights so that you can focus on your medical treatment and getting better. Remember, you only have one year in Louisiana to file your claim so time is of the essence. Don’t wait and don’t let the insurance company string you along. Speak to an attorney who has experience dealing with complex insurance claims.
