Louisiana requires minimum auto insurance liability coverage for all drivers. If you do not comply with Louisiana’s insurance laws, you can suffer substantial penalties and fines.
In addition, if you are injured in a Louisiana car accident caused by another party, you will be limited in recovering your damages. Reach out to our Lafayette car accident lawyers for expert guidance.
What Are the Auto Insurance Liability Coverage Requirements in Louisiana?
As explained by the Louisiana Consumer’s Guide to Auto Insurance published by the Louisiana Department of Insurance, all Louisiana drivers are required to carry a minimum of 15/30/25 liability coverage.
This means that every driver is required to have at least:
- $15,000 of bodily injury coverage for damages caused to a person in an accident.
- $30,000 of total bodily injury coverage if there are multiple injured parties in an accident.
- $25,000 for property damage coverage for damage caused to another party’s property in an accident.
In serious accidents, this minimum coverage can be woefully inadequate for the damages caused.
What You Need to Know About Louisiana’s No Pay No Play Law
Louisiana Revised Statutes §32:866 outlines the No Pay No Play Law and states as follows:
Ҥ866. Compulsory motor vehicle liability security; failure to comply; limitation of damages
A.(1) There shall be no recovery for the first fifteen thousand dollars of bodily injury and no recovery for the first twenty-five thousand dollars of property damage based on any cause or right of action arising out of a motor vehicle accident, for such injury or damages occasioned by an owner or operator of a motor vehicle involved in such accident who fails to own or maintain compulsory motor vehicle liability security.”
So, if you do not carry the Louisiana-required minimum liability insurance, you will not be able to recover the first $15,000 of your bodily injury damages and will not be able to recover the first $25,000 of your property damages.
Louisiana does not require full coverage or Personal Injury Protection (PIP) coverage. However, it is wise to carry both, as well as higher than the minimum required coverage limits for bodily injury and property damage incurred by others.
Exceptions To Louisiana’s No Pay No Play Law
There are several exceptions to the No Pay No Play Law. They include:
- If the other driver involved in the accident is ticketed for driving while intoxicated and is either convicted of the charge or pleads nolo contendere, the No Pay No Play Law does limit recovering damages.
- If the other driver intentionally causes the car accident.
- If the other driver flees the scene of the accident.
- If the other driver is in the process of committing a felony at the time of the accident.
- Your car was legally parked at the time of the accident.
- You are a resident of another state that does not require the same level of liability coverage.
- The law does not apply to passengers in an uninsured vehicle if the passenger is not an owner of the vehicle.
If any of these exceptions apply to your accident, the No Pay No Play Law will not impact your ability to recover damages for your injuries.
Schedule a Free Consultation To Discuss Your Car Accident Injury Case
If you have been injured in a Louisiana car accident, you may be able to recover compensation for your damages. However, if you don’t have the minimum required insurance coverage, you may be limited in your recovery.
If you have questions about your car accident case, we want to help. Call (337) 233-3366 or complete the short form on our contact page to schedule a free consultation.