Insurance
Car Insurance in Louisiana
Published September 24, 2026 · Last updated October 1, 2026
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Does Louisiana require car insurance?
Yes. The minimum is 15/30/25:
- $15,000 for injuries to one person
- $30,000 for injuries to everyone in one crash
- $25,000 for damage to other people's property
That $15,000 per person is one of the lowest minimums in the country. A single trip to the emergency room after a serious crash can use it up.
Change #1: "No Pay No Play" now costs $100,000
Louisiana has a "No Pay No Play" law. If you drive without insurance and someone else hits you, you give up part of your right to be paid.
In 2025, the state raised that amount sharply. An uninsured driver or owner now can't recover the first $100,000 for injuries or the first $100,000 for damage to their car. Many websites still list the old amounts of $15,000 and $25,000. Those are out of date.
A few things to know:
- Buying a policy after the crash doesn't help. Coverage has to be in place before it happens.
- There are exceptions. The rule doesn't apply if the other driver was convicted of drunk driving for the crash, caused it on purpose, fled the scene, or was committing a felony.
- Passengers are protected. A passenger can still make a claim, unless they own the uninsured car.
- Suing can cost you. If an uninsured owner sues and wins $100,000 or less, they have to pay the court costs for everyone in the case.
In short: a lapse in coverage is far riskier in Louisiana than it used to be.
Change #2: the 51% fault rule (since January 1, 2026)
Before 2026, Louisiana let you collect something even if you were mostly at fault. That changed on January 1, 2026:
- If you're 51% or more at fault, you can't recover damages from the other driver.
- If you're less than 51% at fault, you can recover, but your award drops by your share. At 30% at fault, you'd get 70%.
If you're partly to blame, your own coverage matters more. Collision fixes your car no matter who caused the crash. Medical payments coverage can help with your medical bills when the other side won't pay.
Uninsured motorist coverage and the "economic-only" option
In Louisiana, uninsured motorist (UM) coverage is included at the same limits as your bodily injury coverage. You can change that on a state form. You can:
- reject it,
- choose lower limits, or
- choose "economic-only" UM. This costs less. It pays medical bills and lost wages but not pain and suffering.
Your choice carries over to future renewals with the same insurer. You can change it any time by filing a new form. With about 11.7% of Louisiana drivers uninsured in 2023, read that form carefully before you sign it.
What a lapse costs at the OMV
If your insurance is canceled and you don't replace it or turn in your plate, the Office of Motor Vehicles charges a fee based on how long you went without coverage:
| Days without insurance | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2 to 30 days | $125 |
| 31 to 90 days | $275 |
| 91 days or more | $525 |
Fees are capped at $850 plus a $25 administrative fee per cancellation when paid the same day. If you're 65 or older, the cap is $250. Unpaid fees sent to the state's Office of Debt Recovery get an extra 15%.
If you sell the car or stop driving it, turn in the plate or cancel it online so the fees don't build.
Why is car insurance so expensive in Louisiana?
No single reason explains it, but a few likely play a part:
- Premiums compared with income. Louisiana has both the highest average premium and lower incomes than many states, so car insurance takes a bigger share of the paycheck.
- Crash lawsuits and claim costs. The 2025 fault and "No Pay No Play" changes were aimed at these.
- Weather. Hurricanes and floods can total cars, and comprehensive pays for that.
- Uninsured drivers. When they cause crashes, insured drivers often end up paying.
Ways to bring your own price down:
- Compare several insurers. Prices for the same driver can vary a lot.
- Raise your collision and comprehensive deductibles if you have savings to cover them.
- Keep coverage continuous. A lapse can raise your price and, now, your risk under "No Pay No Play."
- If no insurer will cover you, ask an agent about the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Plan, the state's insurer of last resort.
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Sources
- NAIC auto insurance data (2023) and IRC affordability index, via Insurance Information Institute
- Louisiana R.S. 32:866 (No Pay No Play)
- Louisiana Civil Code art. 2323 (comparative fault)
- Louisiana R.S. 22:1295 (uninsured motorist coverage)
- Louisiana R.S. 32:900 (motor vehicle liability policy minimums)
- Louisiana OMV, Cancellations and revocations (insurance fees)
- Louisiana Department of Insurance, Auto insurance
- Insurance Information Institute, Uninsured motorists (IRC 2023 data)