State of Louisiana Insurance laws

In order to purchase cost effective, quality auto insurance in Louisiana, it is helpful to understand a little about the state's requirements. State laws in Louisiana require that all personal vehicles carry liability auto insurance coverage. Certain public vehicles are exempt from the insurance requirements, such as vehicles owned by the state of Louisiana, buses owned by individual Louisiana cities and parade vehicles. For all other vehicles, Louisiana requires that motorists carry minimum liability insurance of $15,000, and $30,000 per accident in the event of bodily injury or death. $25,000 worth of coverage for property damage is also included in the minimum requirements. More coverage is recommended, but these are the minimum requirements to comply with state law.

All members of a household who use the same vehicle must be covered under the insurance policy. If a certain member of the household does not drive a vehicle, the insurance company can mark them as an Excluded Driver or a Household Exclusion. Drivers must carry their insurance ID cards with them at all times, because the law states that drivers must be able to show proof of insurance upon request. Drivers also need to carry the declaration page and/or a written statement from the auto insurance company at all times in order to prove their coverage.

If a driver allows their insurance policy to lapse in Louisiana, their license will be automatically flagged. A person with a flag on their licence will be unable to renew their registration or driver's license. The insurance flag can be removed by the state if the motorist presents proof of insurance, effective within ten days of the insurance cancellation date. It is essential to pay insurance premiums on time and in full in order to avoid an interruption in the policy coverage.

In 2006, the average insurance premium in Louisiana was about $1,094, making it the third most expensive state in the nation for automobile insurance. The national average that year for auto insurance premiums was $817. There are a number of factors that affect the price on insurance premiums. Those with a good driving history, fewer traffic tickets and accidents will pay less for their insurance coverage.

Drivers

As of 2012, there were 2,869,033 licensed drivers in the state of Louisiana, of these 48.14% were male and 51.86% were female. The largest age group of licensed drivers was the 45-54 which accounted for 19.5% of all the drivers. To obtain a driver's licence in Louisiana, an individual must present proof of their identification, as well as proof of residency and auto insurance at the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Seat Belt Usage

Of the 545 drivers and passengers that were killed in car accidents in Louisiana in 2010, 291 of them were either not wearing seat belts or were wearing them improperly. Louisiana state law requires that all drivers and passengers wear seat belts at all times. Children who are under one year old and weigh under twenty pounds must ride in rear-facing car seats, while children who are at least one year old and who weigh between 20-40 pounds are required to ride in forward-facing car seats. These laws are in place because studies show that these requirements significantly reduce the number of auto fatalities in a given year.

Roads

The Louisiana state police posts all State and Federal highway road closures on their website. The main east-west Interstate in southern Louisiana in I-10, and the main north-south Interstate is I-49. Interstate 20 runs east-west across the northern part of the state. There are also many state roads and Parish roads that are locally maintained.

Road Condition

The road conditions in Louisiana are generally good, as the state rarely gets any snow. However, the area does have heavy rainfall and southern Louisiana is sometimes hit by hurricanes. There were 87,104 automobile crashes on state-maintained highways in 2010. Of these, 248 fatal accidents involved alcohol. Residents or visitors to the state can get up-to-date road condition information by dialing 511 on their phone.

Thefts

In 20120, there were 9,893 reports of vehicle theft in the state of Louisiana. This number was substantially lower than 2009, which saw 11,589 incidents of vehicle theft. Per 100,000 residents of the state in 2010, 218.2 of them were the victim of vehicle theft. Some car insurance companies offer protection if a vehicle is stolen.

Most Stolen Cars

These are the 10 most stolen cars in the state of Louisiana. Because these cars are vulnerable to theft some car insurance companies may charge higher premiums on these models in the state of Louisiana.

1) 2005 Ford F-150

2) 2004 Dodge Ram 1500

3) 1994 Chevrolet C/K 1500

4) 2000 Honda Accord

5) 2009 Toyota Camry

6) 2005 Chevrolet Impala

7) 2006 Nissan Altima

8) 2000 Ford Explorer

9) 2004 Ford F-250

10) 1998 Ford Taurus

Buying Auto Insurance in Louisiana

In order to find cheap car insurance in Louisiana, it is important to get quotes from several different auto insurance companies. Insurance companies in this state are allowed to use an individual's personal credit history in order to determine rates for insurance and offers for products. However, the auto insurance companies do not only use a person's credit history to determine premiums. Other factors that impact the rate of auto insurance premiums are gender, age, place of residence, the make and model of the car to be insured, how often the car is driven, and the individual's insurance coverage history. There are some auto insurance companies who offer insurance to people who have higher risk factors than the average person. People who need insurance can find auto insurance quotes either online or over the phone.

It is also a good idea for prospective policy holders to check the auto insurance ratings of several companies. Car insurance ratings can help an individual decide which car insurance policy is right for their situation. It is important to judge the quality of auto insurance based on the coverage offered rather than only the price. Having as much coverage as possible is important because it will protect the policy holder in the event of an accident. Once a person has gotten several car insurance quotes, they can then decide which company offers the best coverage for cheap auto insurance in Louisiana.

References

http://www.ldi.la.gov/