The Insurance Requirement
La. R.S. 32:900 — at least $15,000 a person, $30,000 a crash and $25,000 in property, and no proof means the car is impounded
| Coverage | At least |
|---|---|
| CoverageInjury or death of one person | At least$15,000 |
| CoverageInjury or death of two or more people | At least$30,000 |
| CoverageDamage to the property of others | At least$25,000 |
Every registered vehicle carries that liability security, and the duty to keep it belongs to the registered owner. A vehicle on a public road holds proof of it: an insurance card, a photocopy of one, or an image of it on a phone.
- An officer at any stop, checkpoint or crash checks for proof.
- If the driver cannot show it, the vehicle is impounded, the plate is removed, and a notice of noncompliance is issued.
- The owner has 3 calendar days, not counting weekends and legal holidays, to show the office of motor vehicles that coverage was in force, and a valid plate then comes back within 48 hours at no cost.
- Reinstatement otherwise costs $100 for a first offense, $250 for a second and $500 after that.
No pay, no play. An owner or driver who has no compulsory liability security cannot recover the first $100,000 of bodily injury or the first $100,000 of property damage from a crash. The limit does not apply if the other driver is convicted of impaired driving from the crash, caused it on purpose, fled the scene, or was committing a felony.
Sources for this section (4)
- La. R.S. 32:861 — Security required
- La. R.S. 32:900 — "Motor Vehicle Liability Policy" defined
- La. R.S. 32:863.1 — Evidence of compulsory motor vehicle liability security contained in vehicle; enforcement; penalty; fees
- La. R.S. 32:866 — Compulsory motor vehicle liability security; failure to comply; limitation of damages
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of October 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Louisiana attorney.