Effective July 1, 2026, a covered Louisiana auto policy generally requires 60 days' cancellation notice, or 10 days for nonpayment, under R.S. 22:1266. Auto nonrenewal notice is also 60 days. Homeowners nonrenewal under R.S. 22:1335 requires 60 days' notice and a statement of the cause.

Homeowners nonrenewal follows R.S. 22:1335. Beginning July 1, 2026, the insurer must mail or deliver written notice of its intention not to renew at least 60 days before the expiration date, and the notice must include the cause. If the notice is mailed less than 60 days before expiration, coverage remains in effect until 60 days after the notice is mailed or delivered.

What are the official auto cancellation grounds?

Once a covered auto policy has been in effect 60 days, unless it is a renewal, a cancellation is effective only for listed reasons: nonpayment of premium; suspension or revocation of the driver's license or motor vehicle registration of the named insured or of a household or customary operator during the policy period, or, on a renewal, during the policy period or the 180 days immediately preceding its effective date; fraud or material misrepresentation in the presentation of a claim; or nonreceipt of an application after a valid binder has been issued. An insurer shall not cancel or fail to renew a policy purely because of age.

Notice of cancellation for nonpayment does not have to be sent by certified mail. Unless the reason accompanies the notice, the notice must state that, upon written request mailed or delivered within six months after the effective date, the insurer will specify the reason. This cancellation-notice subsection does not apply to nonrenewal. When a policy is cancelled other than for nonpayment, or is not renewed, the insurer shall notify the named insured of possible eligibility for automobile liability insurance through the automobile liability assigned risk plan. The official LDI auto page refers to that residual market as the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program.

Proof of mailing to the address shown in the policy is sufficient proof of notice. When notice is mailed, the time period runs from the date of mailing. After July 1, 2026, a policy with no fixed expiration date, or a policy written for longer than one year, may be terminated at the expiration of an annual period upon 60 days' notice prior to that anniversary date.

What is different about homeowners policies?

R.S. 22:1335, as amended effective July 1, 2026, requires 60 days' nonrenewal notice and a statement of the cause. Notice is not required if the insurer or a company in the same group has offered a renewal policy, or if the named insured has given written notice of an intent not to renew. A limited grace period of up to 60 days is available to a surviving spouse who makes a timely, documented request after a death, as that section provides, for semi-annual or annual premiums paid directly to the insurer.

R.S. 22:1265 still lets a named insured request, within six months, a written statement of the reason for a property, casualty, or liability cancellation or refusal to renew. A homeowners policy may not apply more than one deductible to a loss from any single incident; any such provision is unenforceable. The older rule that generally barred cancellation or nonrenewal of a homeowners policy in effect and renewed for more than three years, except for listed reasons, does not apply to policies issued after August 1, 2024. For policies that had already been in place for at least three years on or before August 1, 2024, an insurer may, upon filing a plan with the commissioner, nonrenew up to five percent of its customers' policies per calendar year for any reason, or a higher percentage if the commissioner approves.

Do not assume that a three-year lock still protects a policy first issued after August 1, 2024. Read the notice, the policy, and the official statutes that apply to the issue date.

Keep the envelope, any certified-mail receipt, and the notice itself. Official law provides that proof of mailing to the address shown in the policy is sufficient, and that the time period runs from the date of mailing when notice is mailed. If a homeowners nonrenewal notice arrives late, coverage continues until 60 days after mailing or delivery, as R.S. 22:1335 provides.

If you cannot replace a cancelled or nonrenewed auto policy in the voluntary market, ask an agent about the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program. For residual property coverage, Louisiana Citizens operates the FAIR Plan and the Coastal Plan as the insurer of last resort. A complaint about the notice or the company can be filed with the Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services at 1-800-259-5300 or (225) 342-5900.

If you receive a cancellation or nonrenewal notice, talk with a licensed local agent about replacement coverage, including the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program for auto or Louisiana Citizens for residual property, and compare the dates on the notice with the official 60-day and 10-day rules.

FAQ

How much cancellation notice is required on a Louisiana auto policy?

Effective July 1, 2026, R.S. 22:1266 requires at least 60 days' notice, mailed by certified mail or delivered, or at least 10 days' notice with the reason when the cancellation is for nonpayment of premium.

How much notice is required before a homeowners policy is nonrenewed?

Effective July 1, 2026, R.S. 22:1335 requires at least 60 days' notice before expiration, and the notice must include the cause. Late notice extends coverage until 60 days after mailing or delivery.

Does the three-year homeowners cancellation lock still apply to new policies?

No. R.S. 22:1265 states that the three-year provisions in Subsection D do not apply to policies issued after August 1, 2024. A limited 5 percent nonrenewal plan applies to certain policies already in place for at least three years on or before that date.

Where can I go if I cannot replace an auto policy?

LDI's official auto page refers drivers to the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program, the auto insurer of last resort. R.S. 22:1266 also requires an assigned-risk-plan eligibility notice with certain auto cancellations and nonrenewals.

Sources: R.S. 22:1266, R.S. 22:1335, R.S. 22:1265, LDI Auto Insurance Resources.

Louisiana requires 15/30/25 auto liability coverage: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage. The Department of Insurance publishes those figures in its Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance. Liability coverage is required on any automobile you own.

The official auto resources page also states that Louisiana law requires drivers to carry minimum liability coverage on any automobile they own, or risk costly penalties such as fines and car impoundment. Lenders may require collision or comprehensive coverage in addition to liability. Those physical-damage coverages are not the state liability minimum.

What does 15/30/25 actually pay?

The $15,000 per-person limit is the most the minimum bodily injury coverage would pay for one injured person. The $30,000 per-accident limit is the most it would pay for all injured people in that accident. The $25,000 property damage limit is the most it would pay for damage to other people's property. If a judgment is larger than those figures, the at-fault driver can still be personally responsible for the difference.

The official guide explains that liability covers bodily injury or property damage caused by you, your family members, and others driving your vehicle with your permission, up to the policy limits. It also notes that you and your family members are generally covered when driving another person's automobile, including a rental private passenger vehicle, but that a company car or another non-owned car regularly available to you may need an endorsement. Ask a licensed local agent to point to the policy language for those situations.

Louisiana is not a no-fault state in the official insurance materials reviewed for this article. This article does not invent a required personal injury protection benefit. Medical-payments coverage, if offered, is optional unless it is written into your policy.

What is the official No Pay, No Play rule now?

R.S. 32:866, as amended by Acts 2025, No. 16, provides that there shall be no recovery for the first one hundred thousand dollars of bodily injury and no recovery for the first one hundred thousand dollars of property damage, based on any cause or right of action arising out of a motor vehicle accident, for injury or damages occasioned by an owner or operator who fails to own or maintain compulsory motor vehicle liability security.

That is a major change from the older $15,000 bodily injury and $25,000 property damage figures that still appear in some outdated consumer summaries. The official current statute uses the $100,000 and $100,000 amounts. If you operate without the required security, those first-dollar amounts are not recoverable, subject to the statute's listed exceptions.

The limitation does not apply if the driver of the other vehicle is cited for a violation of R.S. 14:98 as a result of the accident and is later convicted of or pleads nolo contendere to that offense, intentionally causes the accident, flees from the scene, or at the time of the accident is in furtherance of a felony. It also does not apply if, at the time of the accident, the other vehicle is not being operated and is not in violation of Chapter 1 of that Title. The provisions of the Part do not apply to any vehicle that is legally parked at the time of the accident. A passenger in a vehicle may still assert a claim, except a passenger who is also the owner of the uninsured motor vehicle involved.

If an uninsured owner institutes an action and is awarded an amount equal to or less than $100,000 of bodily injury, the owner or operator shall be assessed and held liable for all court costs incurred by all parties, under subsection C. Buying or changing a policy after an accident, without proof that coverage was bound before the accident, does not remove these limits.

What if you cannot find a voluntary-market policy?

The official LDI auto page tells drivers who cannot secure auto insurance through the private market to ask an agent about the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program, the auto insurer of last resort for Louisiana drivers. If a covered auto policy is cancelled other than for nonpayment, or is not renewed, R.S. 22:1266 requires the insurer to notify the named insured of possible eligibility for automobile liability insurance through the automobile liability assigned risk plan.

Keep proof of coverage in the vehicle and with the title paperwork. Official OMV title-and-registration pages require proof of liability insurance if you are obtaining a license plate. A lapsed policy can affect both the No Pay, No Play recovery limits and your ability to complete a tag transaction.

Compare quotes on the same limits, deductibles, and listed drivers. If you cannot find a voluntary-market policy, ask an agent about the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program, which LDI describes as the auto insurer of last resort. A cancellation or nonrenewal notice, other than nonpayment, should also mention possible assigned-risk eligibility under R.S. 22:1266.

If you have questions about a company or a claim, the Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services publishes 1-800-259-5300 and (225) 342-5900, with offices at 1702 N. Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, and an official online complaint form.

If you are buying or renewing a Louisiana auto policy, talk with a licensed local agent about limits above 15/30/25, confirm that compulsory security is in force, and read the official No Pay, No Play rule in R.S. 32:866.

FAQ

What are Louisiana's minimum auto liability limits?

The official LDI Consumer's Guide publishes 15/30/25: $15,000 bodily injury per person, $30,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage.

Does uninsured driving still only block the first $15,000 of injury damages?

No. The current official text of R.S. 32:866 bars recovery of the first $100,000 of bodily injury and the first $100,000 of property damage when an owner or operator fails to maintain compulsory security, subject to the statute's exceptions.

Is collision coverage required by the state?

The official auto page states that Louisiana law requires minimum liability coverage. Auto lenders may require collision or comprehensive in addition to that liability coverage.

What is the residual auto market called?

LDI's official auto page refers drivers to the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program as the auto insurer of last resort.

Sources: LDI Auto Insurance Resources, LDI Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance, R.S. 32:866, R.S. 22:1266.

A standard homeowners policy in Louisiana does not cover flood damage. Flood insurance is a separate contract, usually through the National Flood Insurance Program or a participating private insurer. FloodSmart.gov is the official federal consumer site. A Louisiana Citizens policy is not an automatic flood policy.

Wind and flood are different perils. A tropical system can produce both. One adjuster and one policy will not necessarily respond to both kinds of damage. Photograph high-water marks and wind damage separately, and report each claim to the insurer that actually covers that peril.

Why does this matter in Louisiana?

Much of the state's housing is near the coast, lakes, rivers, or drainage canals. A mapped flood zone, a prior flood claim, or a lender requirement can all make a flood policy part of a purchase or a refinance. Even outside a high-risk zone, heavy rain can cause flooding that a homeowners policy still treats as an excluded flood or water peril. Read the exclusions in the policy you actually buy, rather than relying on a neighborhood description.

If you cannot obtain voluntary homeowners or wind coverage, an authorized agent can help you apply to Louisiana Citizens after a documented denial, as R.S. 22:2302 requires. That residual coverage still has to be read for the perils it insures. If the property is in a flood hazard area, a mortgage lender commonly requires flood insurance for the life of the loan. Start the flood application early, because a waiting period may apply under official NFIP rules.

Ask a licensed local agent or an NFIP-participating insurer about the flood zone, building and contents limits as separate amounts, any elevation certificate, and how the policy treats an enclosure or a detached structure. This article does not invent waiting-period exceptions, basement limits, or premium discounts. Those details belong on the current FloodSmart pages and the policy form.

How do auto and residual-property rules fit a flood event?

Comprehensive coverage on a vehicle, if you buy it, is a separate auto contract and may respond to certain weather-related vehicle damage under that policy. It does not repair a house. Keep auto claims and property claims on their own documentation tracks. The official auto liability minimum remains 15/30/25, and it does not create flood coverage for a dwelling.

If a homeowners policy is not renewed, R.S. 22:1335 requires, beginning July 1, 2026, at least sixty days' notice before expiration, and the notice must include the cause. That notice is a chance to shop for replacement property coverage and to confirm that flood coverage remains in force. It is not itself a flood policy. Louisiana Citizens also tells policyholders, through the statutory disclosure, how to look for voluntary-market options on the Department of Insurance website.

After a flood, file the flood claim with the flood insurer and keep receipts for temporary repairs that protect the property from further damage, as the flood policy allows. If a company dispute arises on a policy that the Department of Insurance regulates, use the official Consumer Complaint Form, and keep the policy number and claim number ready.

What official steps help you buy the right flood policy?

Use FloodSmart.gov to review official NFIP information, including waiting periods that can apply after you apply. A lender with a federally related mortgage on a building in a high-risk flood zone can require flood insurance as a condition of the loan. Even outside a high-risk zone, flood coverage can still be purchased. Confirm the official flood zone and elevation information for the address, and do not rely on a neighbor's memory of past storms as a substitute for the current map.

Keep the flood policy, the homeowners or Citizens policy, and any wind or other endorsements in one file, and read which perils each contract covers. Storm water, sewer backup, and flood are not always the same thing in policy language. If a term matters to a claim, point to the form rather than to a general summary.

Louisiana's residual property market, the FAIR Plan and the Coastal Plan at Louisiana Citizens, provides essential property coverage for people who cannot find a voluntary market. Official eligibility still requires a prior denial and last-resort disclosure. That residual policy does not replace a flood policy. After a flood, file the flood claim with the flood insurer and keep receipts for temporary repairs that protect the property from further damage, as the flood policy allows.

If you own or are buying a Louisiana home, talk with a licensed local agent about a separate flood policy, confirm the official flood zone, and read the homeowners or Citizens exclusions before storm season.

FAQ

Does a standard Louisiana homeowners policy cover flood?

No. Flood insurance is a separate purchase through the National Flood Insurance Program or a participating private insurer. The official consumer site is FloodSmart.gov.

If I have a Louisiana Citizens policy, do I still need flood insurance?

A Citizens policy is residual essential property coverage for people who cannot find voluntary insurance. Confirm the perils in that policy and buy a separate flood policy when flood coverage is needed or required by a lender.

When should I apply for flood insurance?

Apply early. Official NFIP rules can include a waiting period, and residual property applications to Citizens can close or become more difficult around a storm. Do not wait until a named storm is on the forecast.

Will auto comprehensive coverage repair my house after a flood?

No. Auto comprehensive, if you have it, follows the auto policy for the vehicle. House flooding is a property-insurance question, and flood is typically excluded from a standard homeowners form.

Sources: National Flood Insurance Program, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, R.S. 22:2302, R.S. 22:1335, LDI Auto Insurance Resources.

The Louisiana Department of Insurance Office of Consumer Services takes policyholder questions and complaints. Official contacts are 1-800-259-5300 and (225) 342-5900, and the office at 1702 N. Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. An online Consumer Complaint Form is also published.

The office was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2015 to assist with consumer complaints and questions, and it also conducts market conduct analysis and examinations. If a personal auto damage claim is unsatisfactory, the official auto page tells you that you can submit a complaint form online, and that Consumer Services can also assist with policy questions.

How do I file the official complaint?

The official Consumer Complaint Form is at ldi.la.gov/onlineservices/ConsumerComplaintForm. Have your insurance information ready, including the company or producer name, policy number, and claim number if there is a claim, and a clear description of the problem. After you submit the form, follow the on-screen instructions about attachments and about checking the status of the complaint. A complaint-status lookup is published on the same official online-services path.

Keep a file with the policy declarations, denial or delay letters, estimates, photographs, and notes from calls, including dates. Those papers help the department understand the dispute. If you prefer to start with a telephone call, use the official numbers above and ask how to follow up in writing.

The official auto and consumer pages also invite email contact. Use the current contact tools on ldi.la.gov rather than a number copied from an unofficial directory. Do not insert staff names from a letterhead into a consumer article, and do not treat a social-media message as a filed complaint.

What should you try before or along with a department complaint?

The policy still controls deadlines for proofs of loss, suit limitation periods, and premium payments. A department complaint does not automatically stop a cancellation or extend a proof-of-loss date. If you have a cancellation or nonrenewal notice, compare it with the official notice periods in R.S. 22:1266 for auto and R.S. 22:1335 for homeowners nonrenewal, and attach the notice to the complaint.

For residual auto coverage, the official auto page points to the Louisiana Automobile Insurance Program. For residual property coverage, Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation operates the FAIR Plan and the Coastal Plan as insurer-of-last-resort programs. A complaint about a Citizens policy can still go to LDI when the issue involves insurance law or market conduct, but billing and claim-status contacts published by Citizens are also part of the file.

If the dispute is really with a household-goods mover, the Louisiana Public Service Commission Transportation Division, not LDI, is the official in-state motor-carrier complaint office. If the dispute is with a contractor, the State Licensing Board for Contractors is the licensing complaint path. Use the office that actually regulates the person or company involved.

Consumer Services can help you understand a policy and can review whether a company followed insurance law. It is not a substitute for a court, and it does not write you a new policy. If a statutory or policy deadline is close, note that date in the complaint and consider whether you also need advice from your own representative.

What should you put in the complaint file?

Use the official Consumer Complaint Form at ldi.la.gov/onlineservices/ConsumerComplaintForm. Include the company name, policy number, claim number if one has been assigned, the dates of the events, a short timeline, and copies of the declarations page, denial or delay letters, estimates, and photographs. Keep originals. The Office of Consumer Services was created by the legislature in 2015. It also handles market-conduct work, but a consumer complaint is not a substitute for a lawsuit or for an appraisal process written into a policy.

This article does not invent a rule that you must contact the company first, because the official consumer page reviewed for this article does not clearly state that step. If you have already opened a claim, include the claim number and the last written response. If you have not yet reached the company, you can still use the official contacts to ask how to proceed.

Do not send original policies unless the department specifically requests them. Do not use a look-alike website. Official LDI pages use ldi.la.gov or www.ldi.la.gov. The same caution applies to residual-market contacts. Louisiana Citizens publishes a claim and billing number of 1-888-568-6455, and the Department of Insurance remains the regulator for complaints about insurers and producers.

Consumer Services is the right office for questions about a company, a producer, a claim delay, or a possible violation of insurance law. It is not the Public Service Commission, which regulates in-state household-goods movers, and it is not the State Licensing Board for Contractors. If the dispute is about a mover's certificate or a contractor's license, use those official boards instead.

A cancellation or nonrenewal notice can also be a reason to call Consumer Services if the dates or reasons do not match the official 60-day and 10-day rules that took effect July 1, 2026. Bring the notice, the policy, and the mailing date when you call 1-800-259-5300 or (225) 342-5900.

If a Louisiana auto or homeowners claim is stalled, talk with a licensed local agent about the policy terms, and use the official LDI complaint form or the published Consumer Services numbers if the company response is not enough.

FAQ

What number do I call at the Louisiana Department of Insurance?

The official consumer services page lists 1-800-259-5300 and (225) 342-5900. The office address is 1702 N. Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

Where is the official online complaint form?

The department publishes the Consumer Complaint Form at ldi.la.gov/onlineservices/ConsumerComplaintForm, with a companion status-lookup tool.

Can Consumer Services help with a policy question that is not a formal complaint?

Yes. The official page states that staff respond to consumer questions as well as complaints, and the auto page says Consumer Services can assist if you have a question about your policy.

Should a mover or contractor complaint go to LDI?

No. In-state household-goods mover complaints go to the Public Service Commission Transportation Division. Contractor licensing complaints go to the State Licensing Board for Contractors.

Sources: LDI Consumer Services, LDI Consumer Complaint Form, LDI Auto Insurance Resources.

Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the residual property insurer for applicants who cannot obtain coverage in the voluntary market. Official law creates two programs, the FAIR Plan and the Coastal Plan. Citizens is an insurer of last resort and is required to be more costly than private insurers.

R.S. 22:2293 creates the corporation to operate those two plans as successors to earlier residual programs, and requires authorized property insurers in Louisiana to participate as a condition of their authority. The corporation performs its functions under a plan of operation and is not required to obtain a certificate of authority from the commissioner. It also does not participate in the Louisiana Insurance Guaranty Association.

Who is eligible, and how do you apply?

R.S. 22:2302 provides that any person with an insurable interest in insurable property who has been denied coverage by one or more insurers authorized to write property insurance in this state is entitled to apply to the corporation, directly or through a representative, for coverage through the Coastal Plan or the FAIR Plan, and for an inspection of the property. Every application must be on forms prescribed by the governing board and on file with the commissioner, and must clearly state that the corporation is an insurer of last resort. The application must disclose each insurance carrier that denied coverage.

If the corporation determines that the property is insurable, then upon receipt of the premium, or the portion prescribed for the applicable plan, it shall cause essential property insurance to be issued for a term not exceeding one year. A policy is renewed annually, upon payment of the premium due, so long as the property meets the definition of insurable property. If an application is denied for a reason other than the failure to show a previous denial of coverage, or if the corporation takes no action within the time in the plan of operation, the applicant may appeal to the commissioner of insurance.

This article does not invent a parish-by-parish Coastal Plan map or a current dwelling cap. Eligibility for the Coastal Plan or the FAIR Plan follows the official plan of operation and the statutory rules. Ask an authorized agent to confirm whether a particular property belongs in the Coastal Plan or the FAIR Plan, and confirm current deductibles, limits, and exclusions on the policy form and at lacitizens.com.

The official company materials describe a mission of providing comprehensive coverage at rates that are not competitive with the voluntary market, responding to a changing property market, and helping policyholders move back to private insurers through depopulation. A disclosure with each application and policy must notify the policyholder that a list of producers and companies that may be able to write coverage in the private market is available, and must describe how to reach the Department of Insurance website.

Does a Citizens policy replace flood insurance?

Do not assume that it does. A standard homeowners policy typically excludes flood, and federal flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program, or a participating private flood policy, is a separate purchase. Read the Citizens policy for the perils it actually insures. If the property is in a mapped flood zone, a lender may require a flood policy even when residual wind or fire coverage is placed with Citizens.

The official Citizens policy, billing, and claim-status number published on the corporation's site is 1-888-568-6455. The published business and mailing address is 1 Galleria Blvd, Suite 720, Metairie, LA 70001. Use those official contacts, and an authorized agent, rather than an unofficial quote site.

What official contacts and limits should you confirm?

Louisiana Citizens publishes a claim and billing number of 1-888-568-6455. The address published on official overview materials is 1 Galleria Blvd, Suite 720, Metairie, LA 70001. Use the official lacitizens.com site and official application forms. Application forms must state last-resort status. Essential property insurance is written for a term not exceeding one year and is renewable annually while the property remains insurable. You may appeal to the commissioner if coverage is denied for a reason other than failure to show a prior denial, or if no action is taken within the time in the plan of operation.

This article does not invent a current dwelling coverage cap or a parish-by-parish list of Coastal Plan eligibility. Those figures, if they matter to your property, belong on the official plan materials and the application you are given. Confirm current limits, deductibles, and inspection requirements with Citizens or a participating producer before you rely on a third-party summary.

A Citizens policy is not flood insurance. Flood coverage is a separate NFIP or private purchase. If a homeowners or residual property policy is not renewed, the official 60-day homeowners nonrenewal notice that took effect July 1, 2026, is a chance to look for voluntary coverage and to confirm whether residual coverage is still needed. Authorized property insurers must participate in the residual market as official law provides. Citizens does not participate in LIGA, and it does not need a certificate of authority of the kind a voluntary insurer holds.

If voluntary-market property coverage is not available, talk with a licensed local agent about a Louisiana Citizens application after a documented denial, and ask about a separate flood policy before storm season.

FAQ

What residual property plans does Louisiana operate?

Louisiana Citizens operates the FAIR Plan and the Coastal Plan as official residual-market programs, under R.S. 22:2293 and 22:2302.

Do I have to be denied elsewhere first?

Yes. Official eligibility requires that you have been denied coverage by one or more insurers authorized to write property insurance in this state, and the application must disclose those carriers.

Are Citizens rates supposed to be cheaper than private policies?

No. Official company materials state that Louisiana Citizens is the insurance of last resort and is state-mandated to be more costly than private property insurance companies.

Does a Citizens policy cover flood?

Do not treat residual property coverage as flood insurance. Confirm the policy's perils and buy a separate flood policy through the National Flood Insurance Program or a participating insurer when flood coverage is needed.

Sources: Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, R.S. 22:2293, R.S. 22:2302, National Flood Insurance Program.

A Louisiana auto liability policy must include uninsured motorist coverage at not less than the policy's bodily injury limits, unless a named insured rejects it, selects lower limits, or selects economic-only coverage on the official form. R.S. 22:1295 is the official statute.

The coverage protects insured persons who are legally entitled to recover nonpunitive damages from owners or operators of uninsured or underinsured motor vehicles because of bodily injury, sickness, or disease, including death. In no event may the uninsured motorist policy limits be less than the minimum liability limits required under R.S. 32:900, unless economic-only coverage is selected. The official minimum liability limits published by the Department of Insurance are 15/30/25.

How must a rejection or a lower-limit selection be made?

The rejection, selection of lower limits, or selection of economic-only coverage shall be made only on a form prescribed by the commissioner. The insurer provides the form, and the named insured or a legal representative signs it. A properly completed and signed form creates a rebuttable presumption that the insured knowingly rejected coverage, selected a lower limit, or selected economic-only coverage. The signed form is conclusively presumed to become part of the policy when the policy is issued and delivered, even if it is not physically attached.

The initial form remains valid for the life of the policy and does not have to be completed again when a renewal, reinstatement, substitute, or amended policy is issued to the same named insured by the same insurer or any of its affiliates. An insured may change the original selection at any time during the life of the policy by submitting a new form. Changes to an existing policy, other than changes in the limits of liability, do not create a new policy and do not require a new form.

Economic-only uninsured motorist coverage is available at a reduced premium and excludes all noneconomic loss, including pain, suffering, inconvenience, and mental anguish. The statute also allows the policy to exclude punitive or exemplary damages. If you want full uninsured motorist limits equal to your liability limits, do not sign a rejection or an economic-only selection unless that is the choice you intend.

What counts as uninsured or underinsured?

Subject to the terms of the coverage, "uninsured motor vehicle" includes an insured vehicle whose liability insurer cannot pay because of insolvency. It also includes an insured vehicle when the automobile liability coverage on that vehicle is less than the amount of damages suffered by an insured or the passengers in the insured's vehicle at the time of the accident, as agreed by the parties and their insurers or as determined by final adjudication.

Uninsured motorist coverage includes bodily injury arising out of an accident caused by an automobile that has no physical contact with the injured party or with the vehicle the injured party is occupying, if the injured party proves, by an independent and disinterested witness, that the injury resulted from the actions of a driver whose identity is unknown or who is uninsured or underinsured.

Is there a property-damage uninsured motorist option?

Yes, in a limited official setting. Unless the named insured has rejected uninsured motorist coverage, an insurer issuing an automobile liability policy that does not afford collision coverage shall, at the written request of a named insured, provide coverage in the amount of the actual cash value of the described motor vehicle or the minimum property damage liability amount required by the Motor Vehicle Safety Responsibility Law, whichever is less. That coverage is subject to a $250 deductible for any one accident and does not cover loss of use, damages paid or payable under any other property insurance, or damage with no actual physical contact except as the statute allows with an independent witness.

If you already have collision coverage, do not assume a separate uninsured motorist property-damage benefit is automatically included. Ask the insurer to point to the endorsement.

For commercial automobile policies, R.S. 22:1295(7) gives the insured the option of selecting uninsured motorist coverage on a form promulgated by the commissioner. If there is no selection on the form and no premium payment that includes the coverage, it is presumed that no uninsured motorist coverage was selected for that commercial policy.

Commercial automobile policies follow a different official default. Under R.S. 22:1295(7), uninsured motorist coverage is provided on a commercial auto policy only if it is selected on the official form or a premium that includes the coverage is paid. Otherwise, no UM coverage is presumed. Do not assume a personal-auto selection form automatically follows a commercial policy, or the reverse.

If you change insurers, complete a new official form for the new company. The form that stays valid for the life of a policy applies to the same insurer or its affiliates, not to every later carrier. Ask the new insurer for a copy of the signed form and keep it with the declarations page.

The official 15/30/25 liability minimum still applies to an automobile you own, even if you reject UM coverage. Rejection of UM does not remove the duty to carry compulsory liability security, and it does not change the No Pay, No Play limits in R.S. 32:866.

If you are buying a Louisiana auto policy, talk with a licensed local agent about the official selection form, confirm whether a prior rejection is already on file, and keep a copy of the form that matches the coverage you want.

FAQ

Does a Louisiana auto policy automatically include uninsured motorist coverage?

Yes, at not less than the policy's bodily injury limits, unless a named insured rejects it, selects lower limits, or selects economic-only coverage on the commissioner-prescribed form, under R.S. 22:1295.

Does the statute cover underinsured drivers?

Yes. An uninsured motor vehicle includes a vehicle whose liability coverage is less than the damages suffered by an insured or passengers, as agreed or as finally adjudicated.

Do I have to sign a new form at every renewal?

No. The initial properly completed form remains valid for the life of the policy with the same insurer or an affiliate. You may submit a new form if you want to change the selection.

How do commercial policies differ?

For commercial automobile policies, uninsured motorist coverage applies only if it is selected on the official form or a premium that includes the coverage is paid. Otherwise, no uninsured motorist coverage is presumed.

Sources: R.S. 22:1295, LDI Auto Insurance Resources, LDI Consumer's Guide to Auto Insurance.