in 2019, 11.9% of drivers in Louisiana didn’t have insurance that met the minimum state requirements—or didn’t have insurance at all. Louisiana ranks 26th out of 50 states in terms of the rate of underinsured/uninsured drivers.

But as a driver, why should you care?

Under normal circumstances, an at-fault driver’s insurance provider will help pay for any damage caused by an accident. However, if you’re involved in an accident with a driver who doesn’t have—or doesn’t have enough—coverage to meet

Louisiana's minimum car insurance requirements

, finding the funds to cover medical or repair bills can be challenging.

That’s where having optional uninsured motorist coverage comes in handy—it can save you massive amounts of time, money, and headaches.

Unlike certain insurance policies that can cause your premium to increase drastically, uninsured motorist coverage is relatively cheap. It offers greater protection on the road—and picks up where other drivers’ insurance leaves off. This coverage will cover the costs, whether it’s medical bills, lost wages, property damage, or vehicle replacement or repair.

But the best part about purchasing uninsured motorist coverage is that it’s affordable. Bodily injury and property damage coverage in Louisiana costs an average of $50 to $75 annually. Still, like any other insurance premium, your actual rate will depend on your age, driving record, location, and more.

And while Louisiana may not have a crazy high uninsured driver rate, it does work in your favor. Purchasing uninsured motorist coverage in a state with a higher percentage of uninsured drivers—

Alabama

(19.5%),

Michigan

(25.5%), and

Tennessee

(23.7%)—means coverage tends to be more expensive.

MORE:

The amount of uninsured drivers on the road

How uninsured motorist insurance works in Louisiana

Before we dig into the details of uninsured motorist coverage in the state, let’s first look at

Louisiana's car insurance laws

As with most states, drivers must purchase

liability coverage

—the minimum amounts differ based on your location. In Louisiana, it follows a 15/30/25 split, meaning drivers must buy—and insurers must offer—a minimum of $15,000 in

bodily injury liability

, $30,000 in bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 in

property damage liability

per accident. But bodily injury liability doesn’t cover you if you’re involved in an accident; it only covers the costs of repairs for the other party involved if you’re at fault.

Once you purchase minimum liability coverage that meets or exceeds 15/30/25, you can legally drive in The Pelican State. But while sticking to the minimum coverage limits is an easy way to reduce your car expenses, it can expose you to a lengthy list of other risks.

Surprisingly, Louisiana has some of the most expensive healthcare costs in the United States, with an average monthly healthcare plan of $728 and an average annual cost of $8,736—34.67% higher than the national average.

For people that don’t have healthcare plans, those fees could be even higher. For example, the

average cost of an ER visit

in Louisiana is $1,184 per visit. And that figure doesn’t necessarily include ambulance bills, surgical expenses, rehabilitation costs and time, lost wages, and more. The final bill is likely far above the minimum limits set by the state.

What’s available

So, what's available if you’re considering purchasing uninsured motorist coverage in Louisiana?

There are two types of UM/UIM insurance available in Louisiana:

Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UM/UMBI): Covers accident-related medical expenses for you (and your passengers) after an accident with an uninsured driver

Underinsured motorist bodily injury coverage (UIM/UIMBI): Covers your medical expenses if the other driver involved in an accident doesn’t have sufficient liability insurance to cover your costs

On top of UM/UIM coverage, you can also purchase uninsured motorist property damage (UMPD) and underinsured motorist property damage (UIMPD). This covers losses resulting from an accident with a driver who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have enough insurance to cover the costs of any damage to your vehicle, home, or other parts of your property.

Like UM and UIM, UMBI and UIMBI aren’t required in Louisiana, but all insurers must offer a minimum of $25,000 in property damage per accident. If the driver rejects this coverage, they must decline it in writing.

What it covers

In general, UM/UIM bodily injury coverage in Louisiana will cover the cost of personal injuries—and those of your passengers—caused by a driver who doesn’t have insurance or doesn’t have sufficient insurance coverage. But it also covers you against:

Future medical expenses

Lost wages

Long-term rehabilitative or nursing care

Medical devices such as wheelchairs

Retrofitting your house to accommodate a disability caused by the accident

Services such as yard work or cleaning that you’re no longer able to perform on your own

Pain and suffering (under certain circumstances)

Although purchasing uninsured motorist coverage will add a small amount to your insurance policy, it helps provide greater protection and peace of mind for you and your loved ones. If someone is involved in an accident, you don’t have to worry about digging up the money to pay for medical or repair costs—for a small fee of (generally) less than $100 per year, it’s covered. It’s a simple, budget-friendly way to ensure safety on the road and reduce unexpected expenses.

How to make a claim

After a car accident

, one of the first things you’ll want to do is exchange information, including all of your insurance information. If the other driver turns out to be uninsured or underinsured, it’s time for you to file a UM/UIM claim.

If you’re in the position of having to file a UM/UIM claim, don’t panic—the process is relatively simple and similar to a typical insurance claim. For example, you’d think a

hit-and-run

would be complicated, but it’s the same procedure as any other UM/UIM claim; only your property damage coverage will likely be subject to a higher deductible.

In any case, the process is simple. You will call your insurance company and explain what happened. As with any claim, provide as much documentation as possible (medical records, accident report(s), hospital bills, etc.)—this will make your claim easier to evaluate.

Remember that if your medical costs exceed your UM/UIM insurance limit, the remainder of the expenses must be covered out of pocket or through your health insurance or PIP coverage.

MORE:

Here’s what happens if you’re in a car accident without insurance

Why it’s a good idea to buy uninsured motorist insurance in Louisiana

We never want to think about getting into an accident, especially with an uninsured driver, but the risk is pretty high, with a 1 in 8 chance in Louisiana. One of the most obvious drawbacks of purchasing additional insurance coverage is the cost—you want to keep your payments to a minimum, and adding on extra coverage means an extra expense beyond the Louisiana state minimum. But if you’re considering UM/UIM coverage but haven’t committed, here are a few reasons why you should:

The collision frequency is high

Although your chances of being involved in an accident with an uninsured driver are lower than in some states—it’s a 1 in 8 odd in Louisiana—collision frequency is much higher than the national average. While slightly outdated, a 2017 report released by the

Property Casualty Insurers Association of America

showed the national collision average at just over 5%, whereas in Louisiana, you’re looking at almost 7.5%.

Also, the Louisiana DOT released stats stating that in 2021, there were 914 highway crashes and 997 deaths—a new record surpassing the previous record set in 2007 with 993 deaths. The 2021 statistics were also up from the previous year’s, with 762 crashes and 828 fatalities in 2020.

If you’re not keen on taking the risk of being incorporated into the statistic and dealing with uninsured drivers, purchasing uninsured motorist coverage can help cover you (and your wallet) in the event of an accident.

Healthcare costs are expensive

As we mentioned, healthcare costs in Louisiana aren’t cheap. With an annual average cost of $8,736—34.67% higher than the national average—being involved in an accident with someone who doesn’t have sufficient coverage could mean that you’re liable to foot the bill if you don’t have

personal injury protection (PIP)

medical payments coverage (MedPay)

. However, if you have UM/UIM coverage, you can rest assured that your medical bills, or at least a good chunk of them, will be covered by your insurance policy.

One in eight drivers doesn’t have proper insurance

While Louisiana may not have as many uninsured drivers as

, and

, the rate is sufficiently high that driving without UM/UIM protection can be risky. If you’re willing to ignore that chance, uninsured motorist coverage might not be worth it for you, but if shelling out thousands of dollars on vehicle damage or medical expenses doesn’t sound like your idea of fun, the additional (and totally affordable) expense is worth it.

MORE:

Should I get a lawyer after a hit-and-run accident?

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