4 Best Companies for Louisiana Car Insurance - Benzinga

Posted: 24 Sep 2019 11:22 PM PDT

Are you an active driver in the Pelican State? If so, you might be wondering if you're overpaying for car insurance. Here's our comprehensive overview of car insurance in Louisiana and the rules of the road.

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Quick Look – Best Car Insurance in Louisiana

Louisiana Car Insurance Overview

You'll find an average of 1.26 vehicles per household in Louisiana.
Minimum required car insurance includes $15,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per injured party, $30,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per vehicle and $25,000 in property damage liability coverage.
Average state minimum insurance for a driver with a clean driving record is around $1,000 per year.

Louisiana Car Insurance Law Explained

Car insurance is required by law to operate a vehicle in Louisiana. The following coverage is the minimum amount of insurance you need to have to legally operate a car in Louisiana:

Bodily injury liability coverage: Bodily injury liability coverage provides compensation for anyone that you injure in an accident. You must have at least $15,000 of coverage per injured party and at least $30,000 of damage per vehicle.
Property damage liability coverage: Property damage liability coverage provides compensation for anyone whose property you damage during an accident. The minimum legal requirement for property damage liability is $25,000.

These 2 coverages provide no compensation for you as the driver under any circumstances. Most policy providers in Louisiana bundle state minimum coverages with comprehensive and collision coverages, which protect you if you're involved in an accident. Remember to keep your Louisiana proof of insurance card and vehicle registration in your vehicle at all times when you drive.

Louisiana Traffic Laws You Should Know

Ready to find cheap car insurance in Louisiana? You must maintain a clean driving record. Here are a few unique rules of the road so you avoid an accident, injury or a citation.

Headphones: You may not wear any type of listening device or headphones while operating a motor vehicle in Louisiana — with the exception of hearing aids.
Cell phone use: Minors under the age of 17 cannot use a cell phone in any capacity while driving in Louisiana. Drivers over 17 cannot send or receive text messages while driving. There is no specific law that limits other cell phone functions performed by adults, including navigation assistance and phone calls.
Child restraints: Infants must be restrained in a rear-facing car seat. Children under 4 who weigh more than 20 pounds may use a forward-facing car seat. Children over 4 and who weigh at least 40 pounds may ride in a booster seat and the vehicle's seat belt when riding in the car. Children over 6 and who weigh at least 60 pounds should use seat belts. Every driver and passenger in a car must be wearing a seat belt while riding.

Louisiana Car Insurance Rates per Vehicle

The type of vehicle you drive can influence how much you pay for insurance. Insurers know that each vehicle make and model has different probabilities of being involved in an accident or stolen.

Do you have an expensive vehicle? You can expect to pay more for your car insurance because your vehicle is more likely to be stolen or sustain expensive damage.

Insurance providers look at vehicle safety features as well. Vehicles with more advanced safety features can receive a reduced rate. On the other hand, expect to pay significantly more for your insurance if your vehicle lacks basic safety features (like airbags). Some insurance providers offer discounts or bonuses to drivers who install anti-theft devices.

The most popular vehicle in Louisiana is the Toyota Camry. This is also one of the most affordable vehicles in the state to insure, thanks to its affordable model and advanced safety features. The most popular luxury car in Louisiana is the BMW 760. This model is more expensive to insure because it uses more expensive materials and is more likely to be stolen.

Car Insurance Rates by Credit Score

It's legal for insurance providers in Louisiana to use your credit score to influence your insurance premiums. Drivers who have a high credit score are less likely to make a claim or be involved in an accident. On the other hand, drivers who have a lower score are statistically more likely to file a claim.

As you can see, your credit score can seriously influence how much you pay for car insurance. You can lower your insurance rate when you take steps to raise your credit score. Paying bills on time, keeping your credit utilization low and paying down your debt can all raise your credit score over time.

Insurance for Drivers with a Clean Record

If you've been involved in an accident, you can expect to pay more for your car insurance. You're seen as less of a risk to insurance providers if you have a clean record. Almost every auto insurance provider offers a special driving discount for drivers who stay safe on the road throughout the duration of their policy.

Insurance Company	State Minimum Insurance	Standard Coverage	Full Coverage
Progressive	$943	$3,302	$2,226
State Farm	$1,043	$1,376	$2,388
Southern Farm Bureau	$1,067	$3,084	$2,317
Allstate	$1,063	$2,505	$3,260
GEICO	$766	$1,425	$1,945

Insurance Rates with Driving Infractions

You can expect to pay more for your insurance if you do have infractions on your driving record. However, some driving infractions are seen as worse than others by insurance providers. Let's take a look at how insurance rates can vary depending on your driving record.

Insurance Company	At-Fault Accident	Speed Violation	DUI
Southern Farm Bureau	$2,935	$1,457	$6,890
State Farm	$2,271	$1,449	$5,855
Allstate	$2,060	$1,513	$4,944
Progressive	$2,378	$1,348	$4,510
GEICO	$2,973	$1,639	$6,094

Best Car Insurance Providers in Louisiana

Let's take a look at some of the best car insurance providers in Louisiana. If you need insurance, consider these top choices first.

1. Best Overall: State Farm

State Farm is a reliable and consistently highly-rated choice for minimum and full coverage in Louisiana. State Farm offers drivers a number of unique auto insurance choices, ranging from special high-liability coverages for sports car owners to teen driving discounts for new drivers who bring home great grades.

State Farm also offers you a number of ways to save on your higher premium even if you have a poor driving record. You can earn a discount by taking a defensive driving course, following traffic laws and staying accident-free for at least 3 years.

From state minimum coverage to full coverage and even ridesharing coverage, State Farm offers affordable and discount-heavy insurance solutions.

2. Cheapest Car Insurance in Louisiana: Southern Farm Bureau

Wondering how to lower your car insurance? You might want to make the switch to Southern Farm Bureau. Southern Farm Bureau consistently offered some of the lowest car insurance rates in our review.

If you have a credit score of at least 580, you're likely to find some of the most affordable coverage choices through Southern Farm Bureau.

The company also offers a wide range of additional discounts, including up to a 30% premium discount when you agree to use the safe driving Driveology plugin that monitors your speed.

3. Best Coverage for Multiple Cars: Allstate

Do you have multiple cars? If so, you want to make sure that you're getting the most expansive coverage possible and keep your premium costs under control.

You can bundle your car insurance policy together with other types of insurance and take advantage of additional discounts when you insure more than 1 vehicle.

Allstate also offers replacement value coverage choices that offer you the full replacement value of your vehicle if it's totaled in an accident. This is particularly beneficial in Louisiana, where premium increases after accidents are higher than in other states.

4. Best for Military Personnel: USAA

USAA insurance is one of the country's most highly-rated insurance providers and offers expansive coverage options for members of the armed forces, veterans and their families.

USAA offers policyholders a flexible payment date option, which allows you to choose when your premium is due.

This can be especially beneficial if you're living on a fixed income each month or you're working to put away more in savings. If you need other types of insurance (like homeowners insurance or life insurance) you can also bundle your policy and save more when you choose USAA.

Find the Best Insurance for You

The best way to make sure that you're getting a deal on your car insurance policy is to leave yourself plenty of time to compare insurance options. Most Americans do little to no research when they sign up for car insurance. This results in many drivers who overpay for their coverage — and you may not realize you can get a better rate.

Don't be afraid to take some time to shop around for car insurance. Collect multiple quotes and speak to more than 1 representative. Compare discounts you qualify for and ask representatives if you can reduce your premium or deductible over time by staying accident-free. It doesn't hurt to regularly look for new quotes even if you already have car insurance to ensure that you're getting the most affordable coverage possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

1) Q: Is there any way I can lower my insurance premiums?

You can often get a lower premium by maintaining coverage without any gaps in coverage. You can also lower your premium with discounts. Bundling your products is another way to lower your car insurance premiums. Get a customized quote to see if you can lower your premiums.

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2) Q: What kind of discounts are usually available?

The most common discounts available are multi-policy and auto-pay, but every company is different. Other discounts that are widely available are loyalty, good student and anti-theft device discounts.

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3) Q: How do I ensure that I'm properly covered?

The best thing you can do is talk to your insurance carrier or agent and be honest about your car and driving history. If you have made any modifications to your vehicle, let your insurance company know so that you will be covered in the event of a loss. It's a good idea to maintain more than the state minimum coverage — you want to replace your car for the full value if you have to.

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*Quotes were obtained using the following profile: base 2015 Toyota Camry, male, 40-years-old. Policies reflect state minimum coverage options. We make every effort to provide the most accurate quotes based on the profile above. Due to the many combined variables involved in insurance quotes, the only way to get an accurate quote is to enter your own information through our partners' secure websites.

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