Average Cost for Car Insurance in Louisiana
- Louisiana state minimum liability on average costs $92 a month or $1,103 a year. Full coverage policies costs around $390 a month or $4,676 a year.
CheapCarInsurance pulls cost data from recent real time auto policy quotes across the state. Data is based on a driver profile of a single person with a clean driving record that is middle aged and drives a modern vehicle.
Louisiana, with 8 different nicknames, prides itself on its uniqueness. As “The Bayou State”, its vast swamplands and marshes hold mystery and intrigue for visitors from all over the world. As “The Sportsman’s Paradise”, this state boasts an enormous variety of wildlife, hunting excursions, fishing opportunities and outdoor recreation activities. With so many options, Cheapcarinsurance.net is simplifying Louisiana’s affordable car insurance options by organizing all the information you need in one place.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Louisiana
- On average the cheapest car insurance companies in LA are USAA, Louisiana Farm Bureau and GEICO. State minimum liability car insurance starts at $88 a month or $1,062 a year with USAA. Full coverage car starts at $303 a month or $3,633 a year followed by LA Farm Bureau.
See our comparison data of cheap auto insurance providers and policy rates for state minimum liability and full coverage here:
LA Auto Insurance Costs by County & Vehicle Type
Louisiana is known for having some of the highest car insurance rates in the United States. According to recent 2023 data from our own personal insurance cost database, the average annual cost of car insurance in Louisiana is approximately $1,600 per year. This puts Louisiana well above the national average for car insurance rates. However, the average costs will depend on a few factors such as personal driving records, demographics, current city you live and what type of vehicle you drive. To further breakdown what you can expect to pay for a policy in Louisiana, here is a breakdown by city and vehicle type:
| Auto Insurance Costs by County: | Sedan: | SUV: | Coupe: | Truck: | Hybrid: |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia | $1,483 | $1,307 | $1,430 | $1,481 | $1,561 |
| Allen | $1,611 | $1,413 | $1,549 | $1,543 | $1,697 |
| Ascension | $1,771 | $1,561 | $1,710 | $1,786 | $1,858 |
| Assumption | $1,622 | $1,433 | $1,561 | $1,645 | $1,708 |
| Avoyelles | $1,795 | $1,584 | $1,735 | $1,809 | $1,880 |
| Beauregard | $1,335 | $1,160 | $1,275 | $1,359 | $1,421 |
| Bienville | $1,378 | $1,198 | $1,310 | $1,411 | $1,475 |
| Bossier | $1,356 | $1,186 | $1,302 | $1,374 | $1,434 |
| Caddo | $1,447 | $1,257 | $1,385 | $1,468 | $1,534 |
| Calcasieu | $1,475 | $1,291 | $1,420 | $1,489 | $1,552 |
| Caldwell | $1,463 | $1,272 | $1,396 | $1,441 | $1,558 |
| Cameron | $1,660 | $1,361 | $1,587 | $1,448 | $1,727 |
| Catahoula | $1,449 | $1,261 | $1,381 | $1,441 | $1,546 |
| Claiborne | $1,392 | $1,206 | $1,316 | $1,434 | $1,500 |
Minimum Requirements for Car Insurance
- Louisiana state law has protected all drivers in the state by making it mandatory to possess liability insurance coverage.
- Liability Coverage minimums for LA:
- $25,000 per single bodily injury or death.
- $50,000 per multiple bodily injury or deaths.
- $25,000 for property damage.
How to Get a New State License
- Louisiana drivers have 30 days from residency to obtain a valid state drivers license. A driver with an out-of-state license expired less than 1 year only needs to pass the vision test during the application process. If the applicant’s license is expired 1 year but less than 2, he/she needs to pass the vision, written and traffic sign exams. An applicant with a license expired 2 years or more must pass the vision, written, traffic signs and road skills tests.
- Louisiana participates in a Graduated License Program (GDL), which allows drivers to obtain driving experience prior to becoming eligible for a full license. The Louisiana Driver’s Guide explains each of the 3 steps in detail. The following is an overview of the program:
- Learner’s Permit. To obtain a permit, the applicant must be at least 15 years old and have a parent/legal guardian sign the application. The applicant must follow these requirements:
- Complete 30 hours of classroom drivers education instruction and 8 hours of driving instruction
- Must pass vision, written and traffic signs exams
- Must maintain the permit for a minimum of 180 days
- May only drive with a licensed driver age 21 or older or with an immediate relative age 18 or older
- Intermediate License. After completing the permit phase, an applicant 16 years or older may apply for the intermediate license. The following parameters are required:
- Must pass the road skills test.
- May not drive between the hours of 11 pm and 5 am unless accompanied by a licensed driver age 21 or older or an immediate family member age 18 or older.
- Must maintain the license until turning age 17
- Upon passing the following tests and paying the appropriate fees, an applicant who has successfully completed the GDL may obtain a Full Unrestricted License. Applicants over 17 years of age who have not completed the GDL may apply for a Full License after completing a Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles approved driver education course.
- Vision Exam. An applicant must have a visual acuity of at least 20/40 to pass the vision exam. Restrictions apply, and corrective lenses are permitted.
- Traffic Signs Test. The applicant will be evaluated on his/her ability to identify and understand traffic signs by shape, color and/or symbol.
- Knowledge Test. A multiple-choice test, the Louisiana Driver’s Guide contains all the necessary information to pass the knowledge test.
- Road Skills Test. The road test is designed to evaluate an applicant’s driving ability. The vehicle, provided by the applicant, must have proof of insurance and current registration. The test administrator will evaluate the applicant’s skills by requiring the driver to:
- Observe and obey 2 stop signs
- Obey 2 traffic signals
- Make 2 lane changes
- Make 2 reversal maneuvers
- Make 3 left turns
- Make 3 right turns
- Park straight-in
- Fees. The following fees apply for every applicant:
- Learner’s Permit, $21.50
- Full License Fees, $36.50 ($46 in New Orleans):
DUI & DWI Laws in Louisiana
- BAC limit: .08 Louisiana maintains a BAC of .08 for drivers 21 and older and a BAC of .02 for drivers under 21. Penalties for under-21 DUI offenses vary in severity according to the circumstances of the offense. Following is an outline of the major penalties resulting from a Louisiana DUI:
- First Offense:
- Imprisonment: 6-month maximum
- Fine: $300 to $1,000
- License suspension: 90 days
- Possible Ignition Interlock Device (IID) installed
- Second Offense:
- Imprisonment: 30 days to 6 months
- Fine: maximum $1,000
- License suspension: 12 months
- Possible IID installed
- Third Offense within 5 Years:
- Imprisonment: 45 days to 5 years
- Fine: maximum $2,000
- License suspension: 2 years
- IID required
- Additional fines, suspension terms, imprisonment sentences and other penalties may be exacted for various factors involved in each offense.
