Louisiana requires liability limits of 15/30/25. That covers $15,000 for one person's injuries, $30,000 total for injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Here's how that compares with a common higher-limit setup:
Louisiana drivers typically pay between $2,502 and $4,180 a year for full coverage, while a state-minimum liability policy usually runs about $993 to $1,500 a year. Those figures place Louisiana among the most expensive states in the country for auto insurance, though your own rate depends heavily on factors you can influence.
Most St. Tammany Parish drivers notice the problem at renewal. The car is the same, the commute is the same, nobody filed a claim, and the premium still climbed. The number on your declarations page reflects a statewide story and a personal one. You can't rewrite the statewide part, but you have more say over the personal part than most people realize.
The Average Cost of Car Insurance in Louisiana
Full coverage in Louisiana averages between $2,502 and $4,180 annually as of late 2026. Full coverage usually means liability plus collision and comprehensive. If you only carry the legal minimum, expect something closer to $993 to $1,500 per year, or roughly $85 to $125 a month.
Those averages hide a wide spread. Location carries a lot of weight in Louisiana pricing. A driver in New Orleans can pay over $5,250 a year, while someone in Shreveport might pay closer to $1,700 for identical coverage. Northshore drivers in Covington and Slidell often land somewhere between those extremes, depending on ZIP code, commute, and claim activity in the area.
The state also sits near the very top nationally. Louisiana consistently ranks as the first or second most expensive state for auto insurance in the U.S. There is some good news, though. Several major insurers implemented rate decreases of 6% to 15% between late 2025 and early 2026. If you haven't compared quotes since then, your current price may no longer reflect the market.
Why Louisiana Ranks Among the Most Expensive States
Insurers set rates based on what they expect to pay out, and Louisiana claims cost more than claims almost anywhere else. Three local pressures do most of the damage.
Litigation is the biggest one. Louisiana has the highest rate of bodily injury claims in the U.S., and residents are nearly twice as likely to file injury claims as drivers elsewhere. A fender bender that ends with two repair estimates in many places can end with an attorney, medical treatment, and a settlement here. Heavy attorney involvement helps push Louisiana premiums roughly 40% above the national average.
Weather comes next. Hurricanes, tropical storms, and flash flooding can total thousands of vehicles in a single event. Every flooded car in a Slidell driveway becomes a comprehensive claim, and those losses get spread across every policyholder in the state.
Uninsured drivers fill out the picture. Roughly 11.7% to 15.4% of Louisiana drivers are uninsured. When one of them hits you, your own uninsured motorist coverage often pays for your injuries. Insurers price that risk into your premium.
Louisiana Minimum Requirements vs. Full Coverage
Louisiana requires liability limits of 15/30/25. That covers $15,000 for one person's injuries, $30,000 total for injuries per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. Here's how that compares with a common higher-limit setup:
| Coverage | State Minimum (15/30/25) | Extended Limits (100/300/100) |
|---|---|---|
| Injury per person | $15,000 | $100,000 |
| Injury per accident | $30,000 | $300,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 | $100,000 |
| Damage to your car | Not included | Often paired with collision and comprehensive |
| Flood or storm damage | Not included | Covered under comprehensive, if added |
| Typical fit | Older car, tight budget | Homeowners, families, newer vehicles |
In plain terms, the minimum protects other people from you, and only up to a point. A single trip to the emergency room with a night of observation can eat through $15,000 fast. In a state where injury claims are so common, anything above your limit can come back to you personally, including your savings and future wages.
Property damage is a quieter gap. Many new trucks and SUVs on I-12 cost well over $25,000, so a multi-car accident can exceed that limit in seconds. Raising your limits usually costs far less than the jump in protection might suggest, because the first dollars of coverage are the most expensive to insure.
Which Rating Factors You Control
You can't move the hurricane track or change how often lawsuits get filed in Louisiana. You can change a surprising number of things insurers look at when they price your policy.
Credit history is one of the largest. Louisiana drivers with poor credit may pay up to 111% more than those with excellent credit. Paying bills on time and keeping card balances low can show up on your auto premium within a renewal or two.
Your vehicle choice matters before you ever sign the paperwork. Insurers weigh repair costs, theft rates, and how much injury damage a model tends to cause. A practical sedan with strong safety ratings typically costs less to insure than a high-horsepower truck. Get a quote on the specific VIN before you buy, not after.
Your Driving History and Claims Record
Tickets and at-fault accidents usually follow you for three to five years, depending on the carrier. One speeding ticket in Mandeville can raise your rate at every renewal during that window. Claims history counts too. A common mistake we see is filing a small claim, say $900 for a scraped bumper, and then paying more than that in higher premiums over the next few years. For small damage, paying out of pocket may cost less overall.
Choosing Your Deductibles and Limits
Deductibles work in your favor if you plan carefully. Moving collision from $500 to $1,000 typically lowers your premium, as long as you can actually cover $1,000 the day a claim happens. Keep an eye on your comprehensive deductible too, since flood and hail claims fall there. Don't cut liability limits to save money, though. Lowering liability saves little and leaves you exposed in exactly the type of claim Louisiana sees most.
Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana Auto Insurance
Is car insurance required in Louisiana? Yes. Every registered vehicle needs at least 15/30/25 liability coverage, and driving without it can bring fines and the loss of your registration.
Does full coverage pay if my car floods? Flood damage typically falls under comprehensive coverage. Liability-only policies won't pay to repair or replace your own car after a storm.
Do I need uninsured motorist coverage? Louisiana insurers must offer it, and you have to reject it in writing if you don't want it. With so many uninsured drivers, most people are better off keeping it.
Why did my rate go up when I didn't file a claim? Rates reflect statewide and local claim costs, not just your record. Repair prices, injury settlements, and storm losses in your area can all raise your premium.
How often should I compare quotes? Once a year is a good habit, and also after a move, a new car, or a change in your credit. Recent rate decreases by some insurers make comparing especially worthwhile right now.
Will my credit really affect my car insurance?
Yes. Louisiana insurers can use credit-based insurance scores, and the gap between poor and excellent credit can be significant.
The Value of an Independent Agency in Covington and Slidell
A captive agent can only show you one company's price. In a market where insurers keep adjusting rates up and down, that's a real limitation. One carrier may have just filed a decrease while another raised prices, and you'd never know from a single quote.
Aubert Insurance Agency is an independent agency, which means we compare rates from multiple leading carriers in one place. We've served drivers across St. Tammany Parish since 1910, through a lot of storms and a lot of market swings. That history gives us a practical read on which carriers tend to be competitive for Northshore drivers, and for which kinds of risks.
Carrier features vary, and that's where comparison really pays off. Some insurers may offer accident forgiveness after a clean period. Others typically provide rental reimbursement or roadside assistance as low-cost add-ons, and a few may handle glass claims with no deductible. We explain what each option actually covers, including the exclusions, so you know what you're buying before you need it.
As the insurance commissioner's office put it, "As cost drivers in the market go down... businesses are incentivized to compete for customers through lower pricing." Shopping across carriers is how you get the benefit of that competition.
Making the Right Choice for Your Policy
L ouisiana auto insurance costs more than it does almost anywhere else. Lawsuits, storms, and uninsured drivers keep statewide prices high, and no single driver can fix that. Your own premium is a different story. Your credit, your driving record, the car you pick, and the deductibles you choose all move the number, sometimes by hundreds of dollars a year.
The other big factor is simply shopping. With several insurers lowering rates recently, the policy you bought two years ago may not be the right fit today. Comparing coverage side by side, with someone who explains the trade-offs honestly, is the fastest way to find out.
Kyle Beerbohm and the team at Aubert Insurance Agency work with drivers in Covington, Slidell, and across St. Tammany Parish. We'll review your current coverage, shop it with multiple carriers, and walk you through the options in plain language. Ready to see where you stand? Start a Quote today.
About the Author
Kyle Beerbohm
President
We've been independent since 1910, and four generations of local ownership have kept us that way. We're one of the oldest agencies in St. Tammany Parish and the fourth oldest business in the City of Covington. I treat that history as a responsibility rather than a plaque on the wall. My job is to keep us answering to the families and business owners who walk through our doors, and to keep serving this parish for another hundred years.
