Great Scott! Is Your Louisiana Auto Insurance Ready for the Future?
One of my favorite movies of all time is Back to the Future Part II.
As a personal injury attorney, I occasionally wish I had Doc Brown's DeLorean sitting in my parking lot so I could travel back in time and prevent accidents before they ever happen.
Unfortunately, time travel is still a few years away.
The next best thing is making sure your family has the right insurance coverage before you ever need it.
When Was the Last Time You Reviewed Your Insurance Coverage?
Most people put off reviewing their insurance policies for the same reason they put off writing wills or updating estate plans:
Nobody enjoys thinking about bad things happening.
Unfortunately, waiting until after a serious accident is often too late.
Over the years, I have seen families devastated not only by the accident itself, but by discovering afterward that they did not have the insurance coverage they thought they had.
I once represented the family of a young father who was killed in a collision caused by an underinsured driver. The at-fault driver carried only the minimum liability limits, and our client had rejected uninsured motorist coverage.
The result was heartbreaking.
A simple coverage decision made years earlier dramatically changed the resources available to support his surviving family.
Do You Really Have "Full Coverage"?
When I ask clients what kind of insurance they carry, one answer comes up again and again:
"I've got full coverage."
The problem is that "full coverage" means something different to almost everyone.
For many drivers, it simply means they carry the minimum insurance required to legally operate a vehicle.
That may protect your lender or satisfy Louisiana law, but it may not adequately protect you or your family.
The Most Important Coverages to Consider
Liability Coverage
Liability coverage protects you if you are responsible for causing an accident.
Beginning in 2025, Louisiana requires minimum liability limits of:
Those are minimums.
Serious injuries can exceed those amounts very quickly.
If possible, consider purchasing higher limits and discussing umbrella coverage with your insurance agent.
Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage
This may be the most important coverage on your entire policy.
UM coverage protects you and your family if the driver who causes the accident has no insurance or not enough insurance to fully compensate you for your injuries.
Louisiana does not require drivers to carry UM coverage, but rejecting it can have devastating consequences after a serious accident.
Our recommendation is simple:
Purchase as much UM coverage as you can reasonably afford.
Collision Coverage
Collision coverage pays for damage to your own vehicle regardless of who caused the accident.
If the other driver's insurance company is slow to investigate or if the other driver is uninsured, collision coverage can often get you back on the road much faster.
Medical Payments Coverage
Medical payments coverage, often called "Med Pay," can help cover deductibles, co-pays, and out-of-pocket medical expenses following an accident.
This coverage is particularly valuable for families with high-deductible health insurance plans.
Roads? Where We're Going, We Still Need Insurance.
The best time to review your insurance coverage is before you need it.
Pull out your declarations page, review your coverages, and make sure you understand what protections are actually in place for you and your family.
If you are not sure, call your insurance agent and ask questions.
Free Insurance Policy Review
As a thank you for making it all the way to the end of this article, we are happy to review your automobile insurance declarations page with you and help you better understand the coverages you currently have.
Simply send us a copy of your declarations page and we will walk through it with you.
Questions about your coverage?
Contact us online or call our Covington office directly at 985-590-6182 to schedule your free consultation today.
We represent clients throughout St. Tammany Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Washington Parish, and communities across the Northshore including Covington, Mandeville, Slidell, Hammond, and Madisonville.
Here's to looking out for your future.
When you hire us, rest assured that an attorney handles your case. Your
file won’t be handed over to a junior attorney or secretary. Communication is a cornerstone of our firm.
Our legal library is full of articles on a variety of topics related to personal injury claims in Louisiana. Learn about how accidents happen, what to do when you are a victim, and how an attorney can help you fight for the compensation you may deserve.
