What Is the Louisiana “No Pay, No Play” Law?

September 14th, 2018

In addition to having a valid driver license to legally drive a vehicle in Louisiana, you also must be covered by a valid auto insurance policy.

Uninsured or under insured drivers who cause accidents can be held personally liable for the damages they cause to other people or property, and that money often comes straight out of their pockets.

But did you know that not carrying any (or enough) auto insurance also means that you may lose out on the chance to get compensation for a crash that wasn’t your fault?

Louisiana’s No Pay, No Play statute was passed in 2011, and it means that victims of another driver’s negligence are prevented from collecting the first $15,000 of bodily injury damages and the first $25,000 of property damages if they’re uninsured or at the time of the accident.

3 Things to Know about No Pay, No Play in Louisiana

The No Pay, No Play statute is complex. Here are three things to know about it, including important exceptions:

1. The law only requires that drivers carry minimum liability insurance—not full or comprehensive coverage.
2. The law doesn’t apply to drivers involved in crashes who are from other states with different insurance requirements.
3. The law doesn’t apply if the at-fault driver broke certain laws before the crash, including driving while intoxicated, intentionally causing the accident, fleeing the scene, or if the at-fault driver is in for commission of a felony.

If you have questions about this law after a car accident, contact our legal staff today. We’re here to help.

Get Insured to Ensure You’re Eligible for Compensation

At Dudley DeBosier, our Louisiana car accident lawyers fight for the rights of injured victims like you. It’s important to always get in touch with a lawyer if you were hurt or your vehicle was damaged in a crash. We’ll review the facts and help you choose your next steps.