Do I Have to Give My Insurance Info if Someone Hits Me in New Orleans, LA? 2025

When you drive on the roads in Louisiana and New Orleans, you do what you can to avoid accidents. Unfortunately, you can’t always stop an accident from happening, especially when someone else is careless. You may wonder: Do I have to give my insurance info if someone hits me in New Orleans, LA?

Usually, you are required to share this information with anyone who has damaged property or was injured in the crash, even if you weren’t to blame. All drivers must provide this information when directed by a law enforcement officer. It’s important to understand when you have to report accidents and the requirements for insurance information.

Are You Required to Provide Insurance Information to the Other Driver After an Accident?

In Louisiana, drivers in a crash have certain requirements they must meet if property damage totals over $500 or if anyone was injured or killed. Your requirements as a driver are to:

• Report the accident to the police department, state police, or the sheriff’s office right away.
• Provide your address, name, and vehicle registration number to anyone injured or sustaining property damage.
• Provide your driving permit or license if requested by anyone with property damage or an injury.
• Provide your information and driver’s permit or license to any law enforcement officer investigating the accident.

When you report an accident, a law enforcement officer is required by law to investigate it, and they are also required to instruct drivers to give certain information to anyone with an injury or damage to property. An officer may instruct you to provide:

• Your name and address
• The name and address of the owner of the vehicle, if it isn’t you
• The vehicle’s license plate number
• The name of your liability insurance carrier for your vehicle
• The name, phone number, and address of the insurance agency that manages the vehicle’s insurance policy

If the other driver in the accident is uncooperative, the officer can ensure all drivers exchange the proper information.

Why Is It Important to Exchange Insurance Information?

Besides legal requirements, insurance information is helpful for injured individuals who have significant costs they need to cover. Car accidents can result in serious and costly damage, even those that don’t cause injuries. When another party is to blame for these costs, they should be held liable. An car insurance claim allows you to do this and cover your financial losses.

In Louisiana in 2024, the costs per person from vehicle accidents ranged from $6,351 for no apparent injuries to over $2 million for fatality costs. Suspected serious injuries cost nearly $519,000 per person. Property damage-only costs were $8,810 per vehicle. These costs need to be addressed, and an insurance claim helps address them. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, an insurance claim could recover all your damage costs, including;

• Medical bills
• Lost income
• Lowered earning potential
• Disability
• Property damages
• Lost enjoyment of life
• Pain and suffering

There were a total of 17,257 vehicle accidents in New Orleans in 2024. Sixty-five percent of the suspected injuries in the city occurred to drivers in the accidents. If you hire a skilled car accident lawyer, they can fully assess these damages and negotiate a fair settlement with the insurance company under the at-fault driver’s coverage limits.

Consequences for Not Exchanging Insurance Information

A driver who refuses to provide their insurance information can face civil and administrative penalties like fines and license suspension. It also makes it harder to secure any damages from an insurance claim because the standard procedure for the accident wasn’t followed.

In certain cases, a driver who fails to provide this information or identify themselves can be criminally charged with a hit-and-run. This charge can be a felony offense if anyone was injured or killed in the accident.

FAQs

Do I Need Insurance if Someone Else Hits Me?

Yes, In New Orleans, LA you need to have insurance if someone else hits you. In some cases, you will still need to recover partial damages from your own insurance. Additionally, in Louisiana, you are legally limited from recovering damages if you do not have the required liability insurance. Unless the accident is serious, you likely cannot recover any damages. Your injury costs must exceed $15,000, and your property damage $25,000 to begin recovering any damages.

What Happens if You Don’t Report an Accident Within 24 Hours in Louisiana?

Louisiana doesn’t require you to report an accident within 24 hours, but to report an accident immediately if anyone was injured or killed, or if the accident led to a sufficient amount of property damage. If you don’t follow these requirements, you could be charged with a hit-and-run.

If the accident occurs in a local area that is under an order of evacuation or a state of emergency, you have 72 hours from the time of the crash to report it.

Can Someone Refuse to Give You Their Car Insurance Information?

Another driver in an accident you were both involved in must exchange identifying information with you according to Louisiana law. The police officer on site will instruct all drivers to provide identifying and insurance information to all individuals suffering injury or property damage. Failing to do this can result in legal consequences.

If someone refuses to provide this information, you can take actions like requesting a copy of the police report, filing a complaint, or filing a legal claim.

Do You Need a Police Report to File an Insurance Claim in Louisiana?

You aren’t required to have a police report to file an insurance claim in Louisiana, but generally, it helps significantly. Any accident with injury or sufficient property damage should be reported, meaning there will be a police report. Securing this report gives you crucial supportive evidence of the accident to provide in your insurance claim. It may be possible to use other evidence, like footage of the crash or witness statements, to file a claim.

Getting Experienced Legal Support in New Orleans

After an accident, it is important that you report the accident and exchange the required information. It is also just as important that you find a skilled car accident attorney. Your insurance company will be involved in the investigation of the accident, but they are not looking out for your interests.

When you work with Murphy Law Firm, we fight for your interests and help protect you against accusations of fault. Reach out to schedule a consultation and learn how we can help protect your financial future.

About The Author

Peyton Murphy

Peyton Murphy, is the founder of Murphy Law Firm, LLC, based in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, specializing in personal injury law. Peyton obtained his law degree from the prestigious Tulane School of Law in 1991 and has been licensed to practice law in Louisiana since 1993. With over 28 years of experience, Peyton is dedicated to representing injured victims and actively contributing to his community. Education: Obtained his law degree from Tulane School of Law in 1991. Professional Associations: Member of the Louisiana State Bar and active in the Baton Rouge Bar Association and the Louisiana Association for Justice. Experience: Founder of Murphy Law Firm, LLC, with extensive experience in personal injury law and licensed in multiple federal courts and the U.S. Supreme Court.

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