Louisiana Home Insurance Quotes
A Louisiana homeowners quote starts with the property ZIP code. The Louisiana Department of Insurance says how much the policy costs depends on the company, the type of policy, and any additional coverage you add. Homeowners insurance is a package policy for property claims and liability claims. Property claims cover loss or damage to the home and to personal possessions, including possessions you carry for personal use when you travel. Liability claims arise when someone else suffers a bodily injury or damage to their property because of something you did or did not do, and they may result in a lawsuit. Homeowners policies do not cover damage due to floods. Compare the same limits and read the exclusions before you choose a policy.
How to Compare Louisiana Home Insurance
The department says to compare similar policies, and not to choose a policy only because it costs less. Consider other factors, such as the credibility of the company. Use the same dwelling limit, personal-property basis, liability limit, deductibles, and policy form on every quote. A larger deductible, actual cash value instead of replacement coverage, or a missing peril changes what the policy pays. The department’s shopping worksheet says the company is obligated by law to provide the reason for the rate you are given upon request.
A home insurance comparison by ZIP code is where those matching quotes are lined up for the same Louisiana property.
Companies have underwriting characteristics they use to determine eligibility. The department says some will look at the condition of the home, whether there is a pool, and the kinds of pets you have. Ask the producer about discounts you may be eligible for, such as an anti-theft device or a FORTIFIED roof. The shopping worksheet labels an electronic burglar alarm system and burglar-proofing, such as deadbolt locks and secondary locking devices, as mandatory discounts for homes that meet the eligibility standards. The insurance company guide is where you check the companies listed on this site before a missing quote is treated as the end of the search.
Policy Forms the Department Describes
The department’s consumer guide describes a Basic Form, a Broad Form, a Special Form, a Comprehensive Form, and a Special Condominium Form. Different insurance companies may give them different titles. The perils they insure are basically the same. When you decide which form fits the property, the guide says to be aware that some properties and perils are excluded from most homeowners policies.
The Basic Form protects the home and personal property such as furniture, carpeting, and personal belongings. It covers damage due to fire or lightning, removal of property endangered by a peril, windstorm or hail, vandalism or malicious mischief, theft, damage from vehicles and aircraft, glass breakage, and comprehensive liability.
The Broad Form includes the Basic Form and also insures the home and personal property against building collapse, freezing of or accidental discharge of water or steam from within plumbing, heating and air-conditioning systems, and domestic appliances, falling objects, the weight of ice, snow, or sleet, and rupture or bursting of hot water heating systems. It also provides comprehensive personal liability coverage.
The Special Form covers the home against all risks except certain specified exclusions, such as earthquakes. It covers other structures, such as a garage, the perils covered in the Broad Form, damage to or loss of personal property, and comprehensive liability. The Comprehensive Form insures a dwelling and personal property against all risks except certain specified perils, such as earthquakes.
The Special Condominium Form is designed for condominium unit owners and is not offered by all insurance companies. It provides contents coverage and coverage for improvements. It insures only the interior of the dwelling, not the structure itself.
The guide says animals, birds, fish, automobiles, and business property that is away from the covered premises are not covered by most homeowners policies. Loss and damage caused by flood, surface water, water that backs up through sewers or drains, earth movement, nuclear damage, and war are not covered. In some instances you can purchase additional coverage for an excluded item. Personal liability and medical payments do not apply to the operation or ownership of an aircraft, an automobile, a recreational motor vehicle, or a watercraft powered by a motor of more than 50 horsepower, or to bodily injury or physical damage caused by an intentional act of the insured. If you operate a business out of the home, the department says to consider a separate business policy for the business property and for liability if someone is injured because of the business activity.
Named-Storm and Hurricane Deductibles
Check with your producer to find out whether a named-storm or hurricane deductible is written into the policy. The department says there is a trend among insurance companies in Louisiana to apply a named-storm or hurricane deductible because of the frequency of storms in the state. As an example, the consumer guide says a 2 percent named-storm or hurricane deductible would require you to pay up to 2 percent of the insured value of the home instead of the usual deductible you pay for other types of losses. Homeowners policies in Louisiana can have various types of deductibles. A higher deductible means a higher out-of-pocket expense if there is a loss. Depending on the company, the policy may have a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind and hail deductible.
Advisory Letter 2018-01, revised and reissued on November 8, 2023, explains how authorized insurers apply La. R.S. 22:1337. An authorized insurer that issues homeowners insurance, or insurance on a one- or two-family owner-occupied premises, and that uses a separate deductible in place of any other deductible for loss or damage resulting from a named storm or hurricane, shall apply that separate deductible on an annual basis to all named-storm or hurricane losses that occur during the calendar year. If the insured has more than one of those losses during a calendar year, the insurer may apply only the balance of any unused separate deductible, up to the amount of that separate deductible. The insured incurs only one separate deductible each calendar year for all losses caused by a named storm or a hurricane.
The advisory letter says the policy sets the event that triggers the separate deductible and the amount of that deductible. La. R.S. 22:1337(A)(2) defines a named storm as a storm system that has been declared a named storm by the National Hurricane Center of the National Weather Service. On a policy that uses a named-storm deductible, the trigger is whether that office assigns a name, whether the storm is classified as a subtropical storm, a tropical storm, or a hurricane. If the policy instead says the separate deductible applies to a storm the National Hurricane Center classifies as a tropical storm or a hurricane, a subtropical storm does not trigger it, even when that storm has a name. Most companies will suspend the sale of insurance once a hurricane or tropical storm is approaching.
Flood Coverage
The department says homeowners policies do not cover damage due to floods, and that most homeowners policies do not provide coverage for flood damage. Look into a separate flood policy no matter where you live. Ask your producer whether the insurer offers flood insurance for the house and its contents. The department says the federal government is responsible for the regulation and distribution of flood insurance through FEMA. The National Flood Insurance Program does not provide coverage in excess of $250,000 for the house and $100,000 for its contents. If you need more coverage, excess flood insurance may be purchased through a private insurer. Do not wait until a storm is coming. It may take 30 days after purchase for a flood insurance policy to go into effect.
Replacement Cost and Actual Cash Value
The department describes two ways the settlement can value property. Actual cash value is the replacement cost of the item minus depreciation. Replacement coverage is the cost of replacing an item without deducting for depreciation. Most policies require you to actually replace the item in order to receive full reimbursement. Check the policy to see which kind of coverage it uses. If the policy pays actual cash value and you would prefer replacement coverage, the department says it may be added for an increase in the premium.
The department recommends insuring the home for the full replacement value so that, on a total loss, the amount you should receive equals the cost to rebuild the home, minus the deductible. The shopping worksheet says the replacement cost of the house does not include the value of the land, the foundation, landscaping, a septic system, or a water well. If you insure the home for an amount that is less than 80 percent of its value, some policies will consider you a co-insurer, and you will be responsible for up to 20 percent of repair costs if there is a loss.
Most policies limit the amount of reimbursement for valuable items, such as jewelry, furs, silverware, guns, antiques, fine art, and computer equipment. If you have particularly valuable items in those categories, the department says you may need to purchase additional coverage. That coverage is based on the value of the item being insured. The guide does not set one dollar limit for every policy. Read the limit in the form you are asked to buy.
| Louisiana comparison item | What can differ | What the Department says to verify |
|---|---|---|
| Named-storm deductible | Usual deductible, or a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind and hail deductible | The policy sets the trigger and the amount. When a separate named-storm or hurricane deductible applies, it is once per calendar year. |
| Flood | Not covered by the homeowners policy, or bought as a separate flood policy | Flood is excluded. National Flood Insurance Program coverage does not exceed $250,000 for the house and $100,000 for contents. A new flood policy may wait 30 days. |
| Rebuild limit | Actual cash value, or replacement coverage | Full replacement value does not include the land. Below 80 percent of value, some policies treat you as a co-insurer for up to 20 percent of repair costs. |
| Citizens | A regular-market policy, or coverage through the residual market | Citizens is the insurer of last resort. A licensed producer can place coverage, including wind and hail a policy excludes. |
Louisiana Citizens
The Louisiana Department of Insurance says the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation was created by the Legislature to operate the high-risk property insurance pool. Citizens serves as the insurer of last resort for consumers who are unable to obtain property insurance in the regular insurance market. Some homeowners policies, especially for property along the coast, exclude coverage for wind and hail damage. Citizens offers this type of supplemental coverage, along with other basic property insurance. Any Louisiana licensed property and casualty producer can place coverage with Citizens on your behalf. If you are unable to secure homeowners insurance through the private market, the department says to ask your agent about Louisiana Citizens.
When the regular market will not write the property, the high-risk homeowners insurance guide is the next page to read before a declined quote is treated as the end of the search.
Cancellation and an Act of God Loss
After you receive the policy, read the cancellation provisions. The department says it is important to understand when and how the company can or cannot cancel or refuse to renew. If the company decides to cancel or not renew, you have the right to know why. If you make a written request for the reason, the company must respond within a reasonable period of time and specify in writing the reasons for the cancellation or refusal to renew. The consumer guide says the company cannot cancel, refuse to renew, or increase the amount of the premium on a homeowners policy based solely on a loss caused by an Act of God. An Act of God is an incident due directly to natural causes and exclusively without human intervention.
If you believe a company has improperly refused to issue or renew a policy, or has refused to pay all or part of a claim, the department says the first step is to contact the adjuster, producer, or other company representative. Be prepared to give your name, address, telephone number, policy number, type of policy, and the nature of the complaint. If you do not receive a satisfactory response, contact the Louisiana Department of Insurance.
The Louisiana Department of Insurance publishes the homeowners guidance these rules come from. Louisiana Department of Insurance
Questions to Ask Before Buying
- Which insurer will issue the Louisiana policy, and is that company licensed in Louisiana?
- Is this quote a Basic Form, a Broad Form, a Special Form, a Comprehensive Form, or a Special Condominium Form?
- Does the policy pay replacement coverage or actual cash value, and is the dwelling limit the full replacement value rather than the value of the land?
- Is the dwelling insured for at least 80 percent of its value, or would a coinsurance clause make you responsible for part of a repair?
- Is there a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind and hail deductible, and which storm classification triggers it?
- Does this homeowners policy cover flood, or is a separate flood policy needed for this address?
- Does this policy exclude wind and hail, and would a licensed producer place that coverage with Louisiana Citizens?
- Which valuable items have a limit inside this policy, and is additional coverage needed for them?
FAQ About Louisiana Home Insurance
Q: Does a Louisiana homeowners policy cover flood damage?
A: No. The Louisiana Department of Insurance says homeowners policies do not cover damage due to floods. Flood insurance is a separate policy. The department says the National Flood Insurance Program does not provide coverage in excess of $250,000 for the house and $100,000 for its contents, and a flood policy may take 30 days after purchase to go into effect.
Q: How does a named-storm or hurricane deductible work in Louisiana?
A: The department says a policy may use a separate hurricane, named-storm, or wind and hail deductible. Advisory Letter 2018-01 explains that when an authorized insurer uses a separate deductible for named-storm or hurricane losses, that deductible is applied once per calendar year. The policy sets the trigger and the amount. A 2 percent figure in the consumer guide is an example of a percentage of insured value, not a statewide deductible.
Q: What is Louisiana Citizens?
A: The Louisiana Department of Insurance says the Louisiana Citizens Property Insurance Corporation is the insurer of last resort for consumers who cannot obtain property insurance in the regular market. Some policies, especially along the coast, exclude wind and hail. Citizens offers that supplemental coverage, along with other basic property insurance. Any Louisiana licensed property and casualty producer can place coverage with Citizens.
Q: What is the difference between actual cash value and replacement coverage?
A: The department defines actual cash value as the replacement cost of the item minus depreciation. Replacement coverage is the cost of replacing the item without deducting for depreciation. Most policies require you to replace the item in order to receive full reimbursement. The department recommends insuring the home for its full replacement value, which does not include the land.
Q: Can the company cancel a homeowners policy because of an Act of God loss?
A: The department’s consumer guide says the company cannot cancel, refuse to renew, or increase the premium based solely on a loss caused by an Act of God. It defines an Act of God as an incident due directly to natural causes and exclusively without human intervention. If the company cancels or refuses to renew, a written request requires a written reason within a reasonable period of time.