Used Car Dealer Insurance in Louisiana
Simple Insurance Solutions for Families, Drivers, and Businesses
Running a used car lot comes with a specific set of coverage requirements — and most generalist agents don't know them cold. We do. Harris General Insurance Agency works with independent dealers across Jefferson Parish and the Greater New Orleans metro, putting together the full coverage package your lot needs to operate, stay licensed, and keep your floor plan lender satisfied.
What Louisiana Used Car Dealers Are Required to Carry
Louisiana requires any dealer who sells five or more vehicles in a 12-month period to register as a dealership with the Louisiana Motor Vehicle Commission — and with that registration comes a mandatory coverage package. Garage liability insurance and an auto dealer surety bond are required before the state will issue or renew your dealer license. Open lot coverage and commercial auto round out a complete package for most operations.
Here's what each piece does
and why it's on your lot:
Auto, homeowners, and flood insurance for residents across Jefferson Parish. Flood coverage in Louisiana is its own separate policy — and it's one we know how to put together the right way.
Personal Insurance
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Garage Liability Insurance
Garage liability is not the same as general liability. A standard GL policy is written for businesses that don't operate, service, or move vehicles — which means it won't respond the way you need it to when something happens during a test drive or on your lot. Garage liability is specifically designed for auto dealer operations. It covers the liability exposures that come with running a dealership: customer vehicles in your care, test drive incidents, and lot operations. This is the coverage that actually fits your business.
Floor Plan & Open Lot Coverage
Your inventory is your business. Floor plan and open lot coverage provides physical damage protection for the vehicles on your lot — hail, theft, collision, weather events. If you're financing your inventory through a floor plan lender, they'll require this coverage before funding. We build these policies to meet your lender's specific requirements so there are no surprises at the table.
Auto Dealer Surety Bond
The Louisiana DMV requires a surety bond as a condition of dealer licensure — it's not optional and it's not insurance in the traditional sense. A dealer bond is a guarantee to the state and your customers that your dealership will operate within Louisiana's regulations. We handle bond placement as part of your overall dealer coverage package.
Commercial Auto for Dealers
Dealer plates cover a lot of situations, but they don't cover everything. If your operation includes owned vehicles, employee drivers, transport runs, or vehicles used for business purposes beyond the lot, commercial auto fills that gap. We build this coverage to match how your operation actually runs — not a generic policy written for a different kind of business.
Local Knowledge. Better Dealer Coverage.
A Local Agent Who Already Knows Jefferson Parish Dealerships
There are national agencies that rank for Louisiana dealer insurance from Florida. We're in Kenner. That distinction matters when you're trying to get a question answered before a floor plan draw, or when your lot has a situation on a Friday afternoon and you need someone who picks up.
As an independent insurance agent, we work with multiple carriers that write dealer business in Louisiana — which means we can shop your coverage and place it with the company that fits your lot's size, inventory mix, and risk profile. Not every dealer operation looks the same, and your coverage package shouldn't either.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Talk to a Local Dealer Insurance Agent
What insurance does a used car dealer need in Louisiana?
Louisiana used car dealers who sell five or more vehicles in a 12-month period are required by the state to carry garage liability insurance and an auto dealer surety bond as conditions of licensure. Beyond the state requirements, most dealers also need floor plan and open lot coverage — especially if they're working with a floor plan lender — and commercial auto coverage depending on how the operation runs. We put together the full package and walk through each piece with you.
What's the difference between garage liability and general liability for a car lot?
General liability is written for businesses that don't handle vehicles. Garage liability is specifically designed for auto dealer operations and covers the liability exposures that come with your lot — test drive incidents, vehicles in your care, lot operations. If a dealer is carrying a standard GL policy instead of garage liability, there's a gap in their coverage that may not show up until a claim.
Can an independent dealer insurance agent in Jefferson Parish really compete with the big national agencies?
On price, yes — because we work with multiple carriers and aren't tied to one company's rates. On service, it's not close. When you call us during business hours, you reach a licensed agent who knows your account. You're not navigating a call center or waiting for a callback from someone in another state who has to pull up your file.
Do you help with floor plan lender requirements?
Yes. Floor plan lenders have specific coverage requirements that have to be met before funding, including named insured designations and minimum coverage amounts on your open lot policy. We build your dealer insurance package to meet those requirements and can confirm compliance with your lender directly.
Do you write dealer insurance outside of Jefferson Parish?
We serve dealers throughout the Greater New Orleans metro — Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, and the surrounding areas. If you're based in Louisiana and want to talk through your coverage, give us a call and we'll let you know if we can help.
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Harris General Insurance Agency has served independent used car dealers across Jefferson Parish and the Greater New Orleans metro for over 10 years. Rick Harris is a licensed independent insurance agent based in Kenner, Louisiana, with specific knowledge of Louisiana dealer licensing requirements, floor plan lender compliance, and the carrier options available for used car dealer insurance in this state. We're a local agency, and dealer coverage is a core part of what we do — not a side category. Learn more about our agency on our About page.
10+ Years in Jefferson Parish
Independent Agency
Multiple Carriers
English & Spanish
Real Person Answers Every Call
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Questions About Your Coverage Package? Let's Walk Through It.
Every dealer operation is a little different — lot size, inventory mix, floor plan situation, how many drivers you've got. Call us during business hours and we'll talk through what you've got and what you need. No pressure, just a straight conversation.