PART II. SECURITY FOLLOWING ACCIDENT

§871. Report required following accident; availability

A. The operator of every motor vehicle which is in any manner involved in an accident within this state, in which any person is killed or injured or in which damage to the property of any one person, including himself, may report, in writing, to the commissioner a claim for property damages and damages for physical injury sustained as a result of such accident. Such report, the form of which shall be prescribed by the commissioner, shall declare in writing that the motor vehicle is covered by security as required by this Chapter, including the name of the insurance company, policy number, effective dates of the policy, and the amount of said security, listing the liability limits as well as bodily injury and property damage limits if also maintained, and such other information as the commissioner may require to enable him to determine whether the requirements for the deposit of security under R.S. 32:872 are applicable by reason of the existence of insurance or other exceptions specified in this Chapter. The commissioner may rely upon the accuracy of the information unless and until he has reason to believe that the information is erroneous. If such operator is physically incapable of making such report, the owner of the motor vehicle involved in such accident, may make such report. The operator or the owner shall furnish such additional relevant information as the commissioner shall require.

B. The Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall keep a record of information concerning insurance coverage or security declared pursuant to Subsection A. Upon the written request of and the payment of a fifteen dollar fee by any interested person, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections shall forward this information as to insurance coverage or security as required by this Chapter.

C. In such case that the Department of Public Safety does not have a record of the requested information, the department shall direct a written inquiry as to insurance coverage or security as required by this Chapter by registered or certified mail to the owner or operator, or both, of a motor vehicle involved in any accident in this state. After the lapse of fifteen days, the department shall provide an affidavit to said interested person as to the response or lack thereof received from said owner or operator, or both.

D. In the event that the damage described in Subsection A of this Section is to property owned by the state, then the report authorized by Subsection A shall be submitted if the amount of damage exceeds fifty dollars.

Acts 1952, No. 52, §4. Amended by Acts 1962, No. 495, §1; Acts 1967, No. 24, §1; Acts 1967, No. 106, §1; Acts 1970, No. 623, §1; Acts 1980, No. 510, §2; Acts 1980, No. 621, §2; Acts 1981, No. 483, §1; Acts 1985, No. 496, §1; Acts 1986, No. 516, §1; Acts 2001, No. 456, §1; Acts 2012, No. 221, §1.