Cheap Car Insurance in Delaware (2023)

Connecticut drivers live in the ninth most-expensive state for purchasing auto insurance, paying a high average premium of $305 per month. The national average, for comparison, is only $233 per month. Shopping around is an easy way to find cheap car insurance. You simply have to enter your ZIP code, individual driver information, and vehicle type to compare quotes.

Best cheap car insurance in Delaware: USAA

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USAA

Best Cheap Car Insurance in Delaware

The cheapest insurer available varies for each driver, depending on each insurer’s methodology for calculating rates. USAA, State Farm, and Travelers are three auto insurers that not only offer some of the state’s cheapest auto insurance but also earn high Insurify Composite Scores for financial strength and customer satisfaction.

Minimum car insurance requirements in Delaware

All motor vehicles operated or parked on Delaware roadways are required to be insured. Proof of insurance must be carried in your car at all times and must be available when:

• Requested by law enforcement

• Renewing vehicle registration

• The vehicle is involved in a car accident

The minimum liability insurance requirements for private passenger vehicles in Delaware are:^[1]

• $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury: As a major part of your liability insurance, bodily injury coverage covers medical bills for people other than the policyholder who are injured during an accident. Delaware is an at-fault state, meaning the driver who is responsible for the collision is also responsible for paying for any resulting expenses, either through their car insurance provider or out of pocket.

• $10,000 per accident for property damage: If it’s determined that an insured driver is at fault for an accident, this coverage pays for repairs to the property of the other involved parties. Additionally, property damage coverage can cover legal costs if the insured driver is involved in a lawsuit following the accident.

• $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for PIP: Personal injury protection coverage, also referred to as PIP coverage, will cover the policyholder for medical payments they incur in the event of an accident. Depending on your plan, you may also receive non-medical benefits, compensating you for lost wages, household expenses, and even funeral costs.

Delaware DMV information

The Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV) provides driver education, administers driver’s licenses and ID cards, audits uninsured motorists, and issues titles and registration for vehicles.^[2] You can access these services at four Delaware DMV facilities, in Wilmington, New Castle, Dover, and Georgetown. Many of the DMV’s services are also available online.

Public transportation in Delaware

DART First State, which has a mobile app, is the only public transportation system that serves the whole state of Delaware. Buses connect the state’s busier counties, with additional buses running to the beach during the summer. DART also provides transportation within New Castle, Kent, and Sussex Counties. The SEPTA train line connects Wilmington and Newark.

Tips for getting cheap car insurance in Delaware

Cheap car insurance is attainable for Delaware drivers, even for those with a poor driving history or credit score. Even though the state’s insurance rates are higher than the national average, shopping around for quotes from multiple providers will help you find cheap auto insurance matching your profile. Compare quotes today to save money on quality coverage.

Some other ways you can save money on car insurance include:

• Bundling multiple policies

• Looking for discounts, like good student or good driver discounts

• Increasing your deductible

• Maintaining a good credit score

Liability-only vs. full-coverage insurance in Delaware

If you live in Delaware, you can opt to carry liability-only auto insurance, which pays for expenses related to injuries and damage to the other party’s car if you cause an accident. Each state sets its own minimums for how much liability insurance it requires drivers to carry. Liability-only insurance can make sense if:

• You have a low-value vehicle.

• You can afford to repair or replace your car out of your own pocket.

• Getting the cheapest insurance possible is your top priority.

For a higher level of protection, you can choose full-coverage insurance, which includes basic liability plus collision and comprehensive coverage. Collision coverage pays for damages to your car, even if you’re at fault for an accident. Comprehensive coverage pays for damages caused by events out of your control, like vandalism, weather, and animals. Auto lenders and leasing companies typically require drivers to carry full coverage on a car they’ve financed.

You may also opt for full coverage if:

• You have a high-value vehicle.

• You wouldn’t be able to afford to repair or replace your car out of pocket.

• Your car’s actual cash value (the payout you’d likely get if your car is totaled) exceeds your annual premium to carry full coverage.

Here’s a look at the cheapest auto insurance in Delaware by policy type.

How your driving history affects Delaware car insurance rates

Your driving history is the factor that most influences your car insurance costs. Good drivers — whose records are free of serious traffic violations like speeding tickets or reckless driving — tend to get the best car insurance rates in Delaware. But infractions like driving under the influence or at-fault accidents can significantly increase insurance costs.

Here’s a look at average monthly quotes for the cheapest car insurance in Delaware based on driving and accident history.

SR-22 insurance in Delaware

If you get your driver’s license suspended, many states require you to have a special liability form called an SR-22 that proves you meet minimum insurance requirements to get it back. Most companies can file an SR-22 for you, and they must notify the state that they’re providing you with special insurance. But the state of Delaware doesn’t require SR-22s.

How credit scores affect Delaware car insurance quotes

Delaware allows insurance providers to consider credit scores as an indicator when determining rates. Drivers with excellent and good credit scores qualify for lower rates than those with poor credit scores.

How your city affects Delaware insurance quotes

In population-dense areas where you’re more likely to wind up with an at-fault accident, auto insurers will charge higher rates. In the table below, you’ll see that rates in Delaware vary on a city-by-city basis, partially due to factors like population, crime rates, climate, and more. Average rates in the state are the lowest in Rehoboth Beach and the highest in Wilmington.

How your age affects your Delaware car insurance rates

Because insurers generally equate age with experience level, your age will significantly affect how much you pay for car insurance. New drivers, who tend to be teens or people in their early 20s, typically pay more for insurance than drivers 25 and older.

The following table gives a high-level view of how age can affect insurance rates.

Quotes for younger drivers

Drivers younger than 25 typically have the highest insurance costs of any age group. Traffic violations like DUIs, speeding tickets, or at-fault accidents can push rates even higher for young drivers. The following table shows average monthly car insurance rates for young drivers in Delaware.

Quotes for middle-aged drivers

Drivers tend to find their rates start to drop after they turn 26. As they continue to gain experience, and keep their driving records in good shape, their costs may fall even further. But traffic violations can raise their rates, in some cases dramatically. The following table explores the impact certain traffic incidents can have on average monthly car insurance rates for middle-aged drivers.

Quotes for senior drivers

Years of driving experience and fewer miles driven usually mean senior drivers can find very cheap car insurance rates. In Delaware, average monthly rates for senior drivers can be as low as $115 for minimum coverage. But accidents and DUIs can cause rates to rise for senior drivers.

Delaware car insurance FAQs

Insurify Insights

How Delaware Drivers Measure Up

While most drivers know that car insurance quotes are determined in part by your personal driving history, many may be unaware that rates are also impacted by the average risk of the drivers around you as well. Check out Insurify's latest analysis of driving records in Delaware below:

Methodology

Drawing from an internal database of over 4 million car insurance applications, the research team at Insurify analyzes patterns in car ownership and driver behavior - including how Delaware drivers measure up to their fellow motorists across the United States in areas including speeding, DUIs, and more.
Insurify Insights publishes data-driven articles, trend analyses, and national rankings each week on all factors related to cars and those who drive them.

Nissan Altima

Most Popular Car in Delaware

#29

State with the Most Speeding Tickets Rank

#38

State with the Moving Violations Rank

#48

State with the Most DUIs Rank

#48

State with the most Suspended Licenses

• Accidents in Delaware

  While car accidents are a sadly unavoidable feature of time spent on the road, rates of accidents do vary from city to city and from state to state. Delaware is the #39 state in the country for drivers with an at-fault accident on their driving record.

  • Rank among states: #39
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with an accident: 7.5%
• DUIs in Delaware

  While driving while intoxicated is never acceptable, it’s a more common offense than many assume. Delaware is the #48 state in the country for drivers with a prior drunk driving conviction.

  • Rank among states: #48
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with a DUI: 0.7%
• Reckless Driving in Delaware

  Reckless driving refers to a specific traffic violation: when drivers willfully act dangerously in spite of the risks they’re imposing on both themselves and others. Delaware is the #22 state in the country for drivers with a reckless driving offense on record.

  • Rank among states: #22
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with a reckless driving offense: 1.4%
• Rude Driving in Delaware

  The Insurify team classifies rude drivers as those who commit one or more of the following driving offenses: failure to yield or failure to stop, improper backing, passing where prohibited, tailgating, street racing, or hit-and-run. Delaware is the #22 state in the country for drivers with a rude driving violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #22
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with a rude driving violation: 1.6%
• Speeding in Delaware

  Exceeding the speed limit can endanger others and have a serious impact on your insurance costs. Delaware is the #29 state in the country for drivers with a speeding ticket on record.

  • Rank among states: #29
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with a speeding ticket: 8%
• Failure to Yield Rates in Delaware

  Failing to yield the right of way isn’t just frustrating for other drivers; it’s dangerous, too. Delaware is the #27 state in the country for drivers with a failure to yield violation on record.

  • Rank among states: #27
  • Percent of drivers in Delaware with a failure to yield violation: 0.1%

Insurify Insights

Insurify's team of data scientists and content specialists presents Insurify Insights, a series of automotive, home, and health studies focusing on the topics that impact us all. through expert analysis of over 4 million car insurance applications and an array of top data sources, the Insurify Insights team produces new data-driven articles, trend analyses, regional superlatives, and national rankings every week. See Insurify Insights as featured in Forbes, Fox News, USA Today, NPR, and more.