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Delaware Minimum Car Insurance Requirements, Penalties and Other Auto Insurance Laws
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What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in Delaware?
How much car insurance you need in Delaware depends on a number of factors, including the value of your vehicle and what you can afford. However, in Delaware, the minimum car insurance coverage a driver should have includes 25/50/10 in liability coverage along with personal injury protection. This means that you need:
- $25,000 in bodily injury per person
- $50,000 in bodily injury per accident
- $10,000 in property damage per accident
- $15,000 in personal injury protection per person
- $30,000 in personal injury protection per accident
Note that while these are the minimum limits, you are free to increase them according to your needs and for additional protection.
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What Does This Minimum Coverage Mean?
In Delaware, car insurance laws require that drivers have a minimum amount of liability coverage and personal injury protection to drive in the state. Drivers need 25/50/10 in liability limits, which includes $50,000 in bodily injury coverage per accident with a $25,000 limit per person and $10,000 in property damage coverage. Bodily injury pays for the medical expenses of an injured third party, while property damage liability pays for damages to a third party’s vehicle or personal property.
Drivers in Delaware are also required to have at least $15,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage per person and $30,000 per accident. This pays for any injuries you may incur as the driver and any injuries your passengers may receive in an accident, regardless of who is at fault.
How Much Does the Minimum Car Insurance Cost in Delaware?
Car insurance premiums in Delaware are computed based on a number of factors. Personal details, like your age, postal code, credit score, driving history and more, will be considered by insurers. Your choice of insurer also affects your rates, as some insurers will weigh some factors more heavily than others.
The cheapest insurer in Delaware is USAA, charging an average of $355 per year. However, their policies are only available for current and former military members and their families. State Farm is the next cheapest and most widely available insurer, with their policies costing an average of $791 per year.
These prices are only estimates based on rates for an average Delaware driver and should not be used to compare insurance prices.
The premiums gathered by MoneyGeek were based on the state’s minimum coverage of 25/50/10 with $15,000 in PIP per person and $30,000 per accident. A sample profile of a 40-year-old male based in Delaware with a 2010 Toyota Camry and a good driving record and credit score was used.
If you're instead looking for a policy that balances quality with affordability, MoneyGeek also ranked the top car insurance companies in Delaware.
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What Is the Minimum Car Insurance Requirement in Delaware While Leasing a Car?
If you’re leasing a car, the leasing company may have different car insurance requirements compared to the state. Usually, these requirements are higher. For drivers in Delaware, car lease insurance requirements can vary from company to company, but most leasing companies may ask that you carry full coverage car insurance with at least 100/300/50 liability limits. To determine your actual minimum limits, contact your financial leasing company.
While the state of Delaware imposes a minimum liability limit and PIP coverage, note that this may not be enough if you get into an accident. How much car insurance you need depends on your driving history and other factors.
Generally, MoneyGeek recommends having full coverage insurance with at least 50/100/50 in liability limits, as this can increase your financial protection. Considering that 8.5% of drivers in Delaware are uninsured, it’s best to stay on the safe side and have comprehensive and collision coverage with higher liability limits.
Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance in Delaware
Since car insurance is a legal requirement in Delaware, you’re liable to receive a host of penalties if you’re caught without it. This is why you must always carry proof of insurance through an insurance ID card physically or electronically to show authorities in the event of an accident.
If you are caught driving by a law enforcement officer without any insurance, you will face the following penalties upon conviction:
- Driving license and vehicle registration suspension for six months
- Fines between $1,500 and $3,000
Frequently Asked Questions About Car Insurance in Delaware
As car insurance laws can vary, understanding the requirements in Delaware can be a little confusing. MoneyGeek has answered a few frequently asked questions to help drivers in Delaware navigate the realm of car insurance.
Yes, Delaware car insurance laws state that all drivers should have car insurance with at least 25/50/10 in liability limits, with $15,000 in PIP per person and $30,000 per accident. These minimums help pay for the injuries of and damages to any third parties while also ensuring that the driver and their passengers are protected from financial strain as well.
Yes, showing proof of car insurance is required before you can register a car in Delaware. Car insurance laws mandate that all drivers must have car insurance to drive within the state. Otherwise, drivers can be fined and penalized.
In Delaware, the minimum car insurance coverage is 25/50/10, along with personal injury protection. This helps protect third parties in an accident as well as the drivers and passengers involved. Note that you can increase coverages as desired based on your needs.
In most states like Delaware, car insurance typically follows the vehicle. This means that anyone who has the consent to drive the policyholder’s car will be covered in the event of an accident, so long as they have a policy following state minimums.
A license is typically required to get car insurance in Delaware. Without it, insurers may turn you away. This is because your license is used to look up your driving history. If you have no license, you have no records. This could cause you to be viewed as a high-risk driver. While you may find insurers willing to give you a policy, they may also increase your premiums.
Delaware is not a no-fault state. It’s an at-fault state that requires drivers to have no-fault insurance coverage. This means that while the state requires that someone is held responsible for an accident, it also requires that all parties have some form of insurance to cover their own injuries.
Yes, personal injury protection coverage is required in Delaware. This can help pay for the medical bills, loss of income and other accident-related costs that a driver or passenger incurs in an accident.
No, the state of Delaware does not require drivers to have uninsured motorist insurance. This coverage helps a driver with any fees involved after getting into an accident with an uninsured party who is at fault.
Drivers in Delaware are subject to diminished value compensation after an accident. Diminished value compensation is where a driver can get the difference between a vehicle’s value before and after an accident. This is because the value of cars automatically lowers after being involved in a collision or accident.
While car insurance requirements do not change in Delaware after a DUI, it may be difficult to obtain if you have this offense on your track record. This is because you will be seen as a high-risk driver, and insurers may turn you away because of it. In this event, you can get insurance through the Delaware Auto Insurance Plan (DAIP).
Delaware does not require a CARCO Inspection. This is where a vehicle photo inspection will be conducted before you purchase insurance in order to document the condition of the vehicle pre-insurance.
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sources
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- CollisionClaims.com. "Delaware Diminished Value Claims." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Delaware.gov. "Personal Injury Protection." Accessed July 11, 2021.
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- Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles. "Vehicle Services Registration." Accessed October 23, 2023.
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- Insurance Information Institute. "Facts + Statistics: Uninsured motorists." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Kelly Blue Book. "Penalties for Driving Without Car Insurance by State." Accessed July 11, 2021.
- Motor1. "What Documents Do You Need For Car Insurance? (2021)." Accessed July 9, 2021.