Cheapest Health Insurance in Delaware (2026)

Key Takeaways

Delaware residents can find health insurance starting at $730 monthly with AmeriHealth, followed by Ambetter at $762 and Blue Cross Blue Shield at $830 for the three most affordable options.

Our analysis shows AmeriHealth is the most affordable for HMO plans, while Ambetter leads across every age category from children through seniors.

AmeriHealth has the cheapest health insurance in Delaware at $730 per month. But in our analysis, the monthly rate was only half the story. Delaware has three carriers in its market, and which one costs less depends almost entirely on how much health care you use in a year.

If you rarely go to the doctor, AmeriHealth's $730 rate is the right place to start. If you have regular prescriptions, see specialists or expect a surgery, Ambetter's yearly out-of-pocket limit of $5,386 is worth looking at first. That limit is $1,326 lower than AmeriHealth's.

Cheapest Health Insurance Providers in Delaware

AmeriHealth costs $730 per month on average, which is $54 less than the state average. Ambetter is second at $762 per month and Blue Cross Blue Shield is third at $830. Delaware only has three carriers in its marketplace, which means fewer plans to sort through but also less room to shop around.


AmeriHealth	$730	$54	$8,760	$648
Ambetter	$762	$22	$9,144	$264
Blue Cross Blue Shield	$830	$46	$9,960	$552

* We determine average monthly costs by rounding the mean of all monthly plan rates for each provider in Delaware. We compared each provider's average rate against the statewide average.

The spread between cheapest and most expensive is $100 per month, or $1,200 per year. But the cheaper plan doesn't always cost less by the end of the year. Ambetter's yearly out-of-pocket limit is $5,386. AmeriHealth's is $6,712. That $1,326 gap matters most if you use a lot of health care and reach your limit.

AmeriHealth

MoneyGeek Rating

5/ 5

5/5Affordability

5/5Deductible

5/5MOOP

Average Monthly Rate
$730
Average MOOP
$6,712
Average Deductible
$3,156

pros
- Offers average monthly savings of $54 compared to other Delaware insurers
- Wide network of local providers available throughout Delaware
- Strong customer service with high satisfaction ratings
cons
- Limited out-of-network coverage options available
AmeriHealth averages $730 monthly across all Delaware plans and earns a 5/5 affordability score in MoneyGeek's analysis. Premium range runs from $280 monthly for Catastrophic PPO coverage for children to $2,161 monthly for Platinum PPO coverage for 60-year-olds.
AmeriHealth is a harder fit if controlling costs after a claim matters more than controlling monthly premiums. Its average maximum out-of-pocket of $6,712 is $1,326 higher than Ambetter's $5,386 ceiling. Members who anticipate surgery, ongoing specialist visits or high prescription costs will likely pay more with AmeriHealth across a full year, even accounting for the lower monthly premium. Ambetter is worth comparing for those profiles.

If Ambetter's lower out-of-pocket ceiling fits your situation better, compare rates from both carriers before deciding.

Most Affordable Delaware Health Insurance by Category

When searching for the best health insurance provider, your personal rate varies based on factors such as age, selected plan type and chosen metal tier. Think about how monthly costs balance against deductibles and out-of-pocket limits before making a decision.

Your starting point depends on your expected care use. If you're under 40 and rarely use health care beyond an annual checkup, start with the Children, Teens or Young Adults rows and compare AmeriHealth's Bronze plans at $542 monthly against Ambetter's Silver tier at $719. If you're over 50 or managing ongoing conditions, go straight to the Seniors row and compare Ambetter's $5,386 maximum out-of-pocket ceiling against AmeriHealth's $6,712.

AmeriHealth has the lowest HMO premiums in Delaware, but with a higher maximum out-of-pocket than Ambetter.


Children	Ambetter	$430	$5,166	$5,386	$3,324
Teens	Ambetter	$514	$6,165	$5,386	$3,324
Young Adults	Ambetter	$576	$6,915	$5,386	$3,324
Adults	Ambetter	$719	$8,630	$5,386	$3,324
EPO	Ambetter	$719	$8,630	$5,386	$3,324
HMO	AmeriHealth	$764	$9,171	$5,898	$2,190
PPO	Blue Cross Blue Shield	$849	$10,190	$5,814	$3,100
Seniors	Ambetter	$1,527	$18,327	$5,386	$3,324

* These are average rates for all plan types and metal levels, with teens at 18 years old, young adults at 26 years old, adults at 40 years old and seniors at 60 years old. For plan type costs, we used average rates for 40-year-olds.

The most useful pattern in this table isn't which carrier wins each age row. Ambetter sets its maximum out-of-pocket at $5,386 across all age categories, the same ceiling for an 18-year-old as for a 60-year-old. For seniors, that consistency matters more than for any other age group. A 60-year-old on Ambetter pays $1,527 monthly but knows their annual out-of-pocket exposure tops out at $5,386. On AmeriHealth, a senior's MOOP ceiling is $6,712, a $1,326 gap that can determine total annual cost for anyone with recurring prescriptions or specialist visits.

Most Affordable Delaware Health Insurance by Metal Level

Delaware's 40-year-olds pay the lowest rates for Bronze coverage through AmeriHealth: $542 per month, with Expanded Bronze at $581 per month. Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the cheapest Catastrophic plans at $468, and Ambetter charges $719 monthly for Silver. Gold plans from AmeriHealth cost $752 per month with a $1,106 deductible, while Platinum plans start at $1,018 per month.


Catastrophic	Blue Cross Blue Shield	$468	$5,614	$10,600	$10,600
Bronze	AmeriHealth	$542	$6,508	$7,950	$7,950
Expanded Bronze	AmeriHealth	$581	$6,977	$7,725	$4,256
Silver	Ambetter	$719	$8,630	$5,386	$3,324
Gold	AmeriHealth	$752	$9,020	$6,300	$1,106
Platinum	Blue Cross Blue Shield	$1,018	$12,213	$3,863	$0

Delaware's metal-level data shows Gold plans offer a clear value advantage for moderate care users. AmeriHealth's Gold-tier plans average $752 monthly with a $1,106 deductible, the lowest deductible of any non-Platinum tier in our analysis. For a 40-year-old who expects moderate care use, Gold's lower deductible often reduces total annual spending compared to Bronze or Expanded Bronze, even with the higher premium.

Cheap Delaware Health Insurance: Personalized Picks

We've collected Delaware's statewide insurance data to help you sort through plans by costs and benefits.

Data filtered by:


AmeriHealth	Amerihealth Caritas Next Silver Signature + No Referrals	$761	HMO	Silver	$5,686	$3,100	40	No
AmeriHealth	Amerihealth Caritas Next Silver Essential + No Referrals	$766	HMO	Silver	$5,686	$3,257	40	No
AmeriHealth	Amerihealth Caritas Next Silver Premier + No Referrals	$766	HMO	Silver	$6,321	$214	40	No

How to Get Cheap Health Insurance in Delaware

Delaware's cheapest plan isn't always the one that costs least by the end of the year. These six choices determine whether you pay more or less than your premium suggests.

1
Look Beyond the Cheapest Plans
Bronze plans carry the lowest premiums in Delaware, but the deductible gap is wide. A 40-year-old moving from Bronze at $542 monthly to Gold at $752 pays $210 more per month, or $2,520 more per year. In return, the deductible drops from $7,950 to $1,106, a $6,844 reduction. If you hit your deductible once every three years or less, Gold costs less in total. If you rarely use care, Bronze's lower premium holds up.
2
Assess Your Medical Spending
Review last year's health care expenses before choosing a metal tier. Add up doctor visits, prescriptions and any procedures to get a realistic annual spend figure. Compare that total against the deductible for the plans you're considering: Delaware's Bronze-tier deductible averages $7,950, Silver averages $3,324 and Gold averages $1,106. The plan with the lowest total cost depends on how much care you actually use, not just which premium looks lowest.
3
Look at HMO Options
HMO plans average $764 monthly in Delaware versus $849 for PPO plans, an $85 monthly difference or $1,020 annually, for a 40-year-old. The tradeoff is network restrictions and specialist referral requirements. For members whose preferred doctors are in-network, the savings are real. For members who see out-of-network specialists regularly, a PPO's flexibility often costs less in total.
4
Verify Subsidy Eligibility
Premium tax credits through the Health Insurance Marketplace reduce monthly costs for households earning up to 400% of the federal poverty level. At that income threshold, credits can offset $200 or more monthly depending on the plan selected. Check eligibility at HealthCare.gov before comparing plan costs at full price.
5
Time Your Purchase Right
Open enrollment periods provide access to all available plans at standard rates. Missing this annual window means waiting until next year unless you experience a qualified life event like marriage, job loss or moving that triggers special enrollment eligibility.
6
Compare Provider Networks
Verify your preferred doctors and hospitals accept the plan you're considering. Network restrictions vary between insurers in Delaware. Contact your doctor's office directly to confirm they're in-network, as online directories aren't always current and out-of-network care costs more.

Cheapest Health Insurance in Delaware: Bottom Line

Delaware's three carriers serve three different buyer profiles and the data points to a clear answer for each.

If you rarely use health care beyond an annual checkup, AmeriHealth's Bronze plans at $542 monthly carry the lowest premium in the state. The $7,950 deductible is high, but you're unlikely to reach it.

If you expect moderate care use, a few specialist visits or regular prescriptions, AmeriHealth's Gold-tier plans at $752 monthly with a $1,106 deductible deliver the lowest deductible of any non-Platinum plan in Delaware's exchange. You pay $210 more per month than Bronze but your cost exposure is $6,844 lower.

For seniors or anyone managing a chronic condition, Ambetter's $762 monthly premium buys a $5,386 maximum out-of-pocket ceiling, $1,326 lower than AmeriHealth's $6,712. For members who reach their annual limit, that gap covers the $32 monthly premium difference many times over.

Cheapest Health Insurance in Delaware: FAQ

Find answers to the most common health insurance questions for Delaware residents:

How do I get cheap health insurance in Delaware?

Compare plans across multiple metal tiers from companies like AmeriHealth, Ambetter and Blue Cross Blue Shield during open enrollment. HMO plans average $85 less per month than PPO plans in Delaware. Check if you qualify for premium tax credits through the Health Insurance Marketplace. Balance monthly premiums against deductibles based on your expected health care needs.

How much does health insurance cost in Delaware?

Delaware health insurance averages $791 monthly, or $9,492 annually, across all plan types and metal levels. Monthly premiums range from $280 to $2,161, varying by age, coverage tier and plan type.

Does Delaware require health insurance?

Delaware doesn't require residents to carry health insurance. The federal individual mandate penalty was eliminated in 2019. Going without coverage means missing financial protection against medical costs and risking higher out-of-pocket expenses.

What is the open enrollment period for health insurance in Delaware?

Delaware follows the federal open enrollment calendar. For 2026 coverage, open enrollment ran from November 1 through January 15. Outside that window, you can only enroll if you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period through a life event such as losing job-based coverage, getting married, having a child or moving to a new address.

Which Delaware health insurance plan is best for someone with a chronic condition?

For members with ongoing prescriptions, specialist visits or planned procedures, Ambetter's $5,386 maximum out-of-pocket ceiling is $1,326 lower than AmeriHealth's $6,712. At $762 monthly versus AmeriHealth's $730, Ambetter costs $32 more per month, but that $384 annual premium difference is often recovered within the first major claim for high-utilization members. Gold-tier plans from AmeriHealth at $752 monthly with a $1,106 deductible are also worth comparing for members whose care costs are moderate but predictable.

Our Methodology

We gathered plan data from the federal health insurance marketplace for Delaware for plan year 2026, covering consumers aged 18 to 60. We pulled rates for five age profiles: 18, 26, 40, 50 and 60-year-olds across all available metal levels and plan types.

Our cheapest overall rankings use 40-year-old monthly premiums as the comparison baseline, since this age group represents the most common buyer profile and produces a clear apples-to-apples comparison across carriers. We calculated each carrier's average monthly rate by taking the mean of all individual plan rates available for that provider in Delaware's exchange, then rounding to the nearest whole dollar.

Age-specific rankings use each age group's own premium data. Lower premiums at the Bronze and Expanded Bronze tiers come with higher deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs, which affects total annual spending for members who use care regularly.

About Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick, a Licensed Property and Casualty (P&C) Insurance Producer in Connecticut, is MoneyGeek's resident insurance expert. He has spent nearly a decade analyzing the market, first at LendingTree and now at MoneyGeek, where he produces original research on hundreds of carriers and millions of rates across auto, home, renters, health and life insurance.

He covers economics and insurance at MoneyGeek, and his work has been featured in The Washington Post, The New York Times and NPR, among other outlets.

Like all MoneyGeek analysts, he draws on independent cost and consumer experience data. No insurance company partnership influences his recommendations.

Fitzpatrick earned his degrees from Johns Hopkins University (M.A. Economics and International Relations) and Boston College (B.A.). His career began in financial risk management at State Street. He's also a five-time “Jeopardy!” champion.

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