Delaware runs an unusual hybrid. Every registered vehicle needs 25/50/10 liability coverage, $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 for property damage, plus personal injury protection (PIP) of $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident, per 21 Del. C. §2118 and the Delaware DMV. PIP is the coverage most people associate with no-fault states, yet Delaware is not one.
Insurance scholars call this an "add-on" system: PIP pays your own medical bills and lost wages regardless of fault, but unlike in true no-fault states, your right to sue the at-fault driver is not restricted by any injury threshold. You get first-party benefits and full tort rights, and every Delaware quote you compare must include both required coverages.
The figures below explain the policy structure used in Delaware. They do not predict an individual premium. For a broader view of how state rules differ, use our national car insurance directory.
Delaware minimum car insurance requirements
Most quotes begin with liability coverage. Bodily injury liability addresses covered injury claims made by other people when you cause a crash. Property damage liability addresses covered damage to their vehicles or other property. The legal minimum keeps a policy compliant, but it does not say how much financial risk a household can comfortably retain.
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one person
- Required amount or rule
- $25,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered injuries to one other person
- Coverage
- Bodily injury liability, one accident
- Required amount or rule
- $50,000
- What it generally addresses
- Total covered injuries in one accident
- Coverage
- Property damage liability
- Required amount or rule
- $10,000
- What it generally addresses
- Covered damage you cause to other property
- Coverage
- PIP or medical coverage
- Required amount or rule
- PIP required: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident
- What it generally addresses
- Medical coverage rules vary by policy
- Coverage
- Accident framework
- Required amount or rule
- At-fault
- What it generally addresses
- The responsible driver's liability coverage is central
- Coverage
- SR-22 filing
- Required amount or rule
- This state does not use the SR-22
- What it generally addresses
- Applies only when ordered after qualifying events
| Coverage | Required amount or rule | What it generally addresses |
|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, one person | $25,000 | Covered injuries to one other person |
| Bodily injury liability, one accident | $50,000 | Total covered injuries in one accident |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 | Covered damage you cause to other property |
| PIP or medical coverage | PIP required: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident | Medical coverage rules vary by policy |
| Accident framework | At-fault | The responsible driver's liability coverage is central |
| SR-22 filing | This state does not use the SR-22 | Applies only when ordered after qualifying events |
Source: Delaware Department of Insurance — Auto insurance guide
What the state minimum covers, and what it leaves with you
A minimum policy is designed to satisfy state law. It is not designed around the value of your car, the size of a possible injury claim or the amount of savings you want to protect. Those are household decisions, so they need a separate review.
A financed or leased vehicle commonly needs collision and comprehensive coverage under the contract even when state law does not require them. For plain-language definitions and buying context, visit our insurance guides before selecting limits.
Rules and risks that matter in Delaware
State law is only the starting point. These Delaware-specific details show what to confirm before you compare coverage or buy a policy.
PIP without no-fault: Delaware's add-on system
Delaware's mandatory PIP covers medical expenses and lost earnings for you and your passengers after a crash, no matter who caused it, the minimum is $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident. That means your first line of recovery is your own policy, which speeds up payment compared with waiting out a fault dispute.
Because there is no lawsuit threshold, the at-fault driver's liability coverage still matters for everything PIP doesn't reach, pain and suffering, and losses above your PIP limits. Carriers price the PIP layer very differently, and higher PIP limits are available, so comparing Delaware quotes line by line often reveals more spread than the headline premium suggests.
No SR-22s in Delaware, the FR-19 instead
Delaware is one of a handful of states that does not use SR-22 filings at all. Instead, when the Division of Motor Vehicles needs to confirm coverage, after a lapse, a violation, or an uninsured-motorist inquiry, it requires an FR-19, an insurance certification form your insurer sends to the DMV verifying that your vehicle has been continuously insured and that coverage is currently in force.
Unlike an SR-22, the FR-19 is a one-time verification, not a multi-year filing that follows you around. The lasting cost of a violation in Delaware shows up in your premium instead, which is precisely when comparing quotes across carriers pays off most, since insurers weight the same record differently.
The $10,000 property damage floor
Delaware's minimum property damage limit is $10,000, among the lowest components of its requirements, and modest against the price of the average car on I-95. If you total a newer vehicle, the gap between $10,000 and the actual damage comes out of your own pocket.
One more Delaware quirk worth knowing: the DMV does not accept out-of-state insurance to title and register a vehicle. A Delaware registration needs a Delaware policy, so drivers moving into the state end up shopping the market whether they planned to or not.
Compare Delaware options using one coverage design
Enter your ZIP once, keep the limits consistent and review which licensed partners may be available for your profile.
No account · No obligation
You review the contact consent before sending and can see who may contact you.
Start a Delaware quote requestWhat affects car insurance rates in Delaware?
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Delaware was $1,296 in 2022. This is a historical statewide expenditure benchmark from NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement. It combines many types of drivers and policies, so it should be used for market context rather than as a current quote estimate.
Insurers apply their filed rating plans to the household in front of them. Two neighbors can see different prices, and the same household can receive a wide range from different companies because each insurer weighs the inputs differently.
Garaging location
Claim frequency, traffic, repair costs, theft and weather exposure vary across Delaware ZIP codes.
Drivers and record
Age, driving experience, citations, accidents, claims and continuous insurance history can affect price and eligibility.
Vehicle and use
Repair technology, vehicle value, annual mileage, commute and business use change the potential cost of a claim.
Coverage choices
Liability limits, collision, comprehensive, optional benefits and deductibles determine what the policy is being asked to pay.
Household details
Other licensed drivers, additional vehicles and bundling opportunities can change the account-level price.
Company fit
Insurers target different customer profiles. No one company is consistently cheapest for every driver in every territory.
Before you switch
Read the declarations, not only the price.
The declarations page shows drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles and selected benefits. Match those fields before deciding that one quote is better.
Learn how a quote becomes a policy →How to compare Delaware car insurance quotes
Keep the drivers, vehicles, limits, deductibles, dates and payment method the same. Then compare the full-term cost and change only one choice at a time.
Compare insurance companies on price, coverage and service
A familiar name is not automatically the best fit. Compare how each insurer sells and services policies, which optional programs it offers and whether it writes your profile in Delaware. Availability and underwriting can vary by state.
See how Progressive sells and services policies →
See how GEICO sells and services policies →
See how State Farm sells and services policies →
See how Allstate sells and services policies →Company marks link to independent editorial reviews. They do not identify quote partners or a personalized match.
Browse all company reviews →Compare car insurance by Delaware city
State law applies across Delaware, but the garaging address can add a more local rating layer. Use a city guide to review ZIP related factors, vehicle details and the quote worksheet, then return here for the state requirement source.
Check the facts
Rules and market data used on this Delaware page
The minimum-coverage table is paired with a first-party state reference, and the legal authority named in the guide is 21 Del. C. §2118; Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles. Historical premium context is labeled by year and linked to the underlying publication. These sources do not replace a policy contract or individualized legal advice; rules and forms can change, so confirm current requirements with the regulator, insurer or a licensed professional.
State requirement source
Delaware Department of Insurance — Auto insurance guide ↗Official state guide describing Delaware's required liability and personal injury protection coverages.
Historical market data
NAIC — 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement ↗Historical statewide average-expenditure data published by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in June 2024.
Regulator directory
NAIC — State insurance department directory ↗Directory of state insurance regulators for current consumer guidance, licensing checks and complaints.
Checked by Show my rates · Last updated August 3, 2026
Delaware car insurance FAQs
Ready to request options in Delaware?
Request options for your ZIP with no account and no obligation to buy. Keep the coverage consistent so the comparison stays useful.
No account · No obligation
You review the contact consent before sending and can see who may contact you.
Start my quote request