Delaware auto insurance laws
Delaware car insurance laws state that drivers must carry at least minimum liability coverage. A driver caught without proof of insurance the first time faces a fine of $50 to $200. Fines are increased to $100 to $500 for second and subsequent offenses. Repeat offenders can also be jailed for up to six months.
Delaware minimum coverage requirements
Delaware minimum car insurance is designed to protect a driver from financial ruin if they cause an accident. Minimum coverage requirements include:
- Bodily injury liability coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Property damage liability coverage: $10,000
- Uninsured motorist bodily injury coverage: $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident
- Uninsured motorist property damage coverage: $10,000 per accident
- Personal injury protection coverage: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident
How to get cheap auto insurance in Delaware
Finding low-cost car insurance is a bit more difficult in Delaware than in most states due to its higher-than-average rates. Still, it can be done. The companies offering the most competitive rates are typically among the largest insurers in the country, with years of experience. To keep premium costs down, it pays to shop around, gather quotes, compare levels of coverage, and apply for any applicable discounts.
Discounts
How much is car insurance in Delaware? It's the price initially quoted, minus any discounts. The number of potential insurance discounts varies by the insurance company, but taking time to look through the options can save money. One way to land cheap auto insurance in Delaware is to snag every discount available. Here are some of the most common:
- Multi-car discount
- Multi-policy discount
- Professional organization discount
- Good student discount
- Defensive driver discount
- Pay-in-full discount
- Safety feature discount
- Usage-based discount
- Away-at-school discount
- Occupational discount
- Alumni discount
- New car discount
Car insurance quotes in Delaware, as in all states, are based in part on a driver's credit score. According to the Federal Trade Commission, studies show that drivers with low credit scores tend to make more insurance claims. To offset these expected claims, insurers charge those drivers a higher premium.
If a driver's credit score is low, taking steps to raise it can lower what they pay for auto insurance. You'll increase your odds of landing affordable car insurance in Delaware by focusing on score-raising habits like paying bills on time, paying down debt, and taking on new debt only when necessary. It may take time to build up a credit score, but it's worth the effort.
Other things to consider when looking for car insurance in Delaware
In 2018, lawmakers in Delaware passed House Bill 80, a law that restricts how insurance carriers underwrite policies. Here are some of the most striking changes:
- While insurance companies can still use credit scores to determine rates for new policies, they cannot use credit scores for policy renewals unless the policyholder specifically requests that they do.
- Insurers cannot consider a driver's age, race, gender, religion, nationality, marital status, zip code, or lack of credit history when they set premiums.
- Insurance companies cannot increase a driver's rates because they have reached the age of 75 or above.
- Insurance companies cannot increase a driver's rates because the driver's spouse died.
The best car insurance companies in Delaware are happy to provide potential policyholders with the facts and figures they need to compare insurers. Although some of the highest auto insurance premiums in the country are found in Delaware, there are still companies offering competitive rates. Minimum coverage costs as little as $46 per month, so don't drive without protection.
Need Homeowners Insurance? Check out The Ascent's list of the best homeowners insurance companies in Delaware.
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