The insurance premium rates in Delaware are higher than the National average. This makes Delaware auto insurance expensive. On an average Delaware, drivers pay about 30% more for their car insurance than the rest of the country.
Some of the reasons for high Delaware auto insurance rates are the percentage of uninsured drivers, population density and high cost of car repairs.
In 2017, Delaware was estimated to have 11%+ uninsured drivers. This makes it more risky for an insurance company. This also means that the accident costs get divided among a fewer number of drivers. Another reason is that the more congested a state, the higher is the possibility of accidents. Delaware ranks sixth when it comes to population density. Finally, as per CarMD, Delaware is considered the 8th highest when it comes to car repair costs in the country.
There are many things that you can do in Delaware. You can drive to the canoes of Brandywine Creek or watch live entertainment at DelPark for free. You can also enjoy a wide variety when it comes to scenery and roads. You can see the ocean, beautiful lush green hills, and scenic countryside. Wherever you decide to drive in Delaware, you need to ensure that you have the necessary minimum auto insurance coverage.
As per the state of Delaware, you need to have the below limits of auto insurance coverage:
- Property Damage (PD) Liability: $10,000 per accident
- Bodily Injury (BI) Liability: $50,000 per accident /$25,000 per person
- Personal Injury Protection (PIP): $30,000 per accident / $15,000 per person
These are only the minimum that you should have. It makes sense that you have much more insurance coverage. This ensures that you won’t have to pay from your pocket if you get into an “at fault” accident. Since the number of uninsured motorists in the state is high, it makes sense to take uninsured or underinsured liability insurance. Since most states have approximately the same levels of insurance and most insurance providers give you cover for the above-mentioned minimum insurance liability coverage, it makes sense to check for options so that you get the cheapest Delaware car insurance.
Factors that Determine Delaware Auto Insurance
Even within Delaware, the cost of auto insurance varies. The most expensive is Wilmington and the cheapest is Lewes. However, there are a number of other factors that affect your insurance premium amount. They include your age, your gender, your marital status, the type of vehicle you drive, the safety features of your vehicle, the model of your vehicle, the make of your vehicle, the alarm system of your vehicle, your driving record, how much you drive per year, how many claims you have had, etc. The types of coverage you want and the amount per coverage type also affects your insurance premium amount.
Types of Coverage for Delaware Car Insurance
The most common Delaware car insurance coverage options are collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, uninsured motorist coverage, etc. In Delaware, PIP (Personal Injury Protection) is mandatory. We recommend that you should take uninsured and underinsured liability coverage as the number of uninsured motorists in the state is very high. Also, keep in mind that the higher the insurance coverage amounts, the higher the insurance premium would be. This is because of the risk that the insurance company carries increases. You can also check the best car insurance companies in the United States.
Finally, you should check with NAIC (national association of insurance commissioners) regarding the rating of the car insurance companies. You can also check the complaint index as it is unbiased. In general, most of the reviews that you will read online will be biased and negative as a car owner who has had an accident and has her claim processed smoothly won’t bother to write a review. An irate and unhappy car owner would.
