Cheap Car Insurance Quotes in Delaware

Posted on September 25, 2014

Car insurance in Delaware

This page features the most recent available data pertaining to car insurance rates in the state of Delaware. Although not every state requires insurance for motor vehicles, Delaware drivers know that car insurance is not an option, but a necessity. Read on to find the Delaware car insurance plan that’s right for you.

Minimum Coverage Requirements for Auto Insurance in Delaware

Most states have laws that mandate a minimum coverage for vehicle owners. The minimum required auto insurance coverage in the state of Delaware is 15/30/10. This means that Delaware drivers are expected to purchase at least $15,000 in coverage for personal injury, $30,000 in coverage for the expenses of other people involved in the accident, and $10,000 worth of coverage for property damage. However, even these amounts are often insufficient funds to cover the actual cost of an accident.

Penalties for Driving Without Insurance in Delaware

According to Delaware law, failure to maintain your auto insurance coverage results in a fine of $1,500 to $2,000 for a first offense. Subsequent offenses carry fines of at least $3,000, and a suspended license for a period of six-months.

Auto Insurance Rates in Delaware

The average annual premium for auto insurance in the state of Delaware was about $1,607 in 2016, according to stats recently posted online. This is high, compared to the national average for car insurance premiums at that time, which was about $1,347 per year. Analysts point out that Delaware has a denser population than most U.S. states. This could account for the higher-than-average annual premiums on auto insurance in Delaware.

Calculations of annual car insurance premiums are impacted by variables like local climate, topography, economic conditions, crime rates, availability of insurance carriers and population density, to name just a few of the factors involved. Other causes that may influence annual premiums are the driver’s age, gender, driving record and car model, among other things.

Low Cost Car Insurance Programs in Delaware

The vast majority of car insurance carriers in most U.S. states offer discounts as incentives to drive safely. For instance, the Defensive Driving Course Discount is generally available to drivers 55 and older who have successfully completed a Motor Vehicle Accident Prevention Course approved by the Department of Public Safety. The Accident-Free Discount is available to drivers who avoid accidents for three years. The Good Student Discount is offered to full time students with strong academic performance. The Multiple Auto Discount is offered to owners of more than one vehicle. The Multiple Line Discount is offered for the purchase of multiple insurance policies with the same company. The Passive Restraint Discount applies to vehicles equipped with special safety features like factory-installed air bags. When researching Delaware car insurance, be sure to compare available discounts.

Obtaining Auto Insurance Quotes in Delaware

According to 2017 customer comparisons, the five most highly regarded auto insurance providers in Delaware are Allstate, The Hartford, State Farm and 21^st Century, in that order. Other insurance carriers popular in Delaware are Liberty Mutual and Travelers Insurance, among others.

No matter what your circumstances, your Delaware auto insurance agent can help you work out a plan that suits your individual needs. Agents provide competitive quotes on auto insurance. Still, you must compare quotes to find the cheapest rate. Call your local insurance office for real-time rates and more information.

Delaware Car Insurance

This page will help you lower your annual premium rates on Delaware car insurance, while providing many interesting facts about the state of Delaware.

Scan a list of the four least expensive and the four most expensive zip codes in the state of Delaware to buy car insurance. Analyze these Delaware zip codes for their poverty rates, unemployment statistics, and population densities. Learn about Delaware median incomes, uninsured drivers in the state of Delaware, and other factors that affect Delaware car insurance rates.

Learn about the types of car insurance coverage Delaware drivers need. Read about the minimum coverage amounts required by Delaware state laws. View a list of of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the United States, followed by a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the state of Delaware.

We even provide the average annual car insurance premium rate for the state of Delaware, for comparison to your own Delaware car insurance rates.

Last but not least, this page will show Delaware drivers how to get as many car insurance discounts as possible on their personal Delaware car insurance policies.

Delaware Car Insurance Statistics

With a land area of 1,982 square miles, Delaware is the 2^nd smallest state in the nation. Only the state of Rhode Island is smaller in size than Delaware. In total population, Delaware ranks 45^th among states. However, in population density, the state of Delaware comes in 6^th, as you might expect from a tiny northeastern state.

The state of Delaware is home to just over 952,000 people, according to a 2016 estimate from the United States Census Bureau. The median resident age in the state of Delaware is about 39.7 years.

Delaware’s unemployment rate hovers around 4.7 percent, which is above the overall national average unemployment rate of 4.4 percent. However, the poverty rate in Delaware is roughly 12.4 percent, a good distance below the national average poverty rate of 13.5 percent.

A team of statisticians recently calculated that the statewide average annual premium rate for a car insurance policy bought in Delaware was around $1,646, quite a ways above the overall national average car insurance rate, which was about $1,355 at the time. In fact, Delaware is the 10^th most expensive state in America to buy car insurance.

A separate group of analysts from the Insurance Research Council studied a sample of Delaware drivers, and learned that roughly 11.5 percent of vehicles on Delaware roads are uninsured. In other words, more than 1 out of 9 vehicles in Delaware are being driven without insurance. However, this is not too bad compared to the overall average rate for uninsured drivers in America, which is 12.6 percent.

The 10 Largest Delaware Car Insurance Companies

Which auto insurance carrier should write your personal Delaware car insurance policy, when there are so many car insurance companies to choose from?

Do you tend to choose the biggest company? Or a company whose name you’ve heard before? Do you take the advice of people you know? Any of these approaches may work well enough, but conducting your own research based on your own personal demographic information will probably save you the most money on Delaware car insurance.

To get you started, look below for a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in the United States, followed by a list of the 10 largest car insurance companies in Delaware. The auto insurance companies listed here are ranked by the total annual dollar amount of direct premiums written. This amount provides a measure of each company’s total market share in America, and in the state of Delaware.

Statistical analysts have determined that the ten largest auto insurance companies in America are

Allstate Insurance
State Farm Insurance
Geico
Progressive Insurance
Nationwide Group
AAA
Liberty Mutual Insurance
21^st Century Insurance
GMAC
AIG

… in that order.

Scroll down for a list of the ten largest car insurance companies in the state of Delaware:

Rank	Company	Premiums ($)	Market Share (%)
1	State Farm Insurance Group	$164,236	23.31
2	Nationwide Insurance Group	$123,796	17.57
3	Berkshire Hathaway Insurance	$90,425	12.83
4	Liberty Mutual Insurance	$61,601	8.74
5	Progressive Insurance Group	$52,752	7.49
6	USAA Group	$45,402	6.44
7	Allstate Insurance Group	$41,535	5.89
8	The Hartford Insurance Group	$21,971	3.12
9	Farmers Insurance Group	$20,633	2.93
10	Travelers Group	$16,442	2.33

It seems that State Farm Insurance is the most popular carrier by far in the state of Delaware, not that State Farm is the best one for you, necessarily. You may decide on another major carrier, or maybe a smaller, regional auto insurance carrier. The car insurance company you choose may even depend on your age or lifestyle. Senior drivers often prefer The Hartford Insurance Group, because The Hartford is the official insurance carrier for the American Association of Retired People (AARP). Meanwhile, current and former military personnel and their families may prefer USAA, an insurance company that caters to the military. And so on. There is really no such thing as The One Best Delaware Car Insurance Company.

Here’s how Delaware drivers can save money on Delaware car insurance:

Cutting Costs on Delaware Car Insurance

The best way to cut costs on Delaware car insurance premium rates is to peruse a number of consumer reviews of at least a few Delaware car insurance companies. Select whichever companies appeal to you, then make a list of these companies.

Go to each car insurance company website on your list, and get online quotes from each insurance carrier. For the sake of thoroughness, get quotes for several Delaware zip codes from each company website. Get a quote for your home zip code, your work zip code, and your school zip code, if possible.

Especially, find all the discounts each auto insurance company offers, and notice the rate reduction for each discount. Some discounts will be automatically applied, such as a 10 percent discount for purchasing your policy online. Still, you may find additional discounts by checking the discount page and maybe even calling a company agent. If you are a teacher, a public servant, a member of the armed forces, or an insurance underwriter, you may qualify for an occupational discount. If you get good grades in school, you may qualify for a Good Student discount. There are many different kinds of discounts applicable to Delaware car insurance policies.

What Types Of Car Insurance Do Delaware Drivers Need?

Delaware state law requires that each vehicle owned must have minimum coverage amounts of $15,000 for bodily injury to others, $30,000 in per-accident coverage, and $10,000 to cover the cost of property damage. Delaware drivers are also required to purchase the same bodily injury liability coverage in Personal Injury Protection (PIP). Despite the additional protection, state minimum coverage amounts are typically not enough to cover the cost of vehicle repairs and/or medical bills that result from traffic accidents. Insurance experts in the state of Delaware (and everywhere else) recommend coverage amounts of $100,000 for personal injury protection, $300,000 against bodily injury to others, and at least $50,000 to cover the cost of property damage.

Delaware drivers are encouraged to buy above the minimum car insurance coverage amounts required by state law. Highly recommended is uninsured and underinsured motorist insurance (UMI). Not only are one out of nine vehicles in Delaware uninsured, but even insured vehicles are all too often underinsured, because the minimum coverage requirements in the state of Delaware are too low.

Dumbfounding Delaware Traffic Laws

In the state of Delaware, it is illegal to fly a plane over a body of water, unless the pilot is equipped with sufficient amounts of food and water.
In the state of Delaware, it is illegal for people to change their clothes in their cars.
In Fenwick Island, it is illegal to have a picnic on a highway.

Best And Worst Zip Codes For Delaware Car Insurance

Car insurance premium rates in Delaware can be different from one zip code to the next, because of variances in population densities, unemployment rates, poverty statistics, median income levels, crime levels, the rate of uninsured drivers on the roads, and other factors that may affect Delaware car insurance rates.

Scroll down for a list of the four most expensive neighborhoods (on average) in the state of Delaware to buy car insurance. Annual premium rates in these zip codes can range from about $1,330 to around $2,780, with an average annual premium rate of around $2,005.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19801 (Wilmington)	3,774	17.50%	36.50%

Wilmington, Delaware is located about 30 miles southwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This New Castle County neighborhood is home to roughly 16,000 people. The poverty rate in this zip code is sky high at nearly three times the state average. The unemployment rate is also high, at almost four times the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19720 (Newcastle)	1,667	8.90%	13.20%

Nearly 62,000 people live in this neighborhood. The poverty rate is just slightly above the state average of 12.4 percent. However, the unemployment rate in this zip code is well above the state average of 4.7 percent.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19802 (Wilmington)	8,282	10.70%	21.70%

This neighborhood is home to more than 26,000 people. The population density is positively packed in this zip code. As well, the unemployment and poverty rates are quite far above the state averages.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19806 (Wilmington)	4,931	4.20%	8.90%

This neighborhood is home to roughly 9,500 people. Here, the unemployment and poverty rates fall below the state averages of 4.7 percent and 12.4 percent, respectively. Perhaps this zip code’s close proximity to the above zip codes has something to do with the relatively high rates around here.

Now compare the Delaware zip codes listed above to the neighborhoods detailed below. Here is a list of the four least expensive zip codes (on average) in the state of Delaware to buy car insurance. Annual premium rates in these areas can range from around $960 to about $1,920, with an average annual premium rate of around $1,355.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19944 (Fenwick Island)	506	5.60%	3.00%

This Sussex County zip code is home to fewer than 650 people. The median resident age in this neighborhood is 66.2 years, perhaps partly because children are in short supply, with an average of less than one child per household. The unemployment rate is slightly above the state average here, although the poverty rate is a mere fraction of the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19930 (Bethany Beach)	399	4.80%	4.80%

Approximately 2,300 people live in this neighborhood. The median resident age here is 65.9 years. The population density is very low. The poverty rate is also very low. The unemployment rate hovers around the state average.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19945 (Frankford)	120	12.00%	18.80%

This neighborhood is home to about 7,500 people. The unemployment and poverty rates in this zip code are quite a bit above the state averages, although this neighborhood is one of the cheapest neighborhoods to buy Delaware car insurance.

Zip Code	Pop Density	Unemployed %	Poverty %
19975 (Selbyville)	328	4.90%	11.10%

Roughly 9,000 people live here. The unemployment rate is only slightly above the state average, while the poverty rate is just slightly below the state average.

Overall, the tiny state of Delaware is home to 96 zip codes over 3 counties that encompass 57 cities, from Arden to Wyoming and everywhere in between. There is a difference of well over $600 in average annual premium rates between the cheapest zip codes and the priciest zip codes in the state of Delaware to buy car insurance.

How much can you can save on Delaware car insurance?

by admin