State guide
Car Insurance in Delaware
Updated August 2026
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.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability | $10,000 |
| PIP / medical | PIP required: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident |
| No-fault state | No |
| SR-22 used | No — this state doesn't use SR-22 filings |
Source: 21 Del. C. §2118; Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in Delaware was $1,296 in 2022. (NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement)
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.
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Frequently asked questions
What car insurance is required in Delaware?+
Liability coverage of at least $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $10,000 property damage (25/50/10), plus PIP of $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident, per 21 Del. C. §2118 and the Delaware DMV.
Is Delaware a no-fault state?+
Not in the usual sense. Delaware is an "add-on" state: PIP is mandatory and pays your own medical bills regardless of fault, but your right to sue the at-fault driver is not limited by any threshold, as it is in true no-fault states.
Does Delaware require an SR-22?+
No — Delaware does not use SR-22 filings. When proof of coverage is needed, the DMV requires an FR-19 insurance certification form, which your insurer submits directly to verify that your coverage is in force.
Can I register a car in Delaware with out-of-state insurance?+
No. The Delaware DMV does not accept insurance from other states for titling and registration — the vehicle must be covered by a Delaware policy that meets the 25/50/10 and PIP minimums.
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