Delaware Car Insurance
Delaware drivers must carry 25/50/10 liability plus $15,000/$30,000 PIP and $5,000 funeral benefits under 21 Del. Code § 21181. UM and UIM are a must-offer at the compulsory liability limits under 18 Del. Code § 39022. Delaware is an add-on PIP state, not a no-fault state: PIP exists but full tort rights are preserved5.
YesWeSure Bottom Line
Compulsory PIP without no-fault. Delaware requires $15,000/$30,000 PIP plus $5,000 funeral benefits on every registered vehicle, but tort recovery against the at-fault driver remains available15.
Four-coverage policy by default. Liability (25/50/10), PIP ($15K/$30K + $5K funeral), UM, and UIM each ship on the policy; the last two can be rejected in writing2.
How to make a real decision. Treat 25/50/10 and PIP floors as the floor. For how to think about higher limits, see how to choose coverage limits.
State requirements at a glance
What Delaware car insurance law requires
Minimum liability limits
25 / 50 / 101
$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $10,000 property damage per accident, under 21 Del. Code § 2118.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
$15,000 / $30,000 + $5,000 funeral required1
21 Del. Code § 2118 requires PIP on every registered Delaware motor vehicle: $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for medical and wage-loss, plus $5,000 funeral benefits. Delaware preserves full tort rights (add-on PIP, not no-fault).
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Must offer; 25 / 50 BI if purchased2
18 Del. Code § 3902 requires every Delaware personal auto policy to include UM and UIM at not less than the compulsory liability limits unless the named insured rejects it in writing.
Coverage verification
Delaware DMV insurance verification1
The Delaware DMV administers insurance verification. Confirmed lapse under 21 Del. Code § 2118 can trigger driver license and registration suspension plus statutory penalties.
Rate approval regime
Delaware DOI oversight3
Delaware does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age as personal-auto rating factors.
25/50/10 compulsory liability
21 Del. Code § 2118 compels every registered Delaware vehicle to carry 25/50/10 liability1. Many Delaware drivers carry higher limits.
Compulsory PIP under 21 Del. Code § 2118
Delaware requires PIP on every registered motor vehicle at $15,000 per person and $30,000 per accident for medical and wage-loss, plus $5,000 funeral benefits1. Despite compulsory PIP, Delaware preserves full tort rights (add-on PIP, not no-fault)5. For how PIP works, see our PIP coverage guide.
UM/UIM must-offer under 18 Del. Code § 3902
Every Delaware personal auto policy must include UM and UIM at not less than the compulsory liability limits unless the named insured rejects the coverage in writing2.
DMV verification and lapse enforcement
The Delaware DMV administers insurance verification4. A confirmed lapse under 21 Del. Code § 2118 can trigger driver license and registration suspension plus statutory penalties1. For a general lapse treatment, see our after-a-lapse guide.
Rating-factor landscape
Delaware does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age3.
Where the Delaware situation rules live on YesWeSure
This State Guide owns the Delaware pricing and legal framework. Situation-specific mechanics live on the sibling Situation guides:
- After an accident. See our after-an-accident guide.
- After a DUI. Delaware SR-22 and reinstatement mechanics are treated in our after-a-DUI guide.
- After a lapse. DMV consequences of a lapse are treated in our after-a-lapse guide.
- Moving into Delaware. New-resident registration is treated in our moving-to-another-state guide.
What we verified for this page
- Strong25/50/10 minimum liability under 21 Del. Code § 2118 verified against the statute.
- StrongCompulsory PIP at $15,000/$30,000 plus $5,000 funeral benefits under 21 Del. Code § 2118 verified against the statute. Consistent with the frozen YesWeSure medical-payments guide listing Delaware as a PIP state; no conflict.
- StrongDelaware preserves full tort rights alongside PIP (add-on structure) verified against the Delaware DOI consumer guide and Delaware Supreme Court interpretation. Delaware is not a no-fault state despite compulsory PIP.
- StrongUM/UIM must-offer at compulsory liability limits under 18 Del. Code § 3902 verified against the statute. Written rejection required to decline.
- StrongDelaware DMV insurance verification under 21 Del. Code § 2118 verified against the statute and the Delaware DMV consumer page.
- LimitedDeliberately omitted from V1. A Delaware modeled cost anchor; carrier-specific DE underwriting; the exact SR-22 duration (deferred to the after-a-DUI guide); and telematics program detail.
- LimitedNamed author and expert reviewer. V1 attributes to "YesWeSure Editorial." A Delaware-licensed reviewer is tracked as a pre-launch YMYL item.
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Common questions
What is the minimum car insurance required in Delaware?
25/50/10 liability + $15,000/$30,000 PIP + $5,000 funeral benefits, under 21 Del. Code § 21181. UM/UIM is must-offer and ships on the policy unless rejected in writing2.
Is Delaware a no-fault state?
No. Delaware is an add-on PIP state: compulsory PIP exists, but full tort rights are preserved5.
Is UM/UIM required in Delaware?
UM and UIM are must-offer at the compulsory liability limits. They ship on every Delaware personal auto policy unless the named insured rejects them in writing under 18 Del. Code § 39022.
Sources & methodology
- 21 Del. Code § 2118: motor vehicle insurance; 25/50/10 compulsory liability plus $15,000/$30,000 PIP and $5,000 funeral benefits. (Delaware Code, TIER 1)
- 18 Del. Code § 3902: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist must-offer at compulsory liability limits; written rejection required. (Delaware Code, TIER 1)
- Delaware Department of Insurance: Automobile Insurance consumer page. (Delaware Department of Insurance, TIER 1)
- Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles: Insurance Requirements consumer page. (Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles, TIER 1)
- Delaware Supreme Court decisions interpreting 21 Del. Code § 2118 as establishing an add-on PIP system (not no-fault); full tort rights preserved. (Delaware Supreme Court, TIER 1)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after an accident (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a DUI (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a lapse in coverage (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance when moving to another state (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Personal injury protection (PIP) (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How to choose coverage limits (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How insurers calculate rates (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
Evidence hierarchy on this page: Tier 1 (Delaware Code, Delaware Department of Insurance, Delaware DMV, Delaware Supreme Court). Every legal number traces to a Delaware primary source: 21 Del. Code § 2118; 18 Del. Code § 3902. This page is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Last reviewed .