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Cheap SR 22 Auto Insurance in Delaware: Best Companies & Quotes
Joanna Johnson
Car Insurance Expert
Updated: 01/2023
Joanna is an expert on understanding how the different laws and regulations in the car insurance industry shape the way that policies work.
Delaware residents are required to have car insurance if they have a vehicle that has a loan, and they’re highly encouraged to have car insurance even if their vehicle is paid off. Car insurance is something you don’t want to need, but you’ll be glad to have it if you ever need it. When something happens to your car, you might not be able to afford to pay for the repairs it needs or the medical bills you incur if you’re injured. This is why having insurance is a must. Living in Delaware means the average annual cost of car insurance falls into the realm of $2,000 per year.
With dozens of car insurance companies in Delaware, it’s not hard to find a policy. Check out our list of car insurance companies. What’s difficult is finding a policy with a price you want to pay for services you need most. Geico, Progressive, Grange, and Atlantic States are among the top contenders for car insurance in Delaware in terms of great prices and great coverage. To find low cost car insurance rates, you’ll want to shop around for specific items and know what makes your rates less expensive.
Best Car Insurance Companies in Delaware
- USAA
- Geico
- State Farm
- Progressive
- Nationwide
- Travelers
USAA | Geico | State Farm | Progressive | Nationwide | Travelers | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AM Best Financial Strength Rating | A++ | A++ | A++ | A+ | A+ | A++ |
JD Power 2019 Overall Customer Satisfaction score | 5/5 | 4/5 | 3/5 | 2/5 | 2/5 | 4.5/5 |
Avg Annual Premium | $766 | $884 | $1,201 | $1,413 | $1,532 | $1.354 |
Consumer Reports Reader Score | 92 | 78 | 78 | 75 | N/A | N/A |
BBB Rating | Not Rated | A+ | B+ | A+ | A+ | A+ |
Auto Insurance Statistics in Delaware
For the past decade and longer, Delaware has seen auto insurance premiums that are above the national average. The trend shows no sign of changing, and in fact, auto insurance rates have continued to skyrocket in recent years.
Top 10 Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in Delaware
Rank | Company Name | Avg. Annual Premium |
---|---|---|
1 | USAA | $1,001 |
2 | Travelers | $1,073 |
3 | Atlantic States Insurance | $1,247 |
4 | Cal Casualty | $1,319 |
5 | Nationwide | $1,551 |
6 | MetLife | $1,710 |
7 | Donegal Mutual | $1,801 |
8 | State Farm | $1,860 |
9 | GEICO | $1,945 |
10 | Encompass | $2,243 |
Drunk Driving Fatalities
The number of drunk driving fatalities in Delaware appears to fluctuate greatly over the years. Delaware experienced a spike in drunk driving related fatalities in 2011 and the rate still remains relatively higher than the national average until 2016.
Drunk driving fatalities in Delaware from 2013 to 2017
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Teen Drinking and Driving
Teen drinking and driving tends to be an issue across the country. However, The Center for Disease Control reports that in Delaware, teen drinking and driving is much lower on average. The below data depicts the incidences of teen drinking and driving in Delaware when compared with the national averages.
Teen Drinking & Driving in Delaware vs. Nationwide (2017)
Source: www.NHTSA.gov
SR-22 Insurance in Delaware
Delaware is one of six states that does not require its drivers to use SR-22 insurance. Still, if you have a driver's license from another state and you are traveling to Delaware, you will need an SR-22 if it is mandated by your state. You should always double-check with your state licensing authority to ensure that you don't require this type of insurance.
Regardless, if you have committed an offence in Delaware, you might be issued with certain driving instructions by the court. If you do commit an infraction in Delaware, it's best to shop around for cheap SR-22 insurance rates when you begin driving again. Many insurance companies will charge you more money because of your flawed driving records.
Car Theft in Delaware
Driving a car is not without its risks and one of those potential risks is car theft. In Delaware, it is important to be aware of the type of coverage you will need to have to protect against car theft. Comprehensive vehicle coverage is the insurance most selected to protect against vehicular theft. We also help you find the cheapest full coverage insurance.
Vehicle Thefts by Rank Nationwide vs. Delaware
Source: www.FBI.gov
Uninsured Motorists in Delaware
Uninsured motorists are everywhere and protecting yourself against the damage that might occur is a wise idea. Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage provides reimbursements for drivers that have experienced personal injury or property damage from an uninsured or underinsured motorist. The below data shows how well Delaware ranks in the total number of reported uninsured motorists in the state in the year 2015.
Percentage of uninsured drivers (Top States in 2015)
Source: Insurance Information Institute
Finding the Right Policy
The most important thing to do when shopping for cheap car insurance quotes is to look for the right features. You want specific items covered, such as your car, your personal injury protection, and you want to purchase a policy that has uninsured motorist. You don’t want to pay for this option but if you’re ever involved in an accident with someone who isn’t insured, you’ll want to have it on your policy. You might want the cheapest policy, but it’s the one that has the best coverage for the best price that will end up paying off most in the long run. For example, do you need high risk auto insurance?
Using What You Have
Before you begin shopping around for insurance policies either online or through a local car insurance company, you want to know what you are working with. Is your car older or new? Is it large or small? Do you have a loan on the vehicle or not? If you don’t have a loan, you might not need as much coverage as you might otherwise. Of course, that depends entirely on your financial situation. If you can afford to pay for repairs caused by an accident out-of-pocket, you might not want such comprehensive coverage or a low deductible.
Another factor is the size and type of your vehicle. Larger vehicles are cheaper to insure because they’re typically considered safer. Larger engine sizes are more expensive to insure, and newer cars are often considered safer and therefore more affordable to insure in Delaware. These are just a few of the major things to consider when you’re insuring a car in addition to the features and safety rating of the vehicle. The safer it is in terms of rating, the less it costs to insure.
How your personal life affects your auto insurance rates
Where you work, what you do, where you live, and how you use your finances to pay bills all affect your insurance rates. If you work in a dangerous position that keeps you on the road more often than not, your rates will be higher. If you live in an area with a low economic status, your insurance rates will be more expensive because fewer people in the area insure themselves. If you pay your bill upfront rather than monthly, you can save on monthly account fees as well as receive a small discount on the overall cost of your premium.
Your personal driver record is also used to determine your rates. If you have a safe and clean record, you can rest assured your rates are going to be much lower than others, and your insurance premiums will be much more affordable. If your driving record is poor, your rates are going to be much higher without much you can do to prevent it.
Finding cheap car insurance in Delaware isn’t difficult and you can even get instant auto insurance coverage online if needed, but it depends heavily on factors you cannot control in most instances. If you have a car insurance policy that’s not affordable, look around. You might be surprised how much you can accomplish simply by shopping for a policy that you weren’t aware you needed to begin with.
Types of Auto Insurance Coverage in Delaware:
- Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Bodily Injury Insurance
- Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Insurance
- Bodily Injury Liability Insurance
- Property Damage Liability Insurance
- Comprehensive Insurance Coverage
Minimum Requirements For Car Insurance in Delaware
According to the Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV), liability auto insurance coverage is mandated for each and every vehicle being operated in Delaware. If a driver neglects to insure their vehicle, they will receive a fine in the amount of $1,500 for the first offense. Any subsequent offenses will be charged in the amount of $3,000 and a 6-month license suspension could also be enforced.
Liability Coverage minimums in Delaware:
- $10,000 for property damage
- $15,000 for bodily injury or death
- $30,000 for multiple bodily injuries or deaths
New Driver Licensing in Delaware
All new drivers in Delaware are required to get a state driver’s license within 60 days of becoming a resident of the state. In addition, all new drivers must complete both a written test as well as a vision test unless the driver is transferring their license from another state and then they will just need a vision test.
Source: Delaware Division of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
Cheap Auto Insurance Discounts
At CheapAutoInsurance.co, making it easy for you to compare cheap auto insurance quotes is our highest priority. We want you to save as much as possible on auto insurance rates and car insurance discounts are one of the best ways to do that. Browse the list of available discounts that car insurance companies usually provide then conduct a car insurance comparison. You may find just the right fit to suit your circumstances.
- Car safety features discount
- Defensive driving discount
- Mature driver discount
- Anti-theft discount
- Multi-car auto insurance discount
- Military or Veteran discount
- Senior citizen discount
- Low-mileage discount
- Good student discount
- Infrequent usage discount
- Bundling insurance policies discount