Insurance requirements for registering a car in Delaware
The state of Delaware requires all drivers to have automobile insurance or "financial responsibility" in order to legally operate a vehicle and retain the vehicle's registration. This law applies to any passenger vehicle that is operated on public roads in Delaware.
The minimum financial liability requirements for individuals under Delaware law are as follows:
Minimum $15,00 per person for personal injury or death. This means you need to have at least $30,000 with you to cover the fewest possible number of people involved in an accident (two drivers).
Minimum $10,000 for property damage
This means that the total minimum financial liability you will require is $40,000 for both bodily injury and property damage.
Insurance types
Although the liability and personal injury insurances listed above are the only types of auto insurance required in Delaware, the state also recognizes the following additional coverage:
Collision insurance, which covers damage to your vehicle as a result of a traffic accident.
Comprehensive coverage that covers damage to your vehicle due to non-traffic related elements such as inclement weather or vandalism.
Uninsured motorist insurance, which helps cover costs in the event of an accident in which the other driver was uninsured or underinsured.
Injury protection that helps pay for medical bills, lost wages, or funeral expenses from a car accident.
Towing and labor insurance that helps cover the cost of towing your vehicle to a service center in the event of an accident.
Rental reimbursement coverage that helps pay for the cost of renting a car after an accident.
proof of insurance
Any driver driving a Delaware-registered vehicle must carry an insurance policy. Proof of insurance is also required to register a vehicle with the DMV.
Acceptable proof of insurance coverage includes:
Insurance card from an authorized insurance company
An electronic version of your insurance card, such as a photo on a mobile phone.
An SR-22 Proof of Financial Responsibility that certifies that you have insurance and is usually required only from drivers whose license has been previously suspended for reckless or drunk driving.
Penalties for Violation
If you fail to provide proof of insurance when requested by a law enforcement officer during a traffic stop or at the scene of an accident, or fail to prove you have insurance when requested by the state, you may face very severe penalties in Delaware. :
Minimum fine of $1,500 for first offense
Further violations may result in a minimum fine of $3,000 as well as license suspension for up to six months.
You must provide valid proof of insurance in order to lift the registration suspension and obtain your license plates again.
For more information, contact the Delaware Department of Motor Vehicles through their website.
