What Wilmington drivers pay on average

Full-coverage car insurance in Wilmington runs about $282 a month for a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, a little above the New Castle County average of about $274 a month and the statewide Delaware average of about $241 a month.

New Castle County is the most expensive of Delaware’s three counties for car insurance; Kent County averages about $223 a month and Sussex County about $210 a month. Averages are not quotes. Your own rate depends on your driving record, your vehicle, your coverage limits and your exact ZIP code.

What Delaware requires you to carry

Delaware’s minimum liability limits are 25/50/10: $25,000 for injury to one person, $50,000 for injuries per accident and $10,000 for property damage. Every policy also carries personal injury protection (PIP) of $15,000/$30,000.

Uninsured motorist coverage is included in every Delaware policy unless you reject it in writing. Delaware is a fault state, so the at-fault driver’s insurance pays first, but carrying more than the minimums is worth a look in a dense metro area like Wilmington.

Why Wilmington rates run higher

More cars per square mile means more claims, and Wilmington sits in the most populated part of the state with heavy I-95 commuter traffic. Dense areas also see more comprehensive claims, things like theft, vandalism and glass. Move a few miles south into Kent or Sussex County and the averages drop by $50 a month or more.