The Best Home Insurance in Delaware for 2024
Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This influences which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners and here's how we make money.
The average cost of homeowners insurance in Delaware is $860 per year, or about $72 per month, according to a NerdWallet analysis. For comparison, the national average is $1,915 per year.
NerdWallet analyzed data from numerous insurance companies to help you find the best home insurance in Delaware in the following categories:
Best for affordability: Nationwide.
Best for coverage: State Farm.
Best for consumer experience: Amica and Nationwide.
The rates in our analysis are estimates based on many factors, so your rate may differ.
Note: Some insurance companies included in this article may have made changes in their underwriting practices and no longer issue new policies in your state. Even if an insurer serves your state, it may not write policies for all homes in all areas.
Best affordable homeowners insurance in Delaware: Nationwide
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
In Delaware, the average annual premium for Nationwide is $810, which is less than the state average of $860.
We like Nationwide for its wide variety of coverage options. For example, its standard homeowners insurance policy generally includes ordinance or law coverage, which can help pay to bring your home up to current building codes after a covered claim. You can add other coverage for things like identity theft and damage from backed-up sewers and drains.
Depending on how much personal assistance you need, you can get a quote for homeowners insurance on the Nationwide website or work with a local agent instead. You can also use the website to pay bills, file claims or check claim status.
Learn more with our Nationwide homeowners insurance review.
Best homeowners insurance in Delaware for coverage: State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
State Farm
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
As America’s largest insurer, State Farm stands out for its long list of coverage options. Its policies generally include extra dwelling coverage in case it costs more than expected to rebuild your home after a covered disaster. You may also be able to add coverage for things like identity theft, damage from backed-up drains and personal injury liability.
Learn more with our State Farm homeowners insurance review.
Best homeowners insurance in Delaware for consumer experience: Amica and Nationwide
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Amica
Coverage options
Discounts
NAIC complaints
Amica stands out for its customer service and broad range of coverage options. The company has drawn far fewer consumer complaints to state regulators than expected for an insurer of its size, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, or NAIC.
You can customize your policy with extra coverage above your dwelling limit, in case your house costs more to rebuild than expected. You may also want to add coverage for damage from water backups or recovery from identity theft.
Get more information in our Amica homeowners insurance review.
Nationwide also earned high marks for consumer experience. Its website offers plenty of ways to manage your policy, including filing and tracking claims, paying bills and getting quotes. The company also has a comprehensive and highly rated mobile app. Learn more with our Nationwide homeowners insurance review.
Full list of the best homeowners insurance in Delaware
NerdWallet analyzed home insurance companies across the state to find the best home insurance in Delaware. Here are all of the insurers that received a NerdWallet star rating of 4.5 or higher:
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Not available | ||
Not available | ||
Not available | ||
$810 | ||
$845 | ||
$815 | ||
USAA* | Not available | |
*USAA homeowners policies are available only to active military, veterans and their families. | ||
How much does homeowners insurance cost in Delaware?
The average annual cost of home insurance in Delaware is $860. That’s 55% less than the national average of $1,915.
In most U.S. states, including Delaware, many insurers use your credit-based insurance score to help set rates. Your insurance score is similar but not identical to your traditional credit score.
In Delaware, those with poor credit pay an average of $2,175 per year for homeowners insurance, according to NerdWallet’s rate analysis. That’s 153% more than those with good credit.
Average cost of homeowners insurance in Delaware by city
How much you pay for homeowners insurance in Delaware depends on where you live. For instance, the average cost of home insurance in Wilmington is $810 per year, while homeowners in Dover pay $860 per year, on average.
City | Average annual rate | Average monthly rate |
|---|---|---|
Bear | $785 | $65 |
Bridgeville | $905 | $75 |
Camden-Wyoming | $860 | $72 |
Claymont | $785 | $65 |
Clayton | $860 | $72 |
Dover | $860 | $72 |
Felton | $880 | $73 |
Georgetown | $1,230 | $103 |
Harrington | $895 | $75 |
Hockessin | $810 | $68 |
Laurel | $1,130 | $94 |
Lewes | $1,330 | $111 |
Magnolia | $860 | $72 |
Middletown | $845 | $70 |
Milford | $1,130 | $94 |
Millsboro | $1,255 | $105 |
Milton | $1,190 | $99 |
New Castle | $810 | $68 |
Newark | $800 | $67 |
Rehoboth Beach | $1,405 | $117 |
Seaford | $1,130 | $94 |
Selbyville | $1,300 | $108 |
Smyrna | $800 | $67 |
Townsend | $810 | $68 |
Wilmington | $810 | $68 |
The cheapest home insurance in Delaware
Here are the insurers we found with average annual rates below the Delaware average of $860.
Company | NerdWallet star rating | Average annual rate |
|---|---|---|
Cumberland Mutual | 3.0 NerdWallet rating | $755 |
$810 | ||
$815 | ||
$845 |
What to know about Delaware homeowners insurance
You may face certain risks when living in Delaware Here are a few of the most common, along with steps you can take to insure your home properly against them.
Hurricanes and wind damage
Hurricanes and coastal storms can cause significant damage to properties, even if they don’t make landfall. Make sure you have enough coverage for the wind and water damage these tropical storms can bring.
Your policy may have separate deductibles for hurricane and wind damage. Suppose your policy has a $1,000 deductible for most claims and a 2% deductible for wind claims. If your house has $250,000 worth of dwelling coverage, you’d have to pay for the first $5,000 of wind damage yourself.
Standard home insurance policies do not typically cover flood damage. For that, you’ll need separate flood insurance.
Flooding
Standard homeowners insurance will not cover flood damage, which means people in at-risk areas should consider buying separate coverage.
To find out your risk, check out the Federal Emergency Management Agency's flood maps and RiskFactor.com, a website from the nonprofit First Street Foundation. Even if your property is deemed low risk, it may be worthwhile to purchase flood insurance for extra peace of mind.
Homeowners in flood-prone areas may need to purchase separate flood insurance. Remember that while you can purchase flood coverage at any time, there’s typically a 30-day waiting period before the insurance takes effect. Here’s more information about flood insurance and waiting periods.
Thunderstorms and hail
Standard policies generally cover storm damage but keep in mind that, as with wind, hail damage may have a separate deductible.
Delaware insurance department
The Delaware Department of Insurance oversees the state’s insurance industry. In addition to providing consumer information, the agency’s website is also a resource if you’re having a dispute with your insurer. You can file a complaint using its online form. You can also reach out to the department with questions or to get support with your complaint at 800-282-8611 or [email protected].
Amanda Shapland contributed to this story.
NerdWallet calculated median rates for 40-year-old homeowners from various insurance companies in every ZIP code across the state. All rates are rounded to the nearest $5.
Sample homeowners were nonsmokers with good credit living in a single-family, two-story home built in 1984. They had a $1,000 deductible and the following coverage limits:
$300,000 in dwelling coverage.
$30,000 in other structures coverage.
$150,000 in personal property coverage.
$60,000 in loss of use coverage.
$300,000 in liability coverage.
$1,000 in medical payments coverage.
We made minor changes to the sample policy in cases where rates for the above coverage limits or deductibles weren’t available.
We changed the credit tier from “good” to “poor,” as reported to the insurer, to see rates for homeowners with poor credit.
These are sample rates generated through Quadrant Information Services. Your own rates will be different.
Star rating methodology
NerdWallet’s homeowners insurance ratings reward companies for customer-first features and practices. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including financial strength, consumer complaints, coverages, discounts and online experience. These ratings are a guide, but we encourage you to shop around and compare several insurance quotes to find the best rate for you. NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our full homeowners insurance rating methodology.
Complaint methodology
NerdWallet examined complaints received by state insurance regulators and reported to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners in 2020-2022. To assess how insurers compare with one another, the NAIC calculates a complaint index each year for each subsidiary, measuring its share of total complaints relative to its size, or share of total premiums in the industry. To evaluate a company’s complaint history, NerdWallet calculated a similar index for each insurer, weighted by market shares of each subsidiary, over the three-year period. NerdWallet conducts its data analysis and reaches conclusions independently and without the endorsement of the NAIC. Ratios are determined separately for auto, home (including renters and condo) and life insurance.
On a similar note...
