These days, car insurance offers come at you faster than a car on the Dover International Speedway. Unfortunately, the route to the best Delaware insurance quotes is rarely a straight line. Finding the best premiums takes research and knowledge, since Delaware auto insurance is a multi-headed beast. While "it's good being first," when it comes to protecting yourself on the road, it's better being sure.
The Roots of Insurance Revolution
The first step to low Delaware auto insurance quotes is understanding your needs. At minimum, state law requires every driver to purchase bodily injury liability coverage of $15,000 per injured person, up to a total of $30,000 per accident, and property damage liability coverage of $10,000 (known as a 15/30/10 policy). Since Delaware is a tort add-on state, the parties not at fault in a single accident are entitled to personal injury protection up to the limits: 15,000 to any one person involved, $30,000 to all people involved. These benefits are referred to as an "add-on" to anything they might receive through a lawsuit. If you fail to show proof of these coverages, you're likely to face a fine of $1,500 and an automatic license suspension. Delaware law does not require uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, but since these protections normally don't add exorbitant cost to Delaware auto insurance quotes, you may find them worth your while.
Enhancing Your Profile
Many people simply accept the quote an insurance company gives them-a big mistake, since rates change frequently, as do personal circumstances. You should always be on the lookout for better Delaware auto insurance quotes. Take the example of a single 30-year-old woman in Dover. A law school student, she drives her 2004 Subaru Outback about three miles to school, three days a week. For the state minimum coverage, she pays about $884 annually. But let's say she graduates and gets hired by a law firm. Suddenly she looks life a safer bet to potential insurers. Even if she drives a more expensive car, more frequently-a 2009 Infiniti, 20 miles a day, five days a week-her new profile, along with the simple additions of airbags and anti-lock brakes in her new car, lead to a premium around $564. If she adds an anti-theft device, she'll likely save even more.
Smart Choices
A common method to obtain better insurance premiums is combining auto and home insurance policies. This can lower the rates of each, from the Brandywine Valley to Delaware's Saltiest Town. Placing multiple drivers on a single policy can also lower costs. In Wilmington, a 40-year-old man, who drives a 2006 Volkswagen Passat to work five days a week, will pay about $1,340 a year for the state minimum coverage. If he elects to add his wife's 2006 Kia Sedona, which she drives mainly for pleasure, the Delaware auto insurance quotes he finds will be about $2,000 for both of them-an annual savings of more than $300 for his own coverage. If other circumstances change-improved credit history, or a traffic violation dropping from your record-it makes sense to shop around. A free service like NetQuote.com can handle your comparison shopping, and let you know which auto insurance quotes place the most value on your needs and profile. In the Blue Hen State, it pays to be just a little pugnacious.
