Updated July 2026
What Is Personal Injury Protection Insurance?
Personal Injury Protection covers medical expenses, lost income, and essential services like childcare after a car accident. Delaware operates as a no-fault state for PIP claims, meaning your own PIP coverage pays your bills first regardless of who caused the accident. The $15,000 minimum applies per person, per accident, and covers you, your passengers, and family members listed on your policy.
- You swerve to avoid a deer and hit a tree. You have $8,000 in emergency room bills and miss two weeks of work, losing $2,400 in wages. Your PIP coverage pays the full $10,400 regardless of fault. If you only carried the $15,000 minimum, you have $4,600 in coverage remaining for future claims during the policy period.
- Another driver runs a red light and hits your car. Your passenger has $22,000 in medical bills. Your PIP pays the first $15,000 immediately. The remaining $7,000 must be claimed through the at-fault driver's bodily injury liability coverage or your passenger's own health insurance. PIP exhaustion happens faster than most drivers expect when injuries are serious.
- You're rear-ended at a stoplight and diagnosed with whiplash. Medical treatment costs $4,200, and you miss three weeks of work, losing $3,600 in income. Your PIP covers both the medical bills and 80% of your lost wages up to your policy limit. Without PIP, you would need to sue the at-fault driver and wait months for payment.
Who Needs Personal Injury Protection Insurance?
Every Delaware driver must carry PIP by law, but increasing the minimum to $25,000 or $50,000 makes sense if you lack robust health insurance, work in a job where lost income would create financial hardship, or regularly transport passengers. Drivers with high-deductible health plans benefit most from higher PIP limits because PIP pays first and covers the gap before health insurance activates.
Compare your health insurance deductible and out-of-pocket maximum against the cost of higher PIP limits. If your health plan has a $5,000 deductible, increasing PIP to $25,000 costs $4 to $8 more per month but eliminates the risk of paying that deductible after an accident. Calculate two weeks of lost wages — if PIP wouldn't cover that amount at the minimum limit, increase your coverage.
How Much Does Personal Injury Protection Insurance Cost?
PIP adds approximately $8 to $18 per month to a Delaware auto insurance policy, or $96 to $216 annually for the $15,000 minimum required coverage.
- Higher PIP limits ($25,000, $50,000, or $100,000) increase premiums by $3 to $12 per month per tier.
- Drivers with prior at-fault accidents pay 15% to 25% more for PIP due to increased claim likelihood.
- Urban Delaware counties (New Castle) show higher PIP costs than rural areas due to accident frequency and medical cost differences.
- Stacking PIP across multiple vehicles on one policy raises premiums but multiplies available coverage per accident.
- Choosing a PIP deductible ($250 to $1,000) can reduce monthly premiums by $2 to $6 but increases out-of-pocket costs after a claim.