State profile · DE · CMS + NAIC
Delaware marketplace insurers denied 20.4% of claims (14th of 30 states); drivers average $1462/yr for auto cover, #9 nationally by cost.
The verdict
Marketplace insurers in Delaware deny 20.4% of claims - near the 20% national average, the 14th-highest of 30 states, and drivers pay an average $1462 a year for auto cover, more than the $1191 national average (the 9th-most-expensive of 51 states).
2019: $1287 average expenditure
$1,287 avg expenditure
2020: $1251 average expenditure
$1,251 avg expenditure
2021: $1257 average expenditure
$1,257 avg expenditure
2022: $1296 average expenditure
$1,296 avg expenditure
2023: $1462 average expenditure
$1,462 avg expenditure
What this shows Delaware drivers' average auto cost rose 14% between 2019 and 2023.
Year over year, Delaware's average auto expenditure rose 12.8% from 2022 to 2023, part of a 14% increase (+$175) since 2019. See the full 5-year state-by-state comparison.
Delaware auto rates in detail →Delaware: $1462/yr average auto expenditure (this state)
$1,462 avg expenditure
Rhode Island: $1539/yr average auto expenditure
$1,539 avg expenditure
Maryland: $1477/yr average auto expenditure
$1,477 avg expenditure
Nevada: $1461/yr average auto expenditure
$1,461 avg expenditure
Colorado: $1453/yr average auto expenditure
$1,453 avg expenditure
AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Next, Inc.: 29.6% denied (53,852 of 182,083)
30 % of claims denied
Celtic Insurance Company: 28.7% denied (7,861 of 27,423)
29 % of claims denied
Highmark BCBSD Inc.: 19.4% denied (406,111 of 2,088,505)
19 % of claims denied
What this shows These carriers deny the largest share of marketplace claims filed in Delaware. Denial rates reflect plan design and network rules as much as carrier behaviour.
3 insurers reporting marketplace claims in Delaware
| # | Insurer | Claims | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Next, Inc. F | 182,083 | |
| 2 | Celtic Insurance Company C | 27,423 | |
| 3 | Highmark BCBSD Inc. C | 2,088,505 |
Among carriers with enough reported claims to compare, Delaware's highest marketplace denial rates in this dataset belong to AmeriHealth Caritas VIP Next, Inc. (29.6%), Celtic Insurance Company (28.7%), and Highmark BCBSD Inc. (19.4%). A high rate often reflects utilization-review intensity and network design, not just claim legitimacy -- check the carrier's own profile before drawing conclusions.
The reported-claims sample is highly concentrated: the 3 largest insurers account for 100% of the 2,298,011 claims represented here. That makes the statewide rate especially sensitive to the mix and experience of a few reporting carriers. Only insurers with at least 1,000 claims in the CMS filing are included, so this is a description of the available dataset rather than the full insurance market.
Evidence map
The order below follows the evidence with the greatest bearing on this state record, while keeping the CMS claims filing, NAIC cost series, and state-rule context distinct.
Reporting-sample shape
The 3 largest reporting insurers represent 100% of the 2,298,011 claims in this page's CMS sample. That concentration means the statewide rate can be strongly affected by a few carriers and their plan mix.
Marketplace claims filing
Delaware's reporting insurers denied 20.4% of submitted marketplace claims, ranking 14th among the 30 states with a comparable federal filing. This is a carrier-reported claims measure, not a consumer-complaint rate or a prediction of how an individual claim will be resolved.
Auto-cost position
Delaware's 2023 average auto expenditure was $1462, 9th of 51 jurisdictions by cost and 22.8% above the national average. The figure reflects the coverage mix recorded by NAIC, not an individual driver's quote.
State insurance rules
Delaware uses an at-fault (tort) auto-insurance system: the driver responsible for an accident, or their insurer, is liable for the other party's damages -- unlike the 12 no-fault states. Delaware's insurance commissioner is a directly elected statewide office, one of 11 states where voters choose this role rather than a governor.
Nearest expenditure peers. By average auto expenditure, Delaware's closest peers in PlainInsurer's dataset are Nevada ($1461/yr) and Colorado ($1453/yr) -- both within a few dollars of Delaware's own $1462/yr.
Border comparison. Delaware borders Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Delaware's auto costs run higher than 2 of them and lower than 1, by average auto expenditure -- geography is one of several factors (alongside regulation and risk pool) that shapes these differences, not a direct cause.
Rate regulation and guaranty-fund coverage are state-specific, so a state record can differ from an insurer's national average. Sources: CMS Transparency in Coverage PUF PY2026; NAIC 2023 Auto Insurance Database; Insurance Information Institute; Ballotpedia.
State insurance-department directory links come from NAIC. PlainInsurer is not affiliated with NAIC or CMS.
Every figure on PlainInsurer comes directly from NAIC MCAS and CMS Transparency in Coverage data; no editor types in numbers. See our editorial standards or methodology, or report an error. Data current as of 2026-08-11. Grades measure only the published complaint/denial data; we don't recommend any insurer or policy.