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What renters in the First State actually pay, per the National Association of Insurance Commissioners’ 2023 Homeowners Insurance Report (published July 2026) — and why the lowest-lying state in America lands just under the national average. Delaware’s NAIC average is $146 a year — $27 under the national figure, the 43rd-priciest of the 51 (a three-way tie with Maine and Nebraska). The pricing story is really two stories: Wilmington vs everywhere (location barely moves some carriers at all) and the water (the standard policy excludes exactly the peril Delaware’s geography invites). Below: the paid-premium data, the $25-vs-$17 city split, the $7-a-month State Farm quirk, and the flood exclusion to price before you sign.
The figures below are the NAIC’s state average HO-4 (renters) premium for Delaware — total premiums divided by total policies, 2023 policy year, published July 2026.
Delaware is a small state with a big city-price spread — the priciest sample runs nearly 50% above the cheapest (ValuePenguin 2026 city averages):
| City / ZIP | Avg /mo | Why it lands there |
|---|---|---|
| Smyrna (priciest sample) | $25 | Kent County corridor; Lemonade’s $25/mo Smyrna quote is the state’s priciest city sample |
| Newark | $21 | University of Delaware town; dense student rental market |
| Wilmington | $20 | The biggest city — insurancequotes has ZIP 19803 at $223/yr, below the statewide paid average |
| Middletown | $21 | Fast-growing suburb between Wilmington and Dover |
| Dover area | $18–$20 | The capital; mid-range pricing across studies |
| Hockessin (cheapest sample) | $17 | Affluent New Castle County suburb; quiet claims history |
Two quirks to know. First, Selbyville’s 19975 ZIP runs $246/yr (insurancequotes) — coastal exposure shows up even in a state this small. Second, Allstate charges the same $230/yr statewide: with that carrier, your address barely matters at all. The lesson: in Delaware, the carrier matters at least as much as the city — shop the companies below against your exact ZIP.
2026 quote averages for a standard profile. The headline quirk: State Farm at $7 a month (MoneyGeek) — the cheapest single quote in the state:
| Carrier | Avg /mo | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| State Farm | $10–$12 | $7/mo on MoneyGeek, $11/mo on insuranceopedia — cheapest statewide by every study |
| Cumberland Insurance | $8 | Regional mutual at $123/yr (insure.com); Delaware-focused, low profile |
| Amica | $15–$16 | Top-ranked service; mid-range pricing |
| Allstate | $18–$22 | Flat $230/yr statewide — the location-proof option |
| Lemonade | $18 | $18/mo Delaware average; Newark $21, Wilmington $20, Smyrna $25, Middletown $21 (ValuePenguin) |
Methodology note, because the quotes above run higher than the NAIC’s $12.17/mo: quote studies price a fixed coverage profile (usually $20,000–$30,000 of personal property), while the NAIC’s $146/yr is what people actually paid — including bare-minimum policies. The NAIC number is the reality; the quotes are the shopping guide. Both agree Delaware runs under the national average either way.
Here’s the exclusion that matters most in the First State. Delaware has the lowest average land elevation of any US state — and a standard renters policy excludes flooding: storm surge, nor’easters pushing water up the Delaware Bay, and plain rising water after a coastal storm. None of that is covered by HO-4. The fix is a separate NFIP flood policy with the standard 30-day wait — which means buying it during a nor’easter warning is already too late. What is covered: theft (the most common claim), fire and smoke, and wind damage to your belongings from those same storms — the policy covers the roof’s wind; it just doesn’t cover the water that comes in after. The regulator to know is the Delaware Department of Insurance — it approves every rate filing and runs the state’s consumer complaint process. Roughly 28% of Delaware households rent (Census), and most professionally managed buildings require renters insurance anyway — typically $100,000 of liability. At the state average, a year of coverage costs less than a single tank of gas.
| Output | Formula | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| NAIC average premium | total HO-4 premiums ÷ total HO-4 exposures | What Delaware renters actually paid: $146/yr. |
| Monthly equivalent | $146 ÷ 12 | ~$12.17/mo — the number to compare against quotes. |
| Share of US average | $146 ÷ $173 | 84.4% — about a sixth under the nation. |
The NAIC average is paid premiums across all coverage levels — your quote will differ by ZIP, building type, deductible, credit tier, and limits chosen. Quote-based rankings (MoneyGeek, ValuePenguin, insuranceopedia, insure.com, insurancequotes) price fixed profiles and run higher than what people actually pay. Carrier prices are 2026 quote averages and move with filings. Coverage notes reflect standard HO-4 forms; endorsements and exclusions vary by carrier. Not insurance advice.
Bright Side Kit. "Delaware Renters Insurance Cost: $146/yr." https://brightoolbox.com/renters-insurance-cost-delaware/ Accessed October 23, 2026.Because the flood risk is excluded from the policy. Insurers price what they actually cover — theft, fire, wind — and Delaware is quiet on all three: modest property crime outside Wilmington, no severe convective storms, and competitive carriers. The NAIC’s $146-a-year paid average is $27 under the national figure and ties Maine and Nebraska at #43. The water is your problem, not theirs — unless you buy the NFIP policy.
Different measurements. Quote studies price a fixed coverage profile — usually $20,000–$30,000 of personal property with standard limits — while the NAIC’s $146/yr is what renters actually paid, including bare-minimum policies many people carry. Both are honest: the NAIC number is the market reality, the quotes are the apples-to-apples shopping guide. Compare your quotes against $18/mo, and the state’s reality against $12.17/mo.
No — not on a standard HO-4. Flood from storm surge, nor’easters, or rising water is excluded everywhere, and in the lowest-lying state in America that exclusion has teeth. A separate NFIP flood policy is the only coverage — with a 30-day wait, so buy it in hurricane season, not during the storm. What is covered: wind damage to your belongings from those same storms.
That’s the city spread in ValuePenguin’s 2026 city averages: Smyrna’s Kent County corridor prices higher on claims history, while Hockessin’s affluent New Castle County suburb stays quiet. But note the counter-example: Allstate charges $230/yr in every ZIP. Your city sets the ceiling; your carrier decides whether you hit it. Get three quotes at your exact address.
State Farm by every 2026 study — $7/mo (MoneyGeek), $10–$12/mo (MoneyGeek statewide), $11/mo (insuranceopedia). The sleeper is Cumberland Insurance, a regional mutual at $123/yr (insure.com): no national ads, Delaware-focused pricing. If you want a location-proof price, Allstate’s flat $230/yr statewide is the one quote that doesn’t care about your ZIP.
Delaware law doesn’t require it, but most professionally managed buildings do — typically $100,000 of liability. With roughly 28% of Delaware households renting, the lease addendum is standard paperwork in Wilmington, Newark, and the beach towns alike. Bring proof of the liability limit, not just the policy, at lease signing.