TL;DR: Delaware's state layer is registration-based: 25/50/10 liability plus compulsory 15/30 PIP on every registered vehicle, intrastate USDOT numbers over 10,001 pounds, and workers comp from the first employee. Interstate and hazmat operations follow the federal tiers with FMCSA filings, and broker contracts set the working numbers at $1,000,000 and $100,000.
What insurance does Delaware law require for truckers?
The state asks for a registration package rather than a trucking table. Every registered vehicle carries 25/50/10 liability and Delaware's compulsory personal injury protection at 15/30 minimums under 21 Del. C. 2118, the add-on PIP that pays first-party benefits without restricting tort claims. Commercial vehicles over 10,001 pounds carry intrastate USDOT numbers. Employers carry workers comp from the first hire. Interstate and hazmat operations meet the federal requirements, the 49 CFR 387.9 tiers with insurer-filed BMC certificates and the MCS-90, and broker contracts supply the working numbers: $1,000,000 liability, $100,000 cargo.
What are the required amounts?
| Requirement | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Registration liability | $25,000 / $50,000 / $10,000 | 21 Del. C. 2118 |
| Personal injury protection | $15,000 / $30,000 minimum | |
| Interstate general freight | $750,000 | 49 CFR 387.9 |
| Hazmat by commodity | $1,000,000 / $5,000,000 | |
| Brokered freight | $1,000,000 + $100,000 cargo | Contracts |
How does the PIP layer interact with the rest of the program?
As a first-dollar medical layer below the liability structure. PIP pays occupants' medical costs and lost wages regardless of fault, with employee drivers routing through workers comp first, and because Delaware preserves tort rights fully, serious claims proceed against liability limits undiminished. The practical effects for fleets: the PIP premium is a fixed cost per registered unit, claim handling involves a first-party component most at-fault states lack, and coordination language between PIP, workers comp, and health coverage deserves attention at binding rather than at claim time.
What does workers comp require in Delaware?
Coverage from the first employee under Title 19, purchased in a private market and administered by the Division of Industrial Affairs. Delaware's compact geography means many trucking employees cross state lines daily, so policies should list the right states and reflect where drivers actually work, the multi-state hygiene every corridor-state employer needs. Owner-operator classification follows Delaware's tests, with occupational accident coverage the standard lease answer outside the system.
How does Delaware's freight profile shape the program?
Around the corridor and the chemistry. I-95 through Wilmington is among the East Coast's densest truck segments, generating congestion frequency and multi-vehicle severity; the Port of Wilmington adds drayage with interchange requirements; and the chemical industry's tankers make federal hazmat tiers and pollution coverage routine considerations rather than specialty topics. Physical damage carries coastal storm exposure. A Delaware program reads like a Northeast corridor program in miniature, with hazmat competence as the local accent.
What does a complete Delaware program look like?
$1,000,000 liability over the compulsory registration package, $100,000 cargo, physical damage with corridor and storm exposure priced, workers comp from hire one with multi-state provisions, pollution coverage where the freight is chemical, and excess for fleets with assets on the I-95 corridor. The absence of state filings puts the continuity burden on the carrier's own calendar, and the annual registration cycle serves as the natural verification date.
Real questions Delaware owner-operators and fleet managers ask
What insurance does a truck registered in Delaware need?
The registration package: 25/50/10 liability plus compulsory 15/30 PIP under 21 Del. C. 2118. Working for-hire operations then carry the market standard, $1,000,000 liability and $100,000 cargo, with federal filings for interstate work.
Does PIP apply to commercial trucks in Delaware?
Yes, the compulsory PIP attaches to registered vehicles including trucks, paying first-party medical and wage benefits regardless of fault. Employee injuries route through workers comp first, and tort claims proceed fully since Delaware uses the add-on model.
Is cargo insurance required by Delaware law?
Not for general freight; the requirement is contractual at $100,000 through broker packets. Interstate household goods carriers file federally, and the chemical trade's real exposure is pollution and liability rather than cargo.
What do Delaware hazmat haulers need?
The federal tiers, $1,000,000 for oil and listed materials, $5,000,000 for bulk high-hazard classes, plus pollution coverage that answers loading, unloading, and gradual-release scenarios the auto form excludes. The chemical corridor makes this routine Delaware business.
When does workers comp apply to a Delaware trucking company?
From the first employee, with multi-state provisions deserving attention since Delaware drivers routinely work in Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey daily. Classification of owner-operators follows state tests, not lease labels.
Can Morrow write trucking insurance in Delaware?
Not directly today. Morrow is the brand name of Afthonea Inc, licensed in Massachusetts, Florida, California, New York, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and Texas. If your trucking company is based in Delaware, we can refer you to a licensed Delaware agent, and this guide still shows you exactly what to ask that agent for. Everything above comes from public Delaware and federal sources, not from us selling you a policy.
Related Delaware trucking guides
The other Delaware trucking questions, answered the same way.
- Trucking insurance in Delaware (start here)
- Intrastate authority and filings
- Minimum liability limits for trucks
- Cost of trucking insurance
- Business insurance in Delaware
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- What is an MCS-90 endorsement?
- Federal minimum liability limits by commodity
- Workers comp for transportation companies
This guide is general information, not legal, tax, or insurance advice. Limits, forms, and deadlines change, so verify current requirements with the Delaware Department of Insurance before you rely on them. Morrow is a brand name of Afthonea Inc. Last updated: July 2026.