Aetna has chosen to exit the Delaware health marketplace at the end of this year. If you have coverage through Aetna, you'll need to switch to another company during open enrollment (Nov. 1 to Jan. 15).
When shopping for a new plan on HealthCare.gov, consider Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) for its strong customer service or Ambetter for its cheap rates.
Cheapest health insurance companies in Delaware
Ambetter, AmreiHealth and Highmark have the cheapest health insurance plans in Delaware, with Gold plans that cost as little as $528 per month before discounts.
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Affordable health insurance plans in Delaware
Company |
Cost
| |
|---|---|---|
| Ambetter | $528 - $572 |
| AmeriHealth Caritas Next | $562 - $575 |
| Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield | $586 - $667 |
| Aetna | $669 |
- Ambetter sells the cheapest health insurance in Delaware, with Gold plans starting at $528. Its Gold plans are the cheapest option in all three of Delaware's counties.
- But it's often worth it to pay more for a plan from Highmark, because you'll be able to see any doctor and still have some coverage.
- Gold plans are the best option for most people in Delaware. They give you a high level of coverage but don't cost much more than the middle-of-the-road Silver plans. Gold plans are also the most popular plan tier, making up 44% of all plans sold on HealthCare.gov in Delaware.
- But if you have a low income, a Silver plan may be a better option, because you can get discounts that make medical care cheaper.
Best health insurance companies in Delaware
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield sells the best health insurance plans in Delaware.
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has a high 4-out-of-5-star rating from HealthCare.gov. This rating measures the quality of medical care, the ease of getting services and overall customer satisfaction. It’s a good sign customers are happy with their coverage. In addition, the company significantly fewer complaints than an average company of its size.
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Best-rated health insurance companies in Delaware
Company |
Editor rating
|
ACA rating
|
|---|---|---|
| Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield | 4.0 | |
| Aetna | NA | |
| Ambetter | NA | |
| AmeriHealth Caritas Next | NA |
Highmark is the only company in Delaware that sells PPO plans. These plans give you the most flexibility when choosing doctors because you can see any doctor and still have coverage. You'll pay more when you go to out-of-network doctors, but your insurance will still pay some of the cost. All of Highmark's plans in Delaware are PPOs.
You also don't need a referral to see a specialist when you have a PPO plan. This makes them an especially good choice if you go to the doctor often or manage chronic or complex medical issues. Being able to see a specialist without a referral lets you get care faster.
Best health insurance for urgent care: Aetna
Aetna is a great choice if you don't need much medical care.
All of Aetna's plans in Delaware let you go to a CVS MinuteClinic without having to pay. MinuteClinic can help you with vaccinations, minor illnesses and infections and minor injuries like strains and sprains.
You'll also get access to the CVS Health Virtual Primary Care program. You can get virtual care when you have a cold or the flu, need a medication refill or want mental health support. You can also get primary care through the program for things like wellness screenings and chronic disease management.
How much is health insurance in Delaware per month?
Health insurance in Delaware costs an average of $593 per month for a Gold plan, but you could pay $147 per month if you get discounts because of your income.
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- The plan tier you choose and your age both affect your health insurance costs.
- A 60-year-old pays more than twice as much as a 40-year-old for health insurance across all plan tiers.
- Once you reach 65, you usually qualify for Medicare, which almost always lowers the cost of insurance.
Get affordable health insurance in Delaware with subsidies
Health insurance in Delaware costs $147 per month, on average, if you get discounts based on your income.
About 9 in 10 people who shop on HealthCare.gov in Delaware can get discounts based on their income, called subsidies. About 1 in 5 people who buy a plan pay less than $10 per month.
You have to make between $15,606 and $60,240 per year as a single person or between $31,200 and $124,800 as a family of four to qualify for subsidies. You'll get a bigger discount if you make less money. But if you qualify for Medicaid, you can't get subsidies.
You can use your discount on any Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum plan from any company. You can't use subsidies on Catastrophic plans.
Cheap Delaware health insurance plans by city
Ambetter has the cheapest health insurance throughout Delaware.
That includes Wilmington, Dover, Newark and Middletown, which are Delaware's largest cities. But remember to look at more than just a plan's rates when you're shopping for health insurance. Be sure to review the coverage, too.
Cheapest health insurance plans by DE county
County | Cheapest plan | Monthly rates |
|---|---|---|
| Kent | Ambetter Clear Gold | $528 |
| New Castle | Ambetter Clear Gold | $528 |
| Sussex | Ambetter Clear Gold | $528 |
Cheapest Gold plan with rates for a 40-year-old
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Best health insurance by level of coverage
The best health insurance for you depends on your monthly budget and how much medical care you need.
Gold and Platinum plans cost more each month, but you'll pay less when you need medical care. If you want a cheaper monthly rate, consider a Bronze plan. But keep in mind that you'll have to pay a larger portion of your medical bills.
Platinum plans: Best for high medical costs
| Platinum plans pay for about 90% of your medical care. |
Platinum plans cost $805 per month, on average, in Delaware.
Platinum plans are best if you need a lot of medical care. For example, if you need expensive treatments for cancer or expect to need a pricey surgery in the coming year, a Platinum plan might be worth it.
Platinum plans have the highest monthly rates but they pay for the biggest share of your medical bills. And in Delaware, Platinum plans don't have a deductible, which means your coverage starts right away.
Gold plans: Best for most people
| Gold plans pay for about 80% of your medical care. |
In Delaware, Gold plans cost an average of $593 per month.
Gold plans are best for most people in Delaware because they give you good coverage and a good rate. In Delaware, Gold plans only cost about $15 more per month compared to a Silver plan. Some Gold plans are even cheaper than Silver plans.
Because of this, Gold plans are the most popular plan level in Delaware.
Silver plans: Best if you have a low income
| Silver plans pay for about 70% of your medical care. |
Silver plans cost an average of $578 per month in Delaware.
Silver medical insurance plans are usually a good middle-of-the-road option, with modest rates and good coverage. But in Delaware, most people will do better with a Gold plan.
If you make between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as a single person, or between $31,200 and $78,000 per year as a family of four, though, a Silver plan may be the best option. You can qualify for extra discounts that make your medical care cheaper if you have a low income, and they are only available when you buy a Silver plan.
Bronze plans: Best for healthy people
| Bronze plans pay for about 60% of your medical care. |
Bronze plans cost $450 per month, on average, in Delaware.
Bronze plans cover about 60% of your medical bills, so they're only a good idea if you don't need much medical care. If you're young and healthy, a Bronze plan can be a good way to have coverage for serious illnesses or injuries. Just make sure you have savings to pay for your share of your bills.
Catastrophic plans: Best as a last resort
Catastrophic plans cost an average of $368 per month in Delaware.
Catastrophic plans are only a good option if you can't afford anything else, but you don't qualify for Medicaid. If something serious happens, you could pay up to $9,200 of your own medical bills before your plan starts to pay.
You can't buy a Catastrophic plan unless you're younger than 30 or if you qualify for a hardship exemption. Catastrophic plans are also not eligible for premium tax credits, which could make them more expensive than a Bronze plan if you earn a low income.
Cheap or free health insurance in Delaware if you have a low income
If you have a low income, you might be able to get free health insurance through Medicaid. If you can't get Medicaid, buying a Silver plan is a good idea, because it comes with extra discounts.
Medicaid plans in Delaware
Medicaid is a type of free health insurance from the government for people who have low incomes. You can qualify for Medicaid in Delaware if you earn below roughly $21,000 for a single person or $44,000 for a family of four. In certain situations, you can sometimes make more and still qualify. For example, pregnant women in Delaware can make up to about $40,000 and still qualify for Medicaid.
Use cost-sharing reductions for cheaper medical care
If you make between $15,060 and $37,650 per year as a single person, buying a Silver plan can be a good idea. You'll qualify for extra discounts, called cost-sharing reductions, that let you pay less when you go to the doctor. The discounts lower the deductible, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum costs on a Silver plan. Sometimes, the coverage you'll get is even better than a Gold plan. But if you qualify for Medicaid, you can't get cost-sharing reductions.
Are health insurance rates going up in DE?
The average cost of health insurance in Delaware went up by 3% between 2024 and 2025.
Catastrophic plans saw the biggest increase. They now cost 7% more in 2025 compared to 2024. Platinum plans had the smallest increase, at just 1%. Gold plans, the most popular plan level in the state, went up by 4%. All plan prices are expected to increase in 2026.
Catastrophic
Bronze
Silver
Gold
Platinum
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $307 | - |
| 2023 | $319 | 4% |
| 2024 | $345 | 8% |
| 2025 | $368 | 7% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Catastrophic
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $307 | - |
| 2023 | $319 | 4% |
| 2024 | $345 | 8% |
| 2025 | $368 | 7% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Bronze
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $449 | - |
| 2024 | $437 | -3% |
| 2025 | $450 | 3% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Silver
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $555 | - |
| 2023 | $566 | 2% |
| 2024 | $567 | 0% |
| 2025 | $578 | 2% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Gold
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $555 | - |
| 2023 | $583 | 5% |
| 2024 | $570 | -2% |
| 2025 | $593 | 4% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Platinum
Year | Cost | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | $687 | - |
| 2023 | $769 | 12% |
| 2024 | $796 | 4% |
| 2025 | $805 | 1% |
Monthly costs are for a 40-year-old.
Why is health insurance expensive in DE in 2026?
Health insurance rates are expected to rise by about 20% nationwide in 2026.
General inflation and the rising popularity of expensive prescription medicine, such as the weight-loss drugs Wegovy and Ozempic, are driving up healthcare costs. Insurance companies are paying more, and to make up for it, they want to charge higher rates.
Tax credits that have kept rates down for many Americans may also expire at the start of 2026. This would raise rates for many people with lower incomes.
Rather than pay more, people who are generally healthy may cancel their health insurance. The people who keep their coverage generally use healthcare more often. This can drive up prices even more.
What you can do if your healthcare rate increases
- Compare your options. Companies set their rates differently, so you might be able to get a better deal shopping around. You can go to healthcare.gov and get medical insurance quotes and find the cheapest option that fits your needs.
-
Look at a lower-tier plan. Lower-tier plans, like Bronze, have cheaper rates, but you’ll pay more each time you need healthcare. Switching can be a good option if you have enough money saved in case you have an accident or get really sick.
-
See if you can get discounts or go on Medicaid. You may qualify for Medicaid or subsidies if you have a low income. It can greatly decrease your rate.
-
Consider getting a Health Savings Account. An HSA helps you to save up money for healthcare and lets you skip on paying taxes for covered expenses. But you’ll need a high-deductible health plan to get one, and that means you’ll have less coverage in general.
Average cost of health insurance by family size in Delaware
Your monthly medical insurance bill will grow along with the size of your family. A single person with a child will pay an average of $947 per month. Each additional child costs $355, on average.
Family size | Average monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Individual | $593 |
| Individual + Child | $947 |
| Couple, age 40 | $1,185 |
| Family of three | $1,540 |
| Family of four | $1,895 |
Averages based on a Gold plan for 40-year-old adults and children who are under age 15.
COBRA insurance in Delaware
It's usually cheaper to buy a plan on HealthCare.gov than it is to get COBRA insurance in Delaware.
For a single person, a Gold plan costs $593 per month, on average, while COBRA costs $711 per month. Unless you rely on a specific coverage that your employer plan has but an ACA plan doesn't, COBRA isn't usually the best deal.
COBRA insurance lets you keep the health insurance plan you had with your employer after you leave, retire or are fired. COBRA usually lets you keep your plan for up to a year and a half, although you might be able to keep it for up to three years in some cases.
But once you leave your job, your employer won't help pay for your health insurance plan. You have to pay the full amount. That's why COBRA tends to be expensive.
Short-term health insurance in Delaware
You can buy short-term health insurance in Delaware, but plans can only last for three months at a time. You can't extend the plans for another month like you can in other states, and you can't buy another policy once the three months are up. You also can't buy another plan from the same company more than once per year.
Pros of short-term health insurance plans in Delaware
Cons of short-term health insurance plans in Delaware
Frequently asked questions
Is $200 a month expensive for health insurance in Delaware?
In Delaware, $200 a month is cheap for health insurance. Catastrophic plans {"content":"Catastrophic health insurance is a cheap plan that generally pays for your health care only during emergencies.","icon":"","label":"","triggerText":"Catastrophic plans"} , which is generally not enough coverage for most people, costs an average of $368 per month in the Diamond State. The only way to get rates that low is to get discounts for having a low income, which lowers rates to an average of $147 per month.
What is the average cost of health insurance in Delaware?
A Gold plan, the most popular plan tier in Delaware, costs $593 per month, on average. Your rate depends on the plan tier you buy, your age, where you live in the state, how many people you want your plan to cover and what company you pick.
How do you get free health insurance in Delaware?
You may qualify for free health insurance from Medicaid if you make less than about $21,000 per year as a single person or about $44,000 per year as a family of four. In some cases, like if you're pregnant, you might be able to make more and still qualify.
What's the best health insurance in Delaware?
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield has the best health insurance plans in Delaware. Highmark is the only company that sells PPO plans in Delaware. A PPO lets you go to a specialist without a referral and also see any doctor and still have some coverage. The added flexibility of a PPO is usually worth the higher price.
Methodology
Delaware health insurance rates for 2025 are from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) government website. ValuePenguin's experts used the Public Use Files (PUFs) to determine rates by plan tier, county, age, family size and more. Rates are for a 40-year-old with a Gold plan, unless another age or plan tier is mentioned.
Rates for plans with subsidies are from CMS data for everyone who shopped during 2024 open enrollment and got advanced premium tax credits (APTCs) on their monthly bills.
Rate increase request data for Delaware health insurance companies is from the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker.
ValuePenguin ranked each company based on a review of rates, coverage offerings, customer satisfaction and unique features.
Information about the most popular plan tier in Delaware and COBRA insurance is from KFF. Other sources include the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) and S&P Global Capital IQ.
Insurance Writer
Cate Deventer is a ValuePenguin writer who specializes in health insurance, Medicare, auto and home insurance. She's been a licensed insurance agent since 2011.
She started her insurance career working as a customer service agent for State Farm. She later moved to an independent agency, where she worked with several insurance companies and hundreds of clients. She quoted policies, filed claims and answered insurance questions. In 2021, she pivoted her career and began writing about insurance for Bankrate. She moved to ValuePenguin in 2023 and began writing about health insurance and Medicare.
Cate has a passion for helping readers choose insurance to fit their needs. She enjoys knowing that her research and knowledge help people choose insurance products that make a positive difference in their lives.
How insurance helped Cate
Cate used her health insurance knowledge to navigate a surgery in 2023. Understanding how her policy worked let her focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills.
Expertise
- Health insurance
- Medicare
- Auto insurance
- Home insurance
- Life insurance
Credentials
- Licensed Life, Accident and Health Insurance Agent
- Licensed Property & Casualty Insurance Agent
Referenced by
- CBS
- NBC
- Wall Street Journal
Education
- BA, Theatre, Purdue University
- BA, English, Indiana University
Editorial note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
