Your Insurance Detective › Delaware, private health insurance
What are my private health insurance options in Delaware, and what do they cost?
Written and reviewed by Dick Tracy, licensed health insurance broker (NPN 20414610) · Published October 6, 2026
In Delaware, private health insurance is any plan that is not Medicaid, Medicare, or coverage from a job. Two companies filed individual plans for 2027, Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware and AmeriHealth Caritas, and the state approved average increases of 17.20% and 13.94%. In 2026 the benchmark Silver plan averaged $691 a month for a 40-year-old before any subsidy. Those two companies are not the whole list, though. There are also private plans that are priced on your own health, and for a healthy person with no subsidy one is worth pricing, because the benefits and the price are both different. I'm Dick Tracy, a licensed health insurance broker, licensed in Delaware and based in Buffalo, NY. I educate, you decide.
This page is for anyone in Delaware who has to buy their own coverage: you are between jobs, you retired before 65, you work for yourself, or you earn too much for a premium tax credit and the price you were quoted made you sit down. I am licensed in Delaware (National Producer Number 20414610), one of 25 states I am licensed in, and I work with 80+ carriers. I work with Delawareans by phone or Zoom, with the plan documents on the screen, whether you are in Wilmington, Dover, or Sussex County. You get the tips, the tricks, and the traps.
individual plans in Delaware
Highmark BCBS Delaware
AmeriHealth Caritas
Sources: Delaware Department of Insurance, 2027 rate filings and 2027 rate announcement, September 4, 2026.
What "private health insurance" actually means
There are two kinds of health coverage in this country. Government programs: Medicaid, Medicare, the VA. And private insurance: a plan issued by an insurance company. A plan from your job is private insurance. So is a plan you buy yourself. So is a plan you buy through the marketplace, even with a tax credit paying part of the bill. People get tripped up on that last one. The marketplace is a store. What it sells are private plans from private companies.
So when someone in Delaware tells me they want "private health insurance," I ask one question back: private as in not from a job, or private as in not the marketplace? The answer changes which shelf we look at. Delaware has five shelves, and most people have only been shown one.
The five kinds of private coverage a Delaware resident can buy
1. An Affordable Care Act plan through the marketplace
Delaware uses the federal marketplace. These plans take everyone at the same price for their age and tobacco status, anywhere in the state. No health questions. It is also the only place a premium tax credit lives. For 2027 the Department of Insurance says Highmark will sell 16 comprehensive plans and one catastrophic plan there, and AmeriHealth Caritas will sell 9 plans. Open enrollment for plan year 2027 begins on November 1.
Fits: anyone whose income qualifies for a real tax credit, and anyone whose health would not pass health questions. Watch: with two companies, check the network before the premium. A plan that leaves out the hospital you actually use is not a bargain.
2. The same kind of plan, bought directly from the company
Both companies also file individual plans that are sold off the marketplace: 20 from Highmark and 13 from AmeriHealth Caritas for 2027, according to the Department. Same Affordable Care Act rules, no health questions, pre-existing conditions covered. The difference is that a tax credit cannot be applied to a plan bought this way.
Fits: someone who wants a guaranteed-issue plan, knows they will not get a credit, and prefers a plan design that is only filed off the marketplace.
3. A private plan priced on your own health, with a true PPO network
This is what some people mean by "private." These plans are priced on your own health instead of the average of everyone in the pool. That means health questions, and not everyone qualifies. These are not marketplace plans, so I walk through the plan documents with you before anyone signs. The networks are the big national PPO networks, so you are not locked into one hospital system, which matters when the specialist you want is in Philadelphia or Baltimore.
Fits: healthy, no tax credit coming, wants to pick their own doctors. Does not fit: anyone whose health keeps them from qualifying. That is not a moral judgment, it is arithmetic, and it is why the first two kinds exist.
4. A pre-established ERISA group plan
ERISA is a federal law from 1974 that governs employer benefit plans. There are group plans that already exist under it, and a self-employed person or business owner can be merged into one. Group rates and a true PPO network, without needing a payroll or employees of your own. Who qualifies depends on how the plan is set up and how your business is set up, and I check that with you before anything else. If you freelance, consult, or run a one-person company, this is one option among several, and it belongs in your comparison. The Delaware self-employed page walks through it.
Fits: self-employed people and owners who want a group-style PPO, especially with a spouse or family on the policy.
5. Supplemental plans that sit on top of a real plan
Fixed-benefit, accident, critical illness, and gap protection plans pay set dollar amounts when something happens. They are private insurance, and they get oversold. They are a layer, not a roof. I use them on top of a real medical plan to cover the deductible you would otherwise eat, never as the only coverage. Which products are approved for Delaware residents changes, so I confirm what is on the table for you on the call.
Fits: someone with a high deductible who wants the first few thousand dollars of a bad day covered.
The five kinds, side by side
| Kind of private coverage | Tax credit possible? | Network |
|---|---|---|
| Marketplace plan | Yes, if your income qualifies | The company's own network. Check it. |
| Same plan type, bought direct | No | The company's own network. Check it. |
| Private plan priced on your own health | No | National PPO networks |
| Pre-established ERISA group plan | No | True PPO network |
| Supplemental plan | No | Usually none needed. It pays you. |
The first two rows follow Affordable Care Act rules: they take everyone, with no health questions. Other private plans can be priced on your own health, which means health questions, and not everyone qualifies. I sort out which is which for you on the call. The premium tax credit is only available on a plan bought through the marketplace. For how the two sides compare nationally, see private vs. marketplace health insurance in 2026.
How much is private health insurance in Delaware?
Here are the published numbers, so you have an honest anchor. For a 40-year-old buying on their own in 2026, before any subsidy, the Delaware marketplace averages look like this:
| 2026 marketplace average (age 40, before any subsidy) | Delaware | US average |
|---|---|---|
| Lowest-cost Bronze plan | $542/month | $456/month |
| Benchmark Silver plan | $691/month | $625/month |
| Lowest-cost Gold plan | $727/month | $615/month |
Source: KFF analysis of healthcare.gov data, 2026 plan year.
Now 2027. On September 4, 2026 the Delaware Department of Insurance released the approved rates:
| Company | Requested for 2027 | Approved 2027 average increase | Marketplace plans | Off-marketplace individual plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware | 20.20% | 17.20% | 16, plus one catastrophic plan | 20 |
| AmeriHealth Caritas | 13.90% | 13.94% | 9 | 13 |
Source: Delaware Department of Insurance, "Delaware Announces 2027 Marketplace Health Insurance Rates," September 4, 2026. The approved column is what the state approved, not what was requested. An average is across all of a company's plans, so one plan can move more or less. The AmeriHealth Caritas requested figure is from the Department's filing page for that company, which lists 13.90% requested and 13.94% approved. The final figure is slightly higher than the request, and the Department's release says the request "was adjusted to a final average of 13.94%."
A third company, Ambetter Health of Delaware, sold marketplace plans in 2026 and is ending them on December 31, 2026. If that is your plan today, you have to pick a new one for 2027, so call me before you do. Source: Ambetter Health of Delaware notice dated September 2, 2026.
To put that in dollars, here is my own arithmetic, not a published price: a plan that cost $691 a month in 2026 comes to about $810 a month after a 17.20% increase, and about $787 after a 13.94% increase. The actual 2027 benchmark for your age will be a different number, and I will pull the real one with you.
Here is the part the averages hide. Every figure above is for a plan that, by law, cannot ask about your health. A healthy 40-year-old and a 40-year-old with three prescriptions pay the same rate. Delaware runs above the US average at every tier. Delaware is one rating area, so your county does not change a marketplace premium. It does change which doctors and hospitals are in network. Your own number moves with your age, tobacco use, the network you choose, and the kind of plan. That last one is the lever. A healthy person can be priced on their own health instead of everyone else's, and that is where the averages stop applying. Give me the five facts below and I will give you real numbers from real carriers, usually the same day. Anyone who quotes your premium without asking is guessing.
Where the tax credit starts and stops
A premium tax credit can change the whole answer, so check it before you rule anything in or out. For 2026 coverage in Delaware, adults up to 138% of the poverty level are in Medicaid territory (up to $22,025 for one person), the credit runs from there to 400%, and it ends completely one dollar over the line: $62,600 for one person, $84,600 for two, $128,600 for a family of four. That is the subsidy cliff, and there is no longer a cap on paying back a credit you were not owed. The lines for 2027 coverage move with the newer poverty guidelines, so run your own household through the ACA subsidy calculator, preset for Delaware and the subsidy cliff calculator.
Sources: 2025 HHS poverty guidelines (marketplace credits for 2026 coverage); 2026 HHS poverty guidelines (Medicaid). Same figures as the Delaware income limits table.
If your income is low enough for Medicaid or a large tax credit, that may be the best deal you can get, and I will tell you so.
Which kind fits you?
Between jobs
Price a private plan against COBRA before you sign the COBRA form. COBRA keeps your old plan at full price. Losing job coverage also opens a special enrollment window, so you are not stuck waiting for November 1. If you are healthy, a plan priced on your own health is worth a quote the same week. Here is how COBRA stacks up.
Retired before 65
Look at your income first, then your health. If your retirement income sits under the cliff, the credit can be large at your age. If it sits over, a PPO priced on your own health is usually the first quote I run for a healthy early retiree, and it may carry you to Medicare, so I check the renewal terms with you first.
Self-employed or a business owner
You have one more shelf than everyone else. Add the pre-established ERISA group plan to the comparison. The Delaware self-employed page covers the write-off too, and if you have employees, start with small business health insurance in Delaware.
Healthy, and you earn too much for a credit
A plan priced on your own health first. The marketplace price is the same for everyone your age, healthy or not. Get that quote, with a national PPO, and compare it to the full-price plan you were quoted.
A serious diagnosis in the last five years
The guaranteed-issue plan, for now. It cannot turn you down or charge you more. Take it, get well, and we revisit the other shelves at a later open enrollment. Do not go without coverage while you shop.
How to buy private health insurance in Delaware
Bring five facts: your age, your county, whether you use tobacco, a rough household income for the year, and how you actually use care, meaning your doctors and your prescriptions. Those five facts decide which shelves are open to you and what each one costs. Then compare the kinds of coverage before you compare plans. Most people do it backwards. They compare six Silver plans and never learn there were four other shelves.
That comparison is what I do. Thirty minutes by phone or Zoom, no fee. The premium for the same plan is the same whether you use a broker or not. I put the options that fit you side by side and show you the math on a good year and on a bad one. The cheapest plan is the one that costs least on the day nothing happens. The best plan is the one that costs least on the day something does.
Common questions about private health insurance in Delaware
What is private health insurance in Delaware?
Private health insurance is any health plan that is not a government program like Medicaid or Medicare. A plan from a job is private too, but when people search this phrase they usually mean a plan they buy themselves. In Delaware that covers five things: an Affordable Care Act plan bought through the healthcare.gov marketplace, the same kind of plan bought directly from the insurance company, a private plan priced on your own health that uses a PPO network, a pre-established ERISA group plan for self-employed people and business owners, and supplemental plans that sit on top of a real plan.
How much is private health insurance in Delaware?
For a 40-year-old in 2026, published Delaware marketplace averages are $542 a month for the lowest-cost Bronze plan, $691 for the benchmark Silver plan, and $727 for the lowest-cost Gold plan, before any subsidy, per KFF. For 2027 the Delaware Department of Insurance approved average increases of 17.20% for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware and 13.94% for AmeriHealth Caritas. Those are prices for plans that cannot ask about your health. Your own number depends on your age, tobacco use, the network you pick, and whether the plan is priced on your own health. Delaware is a single rating area, so your county does not change a marketplace premium, though it does change which doctors and hospitals are in network. A private plan priced on your own health is a different calculation, so a healthy person with no subsidy may land below those averages. The only way to know is to price it.
What is the best private health insurance in Delaware?
There is no single best plan. There is a best fit for your situation. If you are healthy and earn too much for a premium tax credit, a private plan priced on your own health, with a national PPO network, is usually worth pricing first. If your income qualifies for a premium tax credit, that changes the math, and I price it with you. If you have had a serious diagnosis in the last five years, the guaranteed-issue plan that cannot ask health questions is the right plan for now. If you are self-employed or own a business, a pre-established ERISA group plan belongs in the comparison too.
Which companies sell individual health plans in Delaware?
For plan year 2027, the Delaware Department of Insurance lists two companies with individual health plan filings: Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware and AmeriHealth Caritas. According to the Department, Highmark will sell 16 comprehensive plans and one catastrophic plan on the marketplace plus 20 individual plans off the marketplace, and AmeriHealth Caritas will sell 9 marketplace plans plus 13 off the marketplace. Other companies offer private plans priced on your own health and supplemental plans to Delaware residents outside that list, and which ones are available depends on your age, county and health.
How do I buy private health insurance in Delaware?
Start with five facts: your age, your county, whether you use tobacco, a rough household income for the year, and how you actually use care, including your doctors and prescriptions. Those five facts decide which kinds of coverage you qualify for and what they cost. Then compare the kinds side by side before you compare plans. A licensed broker can price them together, and the premium for the same plan is the same whether you use a broker or not. I do this by phone or Zoom with the plan documents on the screen.
Can I buy private health insurance in Delaware outside the marketplace?
Yes. The Delaware Department of Insurance lists individual non-marketplace plans from both Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Delaware and AmeriHealth Caritas for 2027. Those follow the same Affordable Care Act rules as marketplace plans, with no health questions, but a premium tax credit is only available through the marketplace. Other private plans can be priced on your own health, which means health questions, and a pre-established ERISA group plan is one more option for self-employed people and business owners.
Is short-term health insurance allowed in Delaware?
Yes, with tight limits. Delaware Regulation 1320 defines a short-term, limited duration plan as one that ends no more than 3 months after it starts. The 3-month limit cannot be stretched by issuing back-to-back policies or by issuing a second short-term policy to the same person in the same year. The regulation also requires a notice in bold type that the coverage is not required to comply with certain Affordable Care Act requirements, and it tells buyers to check the policy for exclusions or limits on pre-existing conditions. Source: Delaware Department of Insurance, Regulation 1320 in Title 18 of the Delaware Administrative Code.
Can I get private health insurance in Delaware if I have a pre-existing condition?
Yes. Affordable Care Act plans, on or off the marketplace, cannot ask health questions, cannot turn you down, and cannot charge you more for a health condition. If you have had a serious diagnosis in the last five years, that guaranteed-issue plan is the right plan for now. Private plans priced on your own health do ask health questions, and not everyone qualifies, so they fit people who are currently healthy. Nobody with significant health needs should put off getting covered while they shop.
Thirty minutes on the phone or Zoom, no fee, no hard sell. Bring your age, county, tobacco status, a rough income number, and how you use care. I price the kinds of coverage that fit you and put them side by side. I educate, you decide.
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