Delaware Insurance Department

Office address: 1351 W North St STE 101, Dover, DE 19904  
Website: insurance.delaware.gov 
Year established: 1907 
Employees: 105 
Key people: Trinidad Navarro (insurance commissioner), Tanisha Merced (deputy insurance commissioner), Christina Miller (special deputy to the commissioner), Stuart Snyder (chief of staff), Christina Haas (senior advisor), Nicole Brittingham (director) 
Operating budget: $32 million (FY 2025) 

The Delaware Department of Insurance allows the state’s insurance market to be fair and safe. It handled more than 5,200 consumer complaints and questions in 2024. It also looks after over 250,000 licensed professionals and oversees 1,500 foreign and 150 domestic insurers to protect Delaware residents. 

History of Delaware Insurance Department 

The Delaware Department of Insurance (its official name) was founded in 1907. The agency was created to protect residents and provide strong oversight as insurance became a key part of daily life.  

The Delaware Insurance Department led the state through major historical changes: 

• 1985: David Levinson was elected insurance commissioner and led regulatory changes 
• 1993: Donna Lee Harpster Williams was elected and modernized department practices 
• 2005: Matthew Denn took office and focused on consumer advocacy 
• 2009: Karen Weldin Stewart was elected and increased market oversight 
• 2013: department launched the Delaware Health Insurance Marketplace 
• 2017: Trinidad Navarro was elected and expanded enforcement 
• 2019: department moved to a new headquarters in Dover 
• 2022: department study on gender pricing led to new laws 
• 2023: Health Insurance Marketplace reached record enrollment 
• 2024: Trinidad Navarro won the Democratic primary with 74 percent 

In 2024, the Medicare Assistance Bureau held over 4,800 one-on-one counseling sessions and helped save consumers an estimated $2.2 million. The Legal Division managed more than 384 arbitration cases, settled 193 before hearing, and awarded around $517,800 to Delaware residents. 

Delaware Insurance Department mandate 

The Delaware Insurance Department holds its authority under Title 18 of the Delaware Code. The department includes six main divisions and three additional programs: 

Divisions 

• Bureau of Captive & Financial Insurance Products 
• Bureau of Company Examination, Rehabilitation & Guaranty 
• Consumer Services & Investigations Divisions 
• Fraud Prevention Bureau 
• Producer Licensing & Continuing Education Division 
• Rates & Forms Divisions 

Programs 

• Bureau of Rehabilitation and Liquidation 
• DMAB: Medicare Counseling 
• Workplace Safety Program 

The insurance commissioner leads the agency and is chosen by Delaware voters for a four-year term. Trinidad Navarro has served as insurance commissioner since 2017 and won re-election in both 2020 and 2024. 

Key responsibilities  

The Delaware Insurance Department takes on many important duties to keep insurance working and balanced for everyone in the state. Here’s a look at what the department is required to do: 

• protect consumers: resolves complaints and recovers funds 
• fight insurance fraud: investigates fraud and closes hundreds of cases each year 
• license professionals: manages licenses for agents, brokers, and adjusters 
• regulate insurance companies: reviews financial health of domestic and other insurers 
• review rates and forms: approves insurance rates and policy forms 
• provide Medicare counseling: offers free help through DMAB 
• promote workplace safety: helps employers save millions in workers’ compensation premiums 
• oversee captive insurance: regulates active captive insurance licenses 
• arbitrate disputes: settles claim disputes 
• educate the public: runs outreach, guides, and disaster preparedness programs 

The department also manages the Delaware Health Insurance Marketplace and supports legislative changes to protect residents. It handles FOIA requests and keeps insurance information accessible for all. 

Recent initiatives and regulatory focus 

The Delaware Insurance Department created the Office of Long-Term Care Insurance to help residents understand complex policy options and costs. Staff will guide consumers by phone, email, or in-person, using a “no wrong door” approach. The new unit will not regulate but will connect people to the right department if deeper review is needed. 

The agency also approved an 8.4 percent cut in voluntary workers’ comp rates for 2024. This makes it their eighth consecutive year of rate reductions. These changes are expected to lower costs for employers and help keep jobs and insurance more affordable for workers. 

Consumer protection and outreach 

The Delaware Insurance Department gives residents many ways to get help and answers about insurance, such as: 

• DMAB: free counseling for Medicare, Medicaid, and long-term care questions 
• Office of Long-Term Care Insurance: helps compare plans and explains premium increases and reduced benefits 
• arbitration services: provides forms and guidance for insurance claim disputes 
• lost policy locator: helps find lost life insurance policies and annuity contracts 

These resources make it easier for people to solve problems and understand their options. The department also offers guides, rate comparison tools, and community events.