Liquor Liability in Delaware

The Delaware Supreme Court has held that creation of dram-shop or social-host liability belongs to the General Assembly and described Delaware as having no Dram Shop Act. Current Title 4 still requires a licensee to refuse service to an intoxicated or apparently intoxicated person; the refusal rule does not itself create an insurance requirement.

What Is Liquor Liability Insurance?

Liquor liability can cover claims tied to your business selling, serving or furnishing alcohol. If you run a bar, restaurant or event where you provide drinks, check how the quote treats injuries, property damage and occasional service. Read the national Liquor liability guide.

What Should You Watch for With Liquor Liability Insurance in Delaware?

The Supreme Court left any dram-shop action to lawmakers
In Shea, the Delaware Supreme Court affirmed dismissal and said the General Assembly, not the court, should decide whether to create dram-shop or social-host liability; the decision described Delaware as having no Dram Shop Act. ¹
The service rule still matters to licensees
Title 4 §706 requires a licensee, employee, or person in charge to refuse service to someone who is intoxicated or appears intoxicated; it protects the refusal itself from a damages claim. ²
A dram-shop ruling does not answer every premises claim
Shea addressed claims based on furnishing alcohol and declined to create dram-shop or social-host causes of action; ask separately whether the facts involve negligent premises operation, security, or another independent duty. ^1,²

Which Liquor Liability Providers Have Delaware License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Liquor liability; the license records below name the licensed entities and roles. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Delaware. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

Corgi
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.
Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. ¹⁰
Corgi markets liquor liability for eligible veterans’ and fraternal lodges with licensed on-premises bars.

Who Regulates Insurance in Delaware?

Delaware Department of Insurance

The Delaware Department of Insurance licenses and regulates insurers and insurance producers, reviews regulated insurance activity, and handles complaints. Its consumer division can help you raise an insurance concern and its services page links to official license searches. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint
Phone: (800) 282-8611

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Delaware

Reported tax rate. 3% of gross premium, less return premium, when Delaware is the home state ^6,⁷

When Delaware is the insured’s home state, its 3% surplus-lines premium tax applies to the entire premium of a multistate policy, less returned premiums and excluding federal and state taxes and examination fees. Ask the surplus-lines broker to confirm the home-state determination and tax calculation, and separately explain how exposures are allocated in the required reports; those allocations do not reduce the premium subject to Delaware’s tax.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Liquor Liability in Delaware

Does the policy cover premises operations and security allegations separately from a claim based only on serving alcohol?
Which employees are covered when refusing service or managing a patron who appears intoxicated?
Do the lease, venue agreement, event permit, or municipality require a liquor liability certificate or additional insured?

Liquor Liability Insurance in Delaware: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Delaware recognize a dram-shop action for serving an adult who later injures another?

The Delaware Supreme Court has repeatedly left creation of dram-shop liability to the General Assembly and affirmed dismissal of the claim in Shea; do not treat that holding as a ruling on every independent premises or conduct claim. ¹

What does Delaware require when a patron appears intoxicated?

A licensee, its employee, or the person in charge must refuse to sell or serve the individual under 4 Del. C. §706. ²

Sources for Liquor Liability Insurance in Delaware

1
Shea v. Matassa, No. 211, 2006. Delaware Supreme Court; Opinion dated February 1, 2007, discussion of dram-shop and social-host liability, pp. 7–10. Accessed 2026-09-28.
2
Delaware Code, Title 4, §706: Sale or Service to Intoxicated Person. Delaware General Assembly; 4 Del. C. §706. Accessed 2026-09-28.
3
Delaware Department of Insurance. Delaware Department of Insurance; Official Department homepage and regulatory resources. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
Services. Delaware Department of Insurance; Department service directory links to the state insurance licensee search. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
Consumer Services. Delaware Department of Insurance; Complaint filing and consumer assistance; publishes Consumer Services phone. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Surplus Lines Bulletin 22. Delaware Department of Insurance; Surplus Lines Bulletin 22 (October 2025; printed day is blank), reproducing 18 Del. C. § 1925: home-state tax treatment, all premium on multistate policy if Delaware is home state, 3% rate, and exclusion of federal/state taxes and examination fees from gross premium. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Delaware Code, Title 18, §§1923–1925. Delaware General Assembly; §1923(a)(1),(12) home-state verification and allocation records; §1924(b)(3)–(6) separate premium reporting; §1925(b)–(c) 3% tax, deductions/exclusions and full multistate premium when Delaware is home state. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
9
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
10
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
11
About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
12
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
13
Licenses & Disclosures. RiskCube; Property & Casualty Producer/Broker Licenses; February 11, 2026 version. Accessed 2026-09-16.
14
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
15
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

Liquor Liability in Delaware

What Is Liquor Liability Insurance?

What Should You Watch for With Liquor Liability Insurance in Delaware?

The Supreme Court left any dram-shop action to lawmakers

The service rule still matters to licensees

A dram-shop ruling does not answer every premises claim