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The car insurance market is flooded with companies that claim to offer the most affordable rates. Although it’s certainly possible to find cheap auto insurance in New Hampshire, you’ll have to shop around to find a company that’s a good fit for your specific driver profile. Our researchers compared insurance quotes from some of the top providers to help you uncover the most affordable carriers.
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in New Hampshire
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance
New Hampshire Car Insurance FAQs
Cheapest Car Insurance Companies in New Hampshire
The best way to find the most affordable car insurance rates in New Hampshire is by comparing quotes from multiple companies. The table below features our insurance carrier recommendations for different types of drivers:
| Cheapest Insurer | Driver Category |
|---|---|
| Liberty Mutual | Safe Drivers |
| USAA | Drivers in the Military |
| State Farm | Low Annual Mileage |
| Progressive | High-Risk Drivers |
| Geico | Drivers with a DUI |
Best Car Insurance Companies in New Hampshire
Taking into account complaint data and customer reviews, our Geeks ranked the state’s best insurers. The table below outlines the results of our analysis:
| Rank | Company | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | State Farm | A |
| 2 | Liberty Mutual | A |
| 3 | USAA | A- |
| 4 | Allstate | B+ |
Minimum Car Insurance Requirements in New Hampshire
Drivers in New Hampshire are not required to carry auto insurance; however, if you choose to purchase coverage, it must meet the following minimum limits:
- Liability Coverage For Bodily Injuries Per Person: $25,000
- Liability Coverage For Bodily Injuries Per Accident: $50,000
- Liability Coverage For Property Damage: $25,000
- Medical Payments Coverage Of $1,000 Per Person
- Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage Of $25,000 Per Person / $50,000 Per Accident
Penalties for Driving Without Auto Insurance in New Hampshire
None. There are no laws prohibiting motorists from driving without insurance in the state. New Hampshire is the only place in the U.S. that does not require motorists to purchase a policy before hitting the road. However, if you’re involved in an accident while uninsured, you will have to cover costs such as repair bills and medical treatment on your own dime.
Additionally, if it emerges that you were responsible for causing the accident, and this crash resulted injuries to other drivers or property damage exceeding $1,000, your registration and driver’s license could be suspended. You will then first have to purchase an SR-22 insurance policy meeting the state’s minimum liability limits and settle costs with the other motorists involved before reapplying to have your license reinstated.
Our Geeks recommend purchasing adequate coverage right now to give you peace of mind that a future accident won’t break the bank.
New Hampshire Car Insurance FAQs
What Is SR-22 Insurance in New Hampshire?
When your license is suspended due to any serious moving violation – such as driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, causing an accident, or committing a high number of traffic offense in a short period of time – you may be required to fulfil the state’s SR-22 filing requirements before your driving privileges are restored.
An SR-22 is a form/certificate stating that you, as an individual rather than just your vehicle, are insured up to the minimum liability limits stipulated by the state. As a result, this type of insurance will typically cost more than other common forms of coverage. Unfortunately, in most situations, you will have to maintain your SR-22 insurance plan for 3 years before the state’s requirements are lifted.
Take note: Any break in your coverage due to a cancellation or missed payment, will be reported to authorities and as a result, your license and registration will be revoked or suspended again.
What Are Some Important New Hampshire Traffic Laws?
Maintain a clean driving record and score cheaper rates by always following the rules of the road. Here are just a few of the state’s most important traffic laws:
New Hampshire Drunk Driving Laws
In New Hampshire, the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) limit for most motorists is 0.08% (the equivalent of drinking a 12-ounce pour of domestic beer). Commercial drivers must adhere to a stricter 0.04% limit and drivers under the age of 21 will find themselves in hot water if tests reveal any traceable amount of alcohol in their system (0.02% or more).
If you are stopped by authorities and test over the legal drinking limit, you could face the following penalties as a first-time offender:
- Between $500 – $1,200 in fines; and
- 6-month license suspension.
Your second offense could lead to:
- Minimum fine of $750;
- Minimum 30 days behind bars;
- 3-year minimum license suspension; and
- Installation of ignition interlock device in your car.
Your third or subsequent offense could result in:
- Minimum fine of $750;
- Minimum 180 days in jail;
- Indefinite license suspension; and
- Installation of ignition interlock device in your car.
If you were caught driving under the influence while committing another reckless driving violation – such as speeding 30mph over the speed limit, travelling with passengers under the age of 16, or testing at 0.16% or above – you could be charged with an Aggravated Driving While Intoxicated offense. As a result, you will be forced to pay increased fines, serve a longer prison sentence, and potentially lose your driving privileges for life.
While you can refuse to take a chemical test, if you choose to do so, your license will be suspended automatically. When you drive on state roads, you enter into a contract known as “implied consent”, agreeing to alcohol and drug testing at any point while travelling in New Hampshire. In some cases, your license could be suspended for up to 2 years.
New Hampshire Car Safety Seat Laws
By law, all children shorter than 4.75 feet or younger than 7 must always be seated in a car safety seat. You should make sure your child does not exceed the weight or height limits stipulated by the car seat manufacturer. Approved restraint systems include booster seats, infant car seats, and convertible car seats.
Once your child has outgrown these restraint systems, he or she should always buckle up when the car is moving. You could be fined if you’re are caught violating the state’s safety seat laws.
New Hampshire Hands-free Law
In the state, you may not use your phone or any similar device while operating a car. These gadgets can include, but are not limited to:
- Smartphones
- GPS systems
- Music players
- Portable videogame systems
However, you can use these devices in conjunction with a hands-free kit, when contacting emergency services, or to fulfil ignition interlock device requirements for operating your vehicle.
Why Might a New Hampshire Auto Insurance Company Deny a Claim?
1. Your Policy Doesn’t Cover the Types of Losses You Incurred
When you were purchasing your policy, you may have trimmed a few features to reduce your premium. But without many addons offered by providers, your policy won’t cover most damages sustained in an accident. For example, if you ditched the collision coverage component of your policy and were then involved in an accident with another motorist, you would not be covered for any of your own loss sustained in the crash. Why? Collision coverage reimburses you for repairs to any property damage caused by a collision involving another vehicle(s) or object. Without collision coverage, your provider will deny your claim.
2. You Didn’t Report the Crash in Time (or at All)
Your provider’s claims adjuster needs time to review your case, following up on any evidence to help determine who was at fault for causing the crash. If you take too long to report the accident, your claim may be denied because your insurance company cannot conduct a complete investigation. Contact your insurer to find out how long you have after a crash to report the incident.
3. You Were Intoxicated at the Time of the Accident
If blood or breath tests reveal that you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs in the crash, your claim may be denied.
4.You Didn’t Seek Medical Treatment
Your insurer wants to see evidence that your injuries were sustained in the crash, not after the fact. If you wait too long to seek medical treatment, your provider may question whether your medical expenses are linked to the accident. Our Geeks recommend you visit a doctor immediately after a crash.
Is New Hampshire a “Fault” Insurance State?
Yes, New Hampshire is a so-called fault state. These states employ the “at fault” system for handling insurance claims and court decisions when compensating victims for damages and injuries sustained in an accident. When you are involved in an accident, your claim’s adjuster (or the courts) will assign a percentage point of fault to each party involved. You could then be held liable for covering this portion of total loss.
Drivers in New Hampshire can recover loss from an at-fault driver in 1 of 3 ways:
- Filing a claim with your own insurer;
- Filing a lawsuit against the driver you believe caused the accident; or
- Filing a claim against the at-fault motorist’s auto insurance provider.
What Happens If I’m Involved in Accident with an Uninsured Driver?
It’s estimated that around 10% of New Hampshire’s motorists are not insured. While this rate is relatively low when compared to other states such as Alabama and Florida, it still means there is a 1 in 10 chance that your next crash will involve an uninsured driver. To protect yourself against financial loss, or save you the headache of pursuing a protracted lawsuit against the uninsured driver who may not have the means to compensate you for your damage, providers offer uninsured/underinsured motorist protection as optional addon when buying your policy.
Typically, this feature is available in 3 variations:
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury (UMBI) protection: If you collide with an uninsured driver, this addon will shield you from the high costs of treating injuries sustained by anyone listed on your policy, including you, your passengers, and others. In many cases, this feature can kick in to reimburse you for wages lost due to recovery time.
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage (UMPD) insurance: This vital addon can save you a small fortune if you collide with an uninsured driver. UMPD covers any property damage sustained by your vehicle in this type of accident. However, our Geeks suggest bolstering the collision coverage component of your policy instead of investing in this additional feature as collision coverage will already reimburse you for any property damage sustained in an accident with another vehicle, regardless of whether the other driver is insured or not.
Underinsured Motorist (UIM) insurance: In New Hampshire, many drivers purchase policies with coverage limits that won’t cover damages and injuries sustained in more severe accidents. When another motorist’s coverage sputters to a stop, UIM will kick in to cover the rest of your repair costs and medical expenses.
What Terminology Should Drivers Know Before Buying Auto Insurance?
Between the jargon and fine print, it’s difficult to figure out exactly what an auto insurance policy covers in an accident. We’ve created a glossary of important auto insurance terms to help you better understand your coverage:
Collision Coverage: A policy feature that covers any damage to your car due to a crash involving another object or vehicle.
Comprehensive Coverage: An addon to your basic policy that covers damage to your vehicle that was not resulting from a collision. This can include damage caused by hail, floods, vandalism, fire, earthquake, theft, falling objects, and protests.
Rates: How much you will have to pay, either monthly, every six months, or annually, to maintain your auto insurance policy. Insurers calculate this amount based on factors such as your risk profile, policy features, and deductible.
Declaration Page: The opening page of your policy document summarizing your coverage details.
Personal Injury Protection: No-fault coverage that will reimburse you for any injury-related costs in an accident, including medical treatment expenses and lost wages.
Deductible: The overall amount you will first have to pay to cover repair costs and medical bills before your insurer compensates you for the remainder.
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