Best homeowners insurance companies in New Hampshire for 2024

Compare the best homeowners insurance companies in New Hampshire

The average cost of home insurance in New Hampshire is $980 per year for $300,000 in dwelling coverage, according to data from Quadrant Information Services. While this is cheaper than many other states, insurance premiums are based on factors personal to you and your property, including the age of your home, your claims history, your credit and more. As such, you might pay more or less than average.

To find the best home insurance companies in NH, we also reviewed third-party customer satisfaction scores as reported in the J.D. Power 2024 U.S. Home Insurance Study, coverage options, discount opportunities and more. USAA, Amica, Allstate, State Farm and Travelers emerged as top contenders.

The top 5 home insurance companies in New Hampshire

Additional New Hampshire home insurance companies to consider

Vermont Mutual

The Hanover

How Bankrate chose the best home insurance companies in New Hampshire

While we analyzed average premium data from Quadrant Information Services, Bankrate understands that the best homeowners insurance is not always the cheapest. For this reason, we created our Bankrate Scoring method. Bankrate Scores range from 0.0 to 5.0 (with 5.0 being the highest possible score), and they evaluate carriers on essential metrics like discount opportunities, nationwide availability, digital presence and more. We aim to give our readers a quick way to review carriers holistically as they shop for new coverage.

Cheapest home insurance companies in New Hampshire

Collecting multiple home insurance quotes is an effective way to ensure you’re getting a low price. According to Bankrate’s analysis of average rate data from Quadrant Information Services, the five providers listed in the table below offer some of the cheapest average premiums in New Hampshire.

How to get cheap home insurance in New Hampshire

Unless you own your home outright, you likely need to carry homeowners insurance to meet the terms of your mortgage. However, your home could be the most significant purchase you make in your life, so most insurance experts recommend a well-rounded home insurance policy even if you don’t have a mortgage. The following steps could help you find the best cheap home insurance in New Hampshire:

• Determine your coverage needs: The first step in finding competitive rates is to figure out how much homeowners insurance you need. If you request too much coverage, then you may end up overpaying. On the other hand, too little coverage could leave you underinsured. Meeting with a licensed agent may help, as can making a home inventory.
• Consider your priorities: Different homeowners have different preferences when it comes to their insurance. Homeowners who are less familiar with the insurance space may prefer to work with an agent in person who can walk them through the specifics of their policy. People who live in more remote areas may prefer a carrier with strong digital tools. Considering your endorsement needs, customer service priorities and budget can help you narrow down the top home insurance companies in NH for your unique circumstances.
• Request quotes: Once you know what coverage and benefits you need, it’s time to request quotes. Many major carriers offer online quotes, but some require you to speak directly with an agent. Due to the complex and highly personal nature of homeowners insurance, you may find it helpful to chat with a licensed professional, even if the company has an online quoting system. Remember to ask for the same coverage types and policy limits (or as close as possible) across all companies to ensure an apples-to-apples comparison.

Best home insurance discounts in New Hampshire

Homeowners insurance in New Hampshire may be relatively cheap, but you might save even more by taking advantage of some of the most common homeowners discounts in the state, including:

• Bundling: If you’re in the market for an auto policy as well as homeowners insurance, you might get a discount for bundling both with the same company. Bundling is not limited just to home and auto; depending on your insurer, you might also be able to get a discount for home and other insurance lines, such as umbrella insurance.
• Protective devices: Many New Hampshire homeowners insurance companies provide savings to those with smoke detectors, sprinkler systems or burglary alarms installed in their homes.
• New home: Newer homes often have newer roofs and updated systems. You might qualify for savings on your home insurance if your home is newly built.
• Claims-free: Statistically, policyholders who’ve filed claims in the past are more likely to file claims in the future. Some companies grant a claims-free discount to homeowners who haven’t filed a claim in a specific timeframe (usually three to five years).
• Advanced quote: Some carriers will give you a discount if you purchase your policy at least seven days prior to your current policy's expiration date.
• Homebuyer: Although exciting, purchasing a new home can be hard on your budget. To help, some insurance companies offer a discount if you’ve purchased your home within the last 12 months.

How to save on home insurance policy renewals in New Hampshire

Most home insurance policies renew yearly. Leading up to your renewal date, it can help to take some time to look at your policy and decide if you want to make any money-saving changes. If you’re hit with an unexpected rate hike, these strategies may help you secure a lower price:

• Ask about discounts: Even something as simple as installing a doorbell camera may get you a discount from your insurer. Review your carrier's discount list regularly to check for additional savings opportunities.
• Be deliberate about future claims: A home insurance claim will almost always raise your rate. Naturally, it makes more sense to file a claim with your insurance provider for larger repairs like a roof damaged by severe weather. However, if the repair costs are close to your deductible amount, you may save more money in the long run by paying out of pocket instead of going through the claims process.
• Raise your deductible: While not generally advisable for policyholders with limited savings, raising your deductible can result in a lower premium. A higher deductible does mean you assume a larger financial responsibility after a covered claim, but will usually yield a cheaper rate.

How much is home insurance in New Hampshire?

Luckily for those in the Granite State, the average cost of a home insurance policy in New Hampshire is less than half the national average. In New Hampshire, the average homeowners insurance rate for $300,000 worth of dwelling coverage is $980. The national average is $2,304.

New Hampshire’s lower-than-average premiums could be due to the state’s relatively low level of risk. Although New Hampshire does experience its fair share of inclement weather (including blizzards and hurricanes), wind risk is much lower here than in other coastal states like Florida and Louisiana. Additionally, New Hampshire doesn’t typically experience as many tornadoes as the Midwest or as many wildfires as the West.

New Hampshire homeowners insurance rates by city

Your ZIP code plays a primary role in determining your home insurance rate. Looking at average rates by city can give you an idea of how your rates compare to others in your area.

What does home insurance cover in New Hampshire?

There are multiple types of home insurance policies, each designed for different home types and offering varying levels of coverage. The most common is the HO-3, which is what most insurers consider a standard policy. This kind of home insurance covers your home’s physical structure, other structures on your property (like a fence or gazebo) and your personal belongings. An HO-3 will also provide some level of liability coverage and financial protection if your home is made unlivable by a covered claim. For example, if your home burns down and you need to relocate to a hotel, the additional living expenses portion of your policy can help cover hotel stays.

An HO-3 policy covers your home’s dwelling and other structures on an open-peril basis, which means they are financially protected against any loss that is not excluded from your policy. Your personal property, on the other hand, is covered only on a named-peril basis. This means you can only file a claim with your insurance company if your property is damaged by something that is specifically named in your policy.

Data from the Insurance Information Institute shows that, across the country, these are the most common kinds of home insurance claims:

• Wind and hail: Wind and hail-related damage accounted for just over 39 percent of all home insurance claims in 2021. Wind and hail storms can be particularly damaging to your roof, but a standard home insurance policy will likely have you covered.
• Water damage and freezing: New Hampshire's average minimum winter temperatures range between -5 to 15 degrees, which can lead to issues like frozen pipes and ice dams.

Additional home insurance coverage types in New Hampshire

Understanding the risks of home damage in New Hampshire will help you craft a policy that meets your coverage needs. Some common sources of damage are not included in standard home policies. For additional financial protection, you may want to consider:

• Flood insurance: Flooding is the most common (and costly) natural disaster in New Hampshire. However, flood insurance is not typically included with a standard home insurance policy. Instead, you usually obtain coverage by buying a separate flood insurance policy from your insurance provider or through FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program. Although rare, some property insurers also offer flood coverage as an endorsement on a standard home policy.
• Water backup and sewer coverage: A standard home insurance policy does not cover drain line or sewer backup issues in your home. However, many insurance companies offer the option of water backup and sewer coverage as an endorsement.
• Earthquake insurance: Earthquakes may not come to mind when you think of New Hampshire, but the most seismically active location in New England happens to be near Concord. The average home insurance policy does not include earthquake insurance, but you might be able to add this endorsement to your policy.

Frequently asked questions

Bankrate Scores

Our Bankrate Score considers variables our insurance editorial team determined impact policyholders’ experiences with an insurance company. These rating factors include a robust assessment of each company’s product availability, financial strength ratings, online capabilities and customer and claims support accessibility. Each factor was added to a category, and these categories were weighted in a tiered approach to analyze how companies perform in key customer-impacting categories.

Each category was assigned a metric to determine performance, and the weighted sum adds up to a company’s total Bankrate Score — out of 5 points. Our scoring model provides a comprehensive view, indicating when companies excel across several key areas and highlighting where they fall short.

• Tier 1 (Cost & ratings): To determine how well auto and home insurance companies satisfy these priorities, average quoted premiums from Quadrant Information Services (if available), as well as any of the latest third-party agency ratings from J.D. Power, AM Best, Demotech and the NAIC, were analyzed.
• Tier 2 (Coverage & savings): We assessed companies’ coverage options and availability to help policyholders find a provider that balances cost with coverage. Additionally, we evaluated each company’s discount options listed on its website.
• Tier 3 (Support): To encompass the many ways a home insurance company can support policyholders, we analyzed avenues of customer accessibility along with community support. This analysis incorporated additional financial strength ratings from S&P and Moody’s and factored a company’s corporate sustainability efforts.

Tier scores are unweighted to show the company's true score in each category out of a possible five points.