New Hampshire drivers pay an average of $882.65 per year for car insurance according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC), that’s about $73.55 per month. New Hampshire drivers pay about 26% less than the countrywide national average of $1,189.64.
The NAIC takes into account all car insurance policies within the state such as drivers who select only state minimum coverage, as well as policies that include various levels of comprehensive and collision coverage. Because car insurance rates are influenced by personal factors, you could find yourself paying significantly less.
New Hampshire car insurance quick facts
Minimum liability requirements
25/50/25
Average annual car insurance cost according to the NAIC
$882.65
At-fault state
In at-fault states, the driver who caused the accident pays for damages.
New Hampshire doesn’t require auto insurance
New Hampshire is one of a few states that doesn’t require car insurance coverage to drive. So what is required? If you cause an accident involving another car, you’re liable for damages and injuries resulting from the accident — so whether you have insurance or not, there’s probably a big bill to pay. You’ll have to prove you have the funds to pay for damage after a car accident with proof of financial responsibility.
Despite having no legal obligation, most New Hampshire drivers opt to get car insurance anyway so they’re covered if an accident happens. If you do decide to carry car insurance in this state, your policy must include:
New Hampshire bodily injury liability
$25,000 bodily injury liability per person
$50,000 bodily injury per accident
If you decide to buy car insurance, New Hampshire requires $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person and $50,000 of bodily injury per accident. That’s right in line with what most states across the US require for this coverage.
This means $25,000 is the most your insurer will pay for a single person injured by you in an at-fault accident. And $50,000 is the maximum amount your insurer will pay if there is more than one person injured by you in an at-fault accident. Any costs outside of your bodily injury limit are required to come out of your pocket.
New Hampshire property damage liability
$25,000 property damage liability
New Hampshire requires drivers who decide to buy car insurance to carry $25,000 of property damage liability to legally drive. This is the highest required property damage limit across the US, with 18 other states requiring this amount.
This means $25,000 is the maximum amount your car insurance company will pay towards damages you cause to another person’s car or property, such as repairs to a car, fence or building. You’ll have to pay out of pocket for any costs beyond your property damage liability limit.
New Hampshire uninsured or underinsured motorist
$25,000 uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury per person
$50,000 uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury per accident
New Hamshire requires all drivers who buy car insurance to carry $25,000 of uninsured motorist bodily injury per person and $50,000 uninsured motorist bodily injury per accident to legally drive. Plus, if you raise your liability limits, you’re required to carry the same amount of uninsured liability limits. Near half of the states across the US require some sort of uninsured motorist coverage, though some other states let you opt-out.
This coverage protects you if you get hit by an uninsured or underinsured driver. It pays for medical bills for you and your passengers.
New Hampshire medical payments coverage
$1,000 medical payments coverage
New Hampshire drivers who buy car insurance are required to carry $1,000 worth of medical payments coverage to legally drive.
This coverage helps pay your or your passenger’s medical expenses if you’re injured in an accident, regardless of fault. It can help with things like doctor’s visits, surgery or health insurance deductibles.
Finder tip: State minimum coverage isn’t enough
These state-mandated requirements for people who buy car insurance are the lowest amount of coverage you need to legally drive in New Hampshire, but may fall short if you’re in a major accident. To avoid high out-of-pocket costs after an accident, consider raising your liability limits by balancing coverage, your budget and what you can afford to pay out of pocket for certain damage.
In New Hampshire, the driver at fault pays for damage
New Hampshire is an at-fault state, which means that the driver who caused the car accident pays for the damage. Your insurance company and legal authorities will determine who’s at fault, based on the accident details.
However, New Hampshire also considers whether both drivers are partially at fault under a modified comparative fault law, according to the legal website Nolo. Under this law, both drivers are assigned a percentage of fault. Drivers with less than 50% of fault can get paid for their damages by other drivers.
For example, if you’re 80% responsible for an accident, your insurance will pay 80% of the other driver’s damages. However, since you’re over 50% at fault, the other driver isn’t required to pay for your damages.
Cheapest rates by age in New Hampshire
As a young driver, expect to pay up to 1.8 times more than other age groups. Geico runs the cheapest in this sample. However, the cheapest company switches to Progressive once you reach age 25 and above, according to Savvy’s sample quotes.
Age
Allstate
Progressive
Geico
USAA
16-24
$172.37
$169.48
$166.25
$196.63
25-34
$120.98
$111.01
$122.43
$118.22
35-44
$112.85
$104.76
$133.00
–
45-54
$99.45
$93.98
$102.41
–
Cheapest rates by gender in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, you’ll want to shop around with several major companies since costs differ widely based on factors like your gender. For example, women pay as much as $60 per month less than men with USAA.
Company
Allstate
Progressive
Geico
USAA
Men
$134.51
$121.14
$135.52
$164.12
Women
$127.08
$118.47
$112.79
$104.82
Sample rates in New Hampshire from major car insurance companies
We found Progressive to give solid value to drivers in New Hampshire across the board. We base this information off of car insurance quotes from Savvy.
However, compare quotes from Geico which stands just behind Progressive in this sample.
Company
Allstate
Progressive
Geico
USAA
Rate
$130.26
$119.81
$121.88
$144.35
7 factors that affect car insurance rates in New Hampshire
Factors are characteristics specific to you that car insurance companies use to set how much you’ll pay for car insurance. The less risky each of your factors is the less you pay, the riskier you are the more you’ll pay. We’ll break down New Hampshirites’ rating factors to keep in mind.
Factor
How it affects your rates
Age
How old you are is a top factor in determining your car insurance rates. With each passing year, you earn more experience on the road. More experience can equal cheaper rates. Teen drivers pay the most, but rates begin to level off around your 20’s with drivers over 50 paying the least.
Gender
New Hampshire takes gender into account when determining your rates. Our analysis of Quadrant data found that men under 18 pay 17% more for car insurance compared to women of the same age. But, between 31 and 45, women see rates 5% higher than men. After 45, rates differ between men and women by only 1%, with women on the higher end.
Location
Where you live affects your rates, including where you park your car. High theft rates, high traffic and a high number of uninsured drivers could mean higher rates.
New Hampshire vehicle theft rates stand at 76.4 vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants, according to the FBI’s most recent report on vehicle theft rates. That’s the third lowest number of vehicle thefts per 100,000 inhabitants across the US.
As for uninsured drivers, 6.1% of New Hamshirites on the road are uninsured. That’s far less than average for the percentage of uninsured drivers in a state according to Insurance Information Institute, with the national average standing at 12.6%.
Vehicle and mileage
Your car’s make, model and trim directly affect how much you’ll pay for car insurance. Things like its cost, safety ratings, the likelihood of theft and sportiness all help insurers determine its cost to insure.
Safer and cheaper vehicles score the lowest rates, with luxury vehicles with higher repair costs resulting in higher premiums.
And, the more you’re on the road, the more at-risk you are to get in an accident, which means higher premiums. However, according to the Bureau of Transportation, New Hampshirites drive an average of 34 miles per day, that’s below the average across the US of 36.1 miles per day.
Credit score
Your credit score is included in your credit-based insurance score which insurers use to help calculate rates. According to the Insurance Information Institute, there is a strong correlation between your insurance score and claims filings. A good credit-based insurance score could mean lower rates.
New Hampshire drivers have protections under state laws that regulate the use of credit history when issuing car insurance policies. Credit score can’t be the only factor used to determine your rates.
Coverage
The more coverage you get and the higher limits you choose, the more protection you’ll have and the more you’ll pay in monthly premiums. And, if you opt for full coverage car insurance that includes comprehensive and collision, the amount of your deductible weighs into your costs too, higher deductibles mean lower monthly premiums.
Driving Record
The better your driving record, the lower your premium. If you’re in an at-fault accident you could see rates increases from 20% to 50%. And DUI’s in New Hampshire can increase your rate by around 79%. These types of violations typically stay on your record for about three years.
How does SR-22 insurance work in New Hampshire?
While New Hampshire doesn’t mandate regular car insurance to drive, you may be required to carry SR-22 insurance if you’re convicted of a DUI, DWI, have multiple driving offenses, left the scene of an accident, were at fault in an accident when you didn’t have car insurance, or other serious incidents. If you’re required to file an SR-22 in New Hampshire, you’ll be notified by your DMV, and it may be required for a minimum of three years.
Coverage to consider in New Hampshire
New Hampshirites pay less on average for auto insurance compared to the other states, and New Hampshire’s minimum insurance requirements are pretty standard. However, if you have some room in your budget and need extra protection, there’s additional coverage worth considering.
Roadside assistance for peace of mind
It’s never convenient to get stranded with car troubles in inclement weather – and New Hampshire experiences the glory of all four seasons. If you have an older vehicle that’s prone to breaking down, or you commute a lot, then roadside assistance could be worth the extra cost.
Consider roadside assistance if . . .
You drive a lot.
You heavily rely on your car day to day.
You live in an area with harsh weather.
You have an older vehicle that’s no longer covered by its factory warranty.
You may want some more medical coverage in New Hampshire
To drive your car in New Hampshire, you’re required to carry $1,000 of medical payments coverage, but this may not be enough if you’re in a serious accident. If you don’t have health insurance or your health insurance copays are high, then you may want to consider upping this coverage.
Consider more medical payments coverage if . . .
You don’t have any health insurance.
Your health insurance copays are high.
You don’t have the funds to pay for costly medical bills out of pocket.
Comprehensive coverage for everything else
Luck favors the prepared, and comprehensive coverage can help you cover all your bases. It’s commonly called “everything other than collision” coverage because it can help cover unexpected events like theft, fire, storm damage, and animal strikes. According to NH.gov, there’s an estimated 1,200 deer/vehicle collisions in New Hampshire each year.
Consider comprehensive coverage if . . .
You have an auto loan and your lender requires it.
You live in an area with harsh weather.
You heavily rely on your vehicle.
You live in a rural area with large wildlife.
You don’t have the funds to fix major vehicle damage unexpectedly.
Top 10 auto insurance companies in USA that serve New Hampshire
We’ve pulled the top 10 companies by market share that offer coverage in New Hampshire according to S&P Global. Compare top companies by three major rating agencies along with our overall score.
Better Business Bureau (BBB) rating measures how a business interacts with its customers, with the highest rating being A++.
J.D. Power determines customers’ overall satisfaction with their car insurer’s price, billing, claims and customer support. The higher the J.D. Power score out of 1,000, the better.
NAIC complaint index shows how a company’s number of complaints compares to similar companies of its size. Scores lower than 1.00 show the company receives less than the average number of complaints, and scores above 1.00 show more complaints than average.
Finder’s score shows you an overall look at the company by taking into account scores from each of these agencies as well as the coverage and discounts each company offers.
Which city has the cheapest car insurance in New Hampshire?
Of New Hampshire’s largest cities, Concord has the cheapest rates and Manchester has the most expensive car insurance rates. Manchester drivers could face rates two times more than Concord drivers.
You can also get additional types of insurance to better protect yourself, including:
Collision. Helps pay for repairs if your car is damaged in an accident.
Comprehensive. Covers you in case your car is damaged by something other than an accident — for instance, a fire or vandalism.
Medical and funeral services. Assists in paying for medical bills or funeral services as a result of an accident.
Rental. Covers some of the costs of renting a car while waiting for your car to be repaired after an accident.
Bottom line
If you drive in New Hampshire without car insurance, you aren’t breaking the law, but you’re opening yourself up to some very large risks. And if you’re involved in an accident, the financial and legal consequences could be far more painful than paying regular insurance premiums. Consider your car insurance options in New Hampshire to find the best coverage for you and your vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
New Hampshire allows for an insurance ID card or using a smartphone or screen.
When there’s a multi-vehicle accident, it’s often because one or both of the vehicles violated a traffic law, sign or signal. For example, when two cars collide in an intersection, it means one driver ignored the lights or signs and drove into traffic that had the right of way. The vehicle that broke the law or violated the traffic rules is held responsible for the accident.
If two cars both crash while racing down a country road and exceeding the speed limit, there’s a good chance that no blame would be assigned at all, leaving each motorist to cover their own damages or injuries or else rely on comprehensive insurance coverage.
Megan B. Shepherd is a personal finance editor at Finder where she helps people navigate the financial world of loans.
Her personal finance expertise has been featured on Forbes, Nasdaq, MediaFeed, Fox News, Time, Reviews.com, and carinsurance.com, adding invaluable information related to personal loans, financial strategies and smart borrowing tactics.
Megan graduated from the University of Texas at Dallas with a BS in Business Administration with an entrepreneurial focus. She's worked as a certified financial adviser and has earned certificates of completion from A.D. Banker & Company.
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