New Hampshire Homeowners Insurance

Homeowners Insurance in New Hampshire: Complete Consumer Guide

The 9th state in the union, New Hampshire is a great place to live. English explorers established a colony here in 1623 and the French and English fought during the late 1600s and early 1700s, forcing the Native American tribes out because they sided with the French who kept losing battles. New Hampshire was the first colony to declare its independence from Great Britain. New Hampshire is nicknamed the “granite state” because there are so many granite quarries here. Mining sand, gravel and semiprecious stones like garnet and beryl is also done here. You’ll find picturesque towns and lots of hiking trails here, where major industries include manufacturing, technology and health care. Famous people from New Hampshire include Mandy Moore, Ronnie James Dio and Sarah Silverman.

Types of Homeowners Insurance policies in New Hampshire

What kind of home insurance policy do you need for your home? Here are the different types of policies.

HO-1 is the most basic type of home insurance policy but many carriers do not offer it.

HO-2 covers a bit more than the basic form, but is still limited in scope and less commonly used than the HO-3 form.

HO-3 is the most common type of homeowners insurance policy and has a broader coverage than the HO-2 form.

HO-5 is the most comprehensive form of homeowners insurance. It’s the most common type of homeowners insurance after the HO-3.

HO-6 is for condo owners, and is usually a walls-in policy that doesn’t cover much of the structure if at all.

HO-8 is a special type of homeowners insurance policy for homes that don’t meet the standards for other policy forms.

What factors affect rates on homeowners insurance in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire federally declared Severe Storms as the most common disasters with 22 counts since 1953, followed by Flood, Snow, Hurricane, and Coastal Storm disasters. Here's top 5 federally declared disasters in the State of New Hampshire.

Top 5 disasters in the State of New Hampshire

New Hampshire federally declared Hurricane disasters the most with 8 counts since 1953, followed by Snow, Severe Storms, Biological, and Flood. Here are the top 5 federally declared disasters in the state of New Hampshire:

Rank	Declaration Title	Disaster Number
1	Severe Storms	22
2	Flood	10
3	Snow	8
4	Hurricane	7
5	Coastal Storm	3

Source: Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

 

How much is homeowners insurance in New Hampshire?

The average yearly homeowners insurance cost is $1,049 a year, broken into monthly payments.

Source: The average cost of homeowners insurance by state, Business Insider.

Crime Rate: Is New Hampshire a safe state?

2019 Crime in New Hampshire	Crime Number	Crime Rate*
Property Crime	16,442	1,209.2
Burglary	1,717	126.3
Larceny-Theft	13,832	1,017.3

*Rate per 100,000 inhabitants

Safest Cities in New Hampshire by Property Crime*

• Durham, NH has a population of 16,810 with a Property Crime rate of 2.5 per 1k. The city average home value is approximately $404,969.
• Windham, NH has a population of 14,876 with a Property Crime rate of 4 per 1k. The average home value there is about $507,178.
• Milford, NH came in third as the safest city in the state of New Hampshire and has a population of 16,121 with a Property Crime rate of 4.8 per 1k. Its home value averaged at about $314,557.
• Goffstown, NH has a population of 18,163 with a Property Crime rate of 6.3 per 1k. Its average home value is $320,217.
• Exeter, NH has a population of 15,425 with a Property Crime rate of 6.4 per 1k. The city home value averaged $400,592.

*Based on FBI Uniform Crime Reporting 2019, some cities have been eliminated because of changes in the state/local agency's reporting practices and cities with populations under 10,000. Zillow’s State/Cities average home value for a single family home or a condo as of Sept. 2020.

Compare Home Insurance Rates in New Hampshire

Top homeowners insurance companies in New Hampshire

Allstate has slightly cheaper rates than average, under $700 a year. The company boasts an A+ from AM Best for financial superiority and that is important when it comes to paying claims.

USAA is almost always the best option for military families. They have the lowest complaint index in the industry and have been awarded 5/5 stars from JD Power, which proves they offer great customer service.

Mapfre Insurance is a great option and may have the lowest prices to offer. Some homeowners report paying just over $500 a month and that is much cheaper than the average price found in New Hampshire.

New Hampshire Home Insurance FAQs

What to do if insurance denied a roof claim?

Replacing a roof is expensive but important. If your home is exposed to the elements or prone to flooding, costs will escalate quickly. Homeowners insurance will only pay for roof claims if the roof was in good shape before it faced a peril.

Is there a statute of limitations on homeowners insurance claims?

Typically, you have a year to file a claim, but this policy varies according to each carrier and each state. Check with your agent and don’t stall on important claims. The longer you take to file one, the longer it’ll take to get paid or you may even nullify your eligibility if you wait too long.

Can you claim homeowners insurance deductible on taxes?

Homeowners insurance is usually not tax deductible.