High-value · Home · NH + CT
Reviewed by Jon Merwin, licensed insurance agent
- The Andover Companies dates to 1828 in Andover, Massachusetts, and is a mutual group made up of Merrimack, Cambridge and Bay State Insurance.
- AM Best rates the Andover Companies Pool A (Excellent) for financial strength, affirmed September 25, 2025. Andover says it has held an A or higher since 1940.
- Andover writes in eight states, including New Hampshire, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and sells only through independent agents.
- Its home plan builds in replacement cost and open perils coverage on contents, with add-ons for water backup, home systems, valuables, cyber and umbrella liability.
- Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance represents Andover and can compare it side by side with our other high-value carriers.
Is The Andover Companies a good home insurer? For many New England homeowners, yes. Andover is a mutual insurer that has been protecting property owners since 1828. AM Best rates it A (Excellent), and it sells only through independent agents. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is one of those agents, and Andover lists us in its own agent locator. We represent Andover from our offices in Portsmouth, NH, and Stratford, CT. This review is our plain look at what Andover does well, where it may not fit, and how it compares with the other high-value carriers we work with.
Who is The Andover Companies?
Andover’s story starts with fire. In 1828, a group of town leaders in Andover, Massachusetts, including bankers, mill owners and property holders, met to deal with the risk of a fire sweeping through their growing mill town. Their answer was Merrimack Mutual Fire, an insurer owned entirely by its policyholders. Merrimack added Cambridge Mutual Fire in 1913 and Bay State in 1955, according to Andover’s history page.
Today those three companies, now called Merrimack Insurance, Cambridge Insurance and Bay State Insurance, make up The Andover Companies. Effective January 1, 2026, the group reorganized into a mutual holding company structure, which the Massachusetts Division of Insurance and policyholders approved (Andover press release).
What is Andover’s AM Best rating?
AM Best rates Merrimack, Cambridge and Bay State, the members of the Andover Companies Pool, A (Excellent) for financial strength. Each also carries an a+ long-term issuer credit rating with a stable outlook. AM Best affirmed those ratings effective September 25, 2025, and assessed Andover’s balance sheet strength as very strong (AM Best rating report). As of October 3, 2026, Andover’s financials page still shows the A rating.
Andover says the group has been rated A (Excellent) or higher since 1940. Its 2025 annual report highlights list $4,886,956,168 in combined assets and $3,078,569,221 in surplus as of December 31, 2025 (Andover financials).
Where does Andover write home insurance?
Andover’s website lists eight states: Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Illinois. Products and coverages may vary by state. You can’t buy an Andover policy directly. It’s available exclusively through independent insurance agents.
On the Seacoast, that means homeowners in Portsmouth, Rye and New Castle reach Andover through a local agent. The same is true along the Long Island Sound shoreline from our Stratford office to Fairfield, and for Massachusetts homeowners.
What does an Andover homeowners policy cover?
Andover’s Superior Home Insurance Protection Plan automatically includes four features worth reading closely:
- Ordinance or law coverage, which helps pay for upgrades that building codes require after a loss.
- Personal property protection for belongings that are damaged or stolen.
- Replacement cost on contents, which typically means no deduction for depreciation on a covered claim.
- Open perils contents coverage, which protects belongings against most losses except those the policy excludes.
Andover’s "Get to Know The Andover Companies" brochure also lists uncapped reconstruction cost and 100% ordinance or law coverage among its homeowner solutions. How those apply depends on your state and policy form, so ask us to walk through the declarations with you.
Notable Andover endorsements
| Add-on | What Andover says it does |
|---|---|
| Water Backup and Sump Discharge or Overflow | Limited coverage when water or sewage backs up through drains or a sump overflows |
| Home Systems Protection with Service Line | Covers sudden breakdown of boilers, furnaces, heat pumps, well pumps, generators and electrical panels, plus underground service lines |
| Scheduled Personal Property | Insures jewelry, watches, fine art, antiques, instruments and collections up to appraised value, including mysterious loss |
| Identity Recovery | Reimburses certain identity theft expenses and assigns a case manager |
| Home Cyber Protection | Helps after a cyberattack, cyber extortion, online fraud, data breach or cyberbullying |
| Personal Umbrella | Adds worldwide liability limits up to as much as $5 million |
| Snowmobile and Watercraft | Snowmobile liability and physical damage; a watercraft program for power boats up to 32 feet and sailboats up to 40 feet |
On the Seacoast, the water backup and home systems add-ons are the two we bring up most, because nor’easter power outages and older oil boilers are part of life here.
Does Andover insure apartment and mixed-use buildings?
Yes. Andover also writes businessowners and habitational policies for building owners. Its April 2026 agent flyers for New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts (The Andover Companies agent flyer, 2026) describe the ability to write:
- Capacity up to $10 million for frame construction, $20 million for masonry and superior construction, and $30 million for complexes
- Lessor’s risk only (LRO) mixed-occupancy buildings, including those with cooking facilities, plus LRO coverage for contractors’ offices and storage
- Up to $250,000 in Broad Form Water Coverage, including water backup and seepage
- Commercial excess liability policies up to $5 million
- Guaranteed and Extended Replacement Cost through its Bay State Program in Massachusetts
As examples of what it writes, Andover’s New Hampshire flyer cites a $5.4 million frame condo building in Portsmouth and $5.5 million in joisted masonry office and mercantile condos with apartments above in Exeter. Those are Andover’s own examples, not Portsmouth Atlantic placements. If you own a Seacoast rental or a mixed-use building downtown, ask us whether it fits Andover’s program.
Who is Andover best for?
- Well-kept New England homes. Andover says its products are tailored to protect well-maintained properties across the Northeast (Andover).
- Historic and coastal houses. For older homes, Andover recommends looking at extended reconstruction cost, ordinance or law, and scheduled property (Andover). That matters for a Portsmouth South End colonial or a Stratford shoreline home.
- Higher-value homes and valuables. Scheduled property and an umbrella of up to $5 million can sit on top of the home policy. See our high-net-worth insurance page for the full picture.
- People who want an agent in the loop. Andover works only through independent agencies, so you have a local person for questions and claims.
Talk to our Portsmouth team or our Stratford office at (603) 431-4020, or compare Andover with our other carriers.
What are Andover’s pros and cons?
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Nearly 200 years in business as a policyholder-owned mutual group | Writes in eight states, so it may not follow you if you move outside its footprint |
| AM Best A (Excellent) financial strength rating with a stable outlook | Some peers we work with hold higher AM Best ratings (A+ or A++) |
| Replacement cost and open perils coverage on contents built into the home plan | Phone claims outside business hours are processed the next business day unless urgent |
| A broad menu of add-ons, from water backup to home cyber | |
| Several ways to report a claim, including a 24/7 online portal |
How do Andover claims work?
Andover gives you three ways to report a claim (Andover, Report a Claim): log in to myAndover online at any hour, call 800-225-0770, or contact your agent. Phone lines are staffed 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday. Andover processes non-emergency claims reported by phone after hours on the next business day.
After a loss, Andover asks you to make sure everyone is safe, report the claim, and protect the property from further damage if it’s safe to do so, without making permanent repairs before its representative inspects. In its brochure, Andover says a qualified professional is assigned to inspect every loss onsite, no matter the size. We can help you report and follow up.
Why we place clients with Andover
We’ve been an independent agency since 2005. We’re licensed in 10 states and work with 30+ carriers, so we start with your house, not one company’s form. When a Seacoast or Connecticut home fits Andover’s program, we like how much of the contents protection comes built in. We also like the range of add-ons, from home systems coverage for an oil boiler to scheduled coverage for a family heirloom. And because Andover works only through agents, we stay in the loop when you have a claim.
“One of the many reasons we trust our clients with Andover Companies is because they’re a regional company. Their claims and customer service reps all live in New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts, and we have a great relationship with them. They’re a strategic partner of ours. They have comprehensive coverage offerings when it comes to dwelling: homeowners, dwelling fire, business owner policies and umbrellas. That gives us the flexibility to place auto insurance with more competitive companies, like Progressive. We have a lot of clients with Andover Companies in our agency. They do great work, they’ve been a great partner, and they treat our clients fairly.”— Jon Merwin, Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance
How does Andover compare with our other high-value carriers?
Here are the high-value carriers we work with, ranked by founding year, using only published facts. It compares companies, not prices or coverage.
| Rank (oldest first) | Carrier | Founded | Headquarters | AM Best financial strength |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Andover Companies | 1828, Andover, MA (source) | Andover, MA | A (Excellent), affirmed Sept. 25, 2025 (AM Best) |
| 2 | The Hanover | 1852, Manhattan (source) | Worcester, MA | A (Excellent), affirmed Aug. 14, 2026 (AM Best) |
| 3 | Chubb | 1882, Chubb & Son, New York City (source) | Zurich, Switzerland (Chubb Limited) | A++ (Superior), affirmed Jan. 16, 2026 (AM Best) |
| 4 | National General (an Allstate company) | Roots to 1920 (source) | Administrative office in Winston-Salem, NC (AM Best) | A+ (Superior), National General Insurance Company, affirmed Sept. 2, 2026 (AM Best) |
| 5 | Cincinnati Insurance | 1950 (source) | Fairfield, OH (source) | A+ (Superior), affirmed Mar. 5, 2026 (AM Best) |
| 6 | Openly | 2017, Boston, MA (source) | Boston, MA | Policies are underwritten by carriers that Openly lists as AM Best A- or A (Excellent) (Openly) |
Want the bigger picture? Our guides to high-value home insurance in Portsmouth, NH and Stratford, CT explain how we match homes to carriers. For a closer look at two of the carriers in the table, read our Cincinnati Insurance review and our Chubb insurance review. Our homeowners insurance page covers the basics.
Frequently asked questions
Is Andover a good insurance company?
Andover is a mutual insurer founded in 1828 with an AM Best A (Excellent) financial strength rating, affirmed September 25, 2025. It sells through independent agents in eight states. Whether it’s the best fit depends on your home, so we compare it with other carriers before recommending it.
What states does Andover insure homes in?
Andover lists Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Illinois on its website. Products and coverages may vary by state.
What companies make up The Andover Companies?
The Andover Companies is made up of Merrimack Insurance Company, Cambridge Insurance Company and Bay State Insurance Company.
Can I buy Andover insurance directly?
No. Andover policies are available only through independent insurance agents, such as Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance.
How do I file an Andover claim?
You can report a claim online through myAndover at any hour, call Andover at 800-225-0770, or contact your agent. Andover asks that you not make permanent repairs before its representative inspects the damage.
Does Andover offer water backup coverage?
Yes. Andover offers Water Backup and Sump Discharge or Overflow Coverage as an add-on. It provides limited coverage when water or sewage backs up into your home or a sump overflows.
Sources
- The Andover Companies, Our History
- The Andover Companies, About Us
- The Andover Companies, Financials (2025 Annual Report highlights)
- AM Best, Best’s Credit Rating report: Andover Companies Pool (effective Sept. 25, 2025)
- The Andover Companies, Transition to Mutual Holding Company Structure (Jan. 8, 2026)
- The Andover Companies, Contact Us (state map)
- The Andover Companies, Home Insurance Protection Plan
- The Andover Companies, Water Backup Coverage
- The Andover Companies, Home Systems Protection with Service Line Coverage
- The Andover Companies, Scheduled Personal Property Endorsement
- The Andover Companies, Identity Recovery Coverage
- The Andover Companies, Home Cyber Protection Coverage
- The Andover Companies, Personal Umbrella Liability Policy
- The Andover Companies, Why Do You Need Special Insurance for a Historic Home?
- The Andover Companies, Report a Claim
- The Andover Companies agent locator, Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance
- AM Best, AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of The Hanover Insurance Group, Inc. and Its Subsidiaries (Aug. 14, 2026)
- The Hanover Insurance Group, Our history
- AM Best, AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Chubb Limited and Its Subsidiaries (Jan. 16, 2026)
- Chubb, Our History
- AM Best, AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of The Allstate Corporation and Core Subsidiaries (Sept. 2, 2026)
- AM Best, National General Insurance Company company profile
- National General Insurance, Our Story
- AM Best, AM Best Affirms Credit Ratings of Cincinnati Financial Corporation and Subsidiaries (Mar. 5, 2026)
- The Cincinnati Insurance Companies, About Us
- The Cincinnati Insurance Companies, History
- Openly, About Us
- Openly, Legal Disclosures
- The Andover Companies, "Get to Know The Andover Companies" brochure (ADV-132), supplied by Andover to agents
- The Andover Companies, Personal Umbrella Liability Policy brochure (ADV-117)
- The Andover Companies agent flyers, "Grow With Us" commercial flyers for New Hampshire, Maine, Metro Boston and Massachusetts North Shore (ADV-171, ADV-175, ADV-177, ADV-178; April 2026)
Talk to our Portsmouth team or our Stratford office: (603) 431-4020 · insure@portsmouthatlanticins.com · Start a home insurance quote
Reviewed by Jon Merwin, licensed insurance agent
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