Bow, NH Home Insurance

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO

Home · Flood · Condo · Renters · Umbrella · Bow, New Hampshire

Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent agency founded in 2005 and licensed in 10 states. We are the most-reviewed independent insurance agency in New Hampshire, with 1,000+ Google reviews across our two offices and over 2,000 testimonials. We shop each Bow home across 40+ carriers, and we charge no fees. Start with New Hampshire homeowners insurance, or read on.

Bow at a glance

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 8,415 Bow residents as of July 1, 2025 (8,231 in the April 2020 estimates base). The town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2025, prepared with the Central NH Regional Planning Commission, was adopted January 14, 2025 and approved by FEMA on February 10, 2025.

The plan describes 28.1 square miles of land, with the Merrimack River along the eastern edge beside I-93 and NH 3A, and many brooks, ponds and steep roads across town. It says about 11% of housing units are renter-occupied.

For insurance, that means mostly owner-occupied single-family homes, many on wells and on hilly, wooded lots.

Where you live in Bow changes the policy

• Along the Merrimack and Turkey rivers. The plan lists the floodplains of the Merrimack and Turkey rivers as river hazard areas, and names Bow Junction and NH 3A among the places most likely to flood.
• Roads that flood or wash out. The plan lists Allen Road, Bow Bog Road by Dean Avenue, Bow Junction, Brown Hill Road, Branch Londonderry Turnpike, Buckingham Road at Putney Road, Hall Street, NH 3A near Robinson Road, Page Road and River Road as regular or seasonal flood, washout or overtopping spots.
• Near the brooks. The plan says Bow Bog Brook, Bela Brook, White Brook, Morgan Brook, Black Brook and Russell Brook expand flooding, and notes undersized culverts on Bow Bog Brook and Page Road.
• Away from hydrants. The plan says the fire department maintains dry hydrants and cisterns across town so water is available for fires. A house far from a hydrant or fire station is rated differently by some carriers.

Flood coverage in Bow

Bow has been in the NFIP since August 1978, and its current flood maps are dated April 19, 2010. The plan counted 16 policies with $7.3 million of coverage in April 2023, and 9 paid losses totaling $546,953 since 1978.

Nine single-family policies town-wide means most homes near the rivers and brooks have no flood coverage.

A homeowners policy will not pay for a river or pond over its banks, or for surface water. Flood is its own policy. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and ask us to compare NFIP and private flood.

• NFIP through Selective. We write National Flood Insurance Program policies through Selective, a Write Your Own carrier. The NFIP covers up to $250,000 for the building and $100,000 for contents. New policies generally have a 30-day waiting period (see FloodSmart), so buy before storm season, not during it.
• Private flood. When a home costs more than the NFIP building limit to rebuild, or you want coverage the NFIP leaves out, we compare Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge. Each one decides address by address.
• Elevation certificates. If you have one, send it. If the house has been raised or has flood vents, it can make a real difference in how flood carriers rate it.

Water backup (sewer, drain or sump pump failure) is an add-on to homeowners; flood is separate. If your basement is finished, ask about both. See basement flooding coverage and our flood insurance overview.

Other hazards in the Bow plan

The plan rates high wind, thunderstorms, downbursts, lightning, tropical storms and heat waves as extreme, and drought, ice storms and cold waves as high. It notes the high hazard Garvins Falls Dam on the Merrimack River.

For a homeowner, most Bow losses start with trees, wind and water: roofs, basements, wells and outbuildings. We review wind, water backup and flood on every Bow homeowners quote.

Winter, trees and wind in Bow

The plan says residents most often recalled the 2008 ice storm, the 2006 Mother’s Day Flood and the April 2007 flood, and that wind regularly brings trees and power lines down on roads. For homeowners, that means ice dams, frozen pipes, snow loads and trees on roofs, and a plan for heat and water in a long outage. These are generally homeowners claims, subject to your deductible and policy terms. A properly sized wind and all-perils deductible, and a roof in good shape, do more for most homeowners than any single add-on. Water damage from a burst pipe is usually covered when the home is heated and occupied; long vacancies can change that, so tell us if the house will sit empty.

Larger homes

Under about $2 million, most of our 40+ carriers are in play. In New Hampshire, Andover generally writes homeowners up to about $1.5 million, or closer to $1 million for homes far from a hydrant or fire station. Around $2 million to $3 million, Hanover is often a fit; above $3 million, Cincinnati; and at $5 million and up, Chubb. Each carrier underwrites the specific house, so these are starting points, not promises.

Larger and newer homes on wooded lots can cost far more to rebuild than their assessment suggests, so we start with a replacement-cost estimate. See high-value home insurance in New Hampshire.

Condos, rentals and older homes

Your HO-6 condo policy covers what the association’s master policy does not. See condo insurance in New Hampshire. If you rent out a house in Bow, you need a dwelling or landlord policy; for New Hampshire landlord and habitational placements we work with Vermont Mutual, Andover, Safety, Concord Group and Providence Mutual. For an older farmhouse, carriers will ask about the roof, heating (including wood stoves), wiring, plumbing, well and septic.

Renters and tenants in Bow

If you rent in Bow, your landlord’s policy covers the building, not your belongings or your liability. A renters policy covers both, plus extra living costs after a covered loss. We shop renters coverage across our carriers, and Progressive Home is one of them; we use Progressive Home for renters policies only. Landlords who own two- to four-family buildings can see landlord insurance.

Auto, umbrella and the rest of the household

Most Bow households also need auto insurance, and many add a personal umbrella. Bow sits where I-89 meets I-93, with NH 3A along the river, and the plan lists the I-89 ramp near the Turkey River among flood-prone spots, so a good auto policy and roadside coverage are worth a look. We quote them with the home so the liability limits line up, and we put rentals, second homes, boats and valuables under the same review. One agent, one renewal conversation.

Common coverage gaps we see in Bow

• A dwelling limit based on the purchase price or assessed value instead of the cost to rebuild
• No water backup coverage on a house with a finished basement
• Personal property limits that have not kept up with what the household actually owns
• Liability limits on the home and auto that do not line up with an umbrella, or no umbrella at all
• No ordinance or law coverage on an older home that would need code upgrades after a loss
• No flood policy on a home near the Merrimack, Turkey River or a brook
• No water backup coverage on a finished basement
• Too little dwelling coverage on a larger newer home

Most of these are straightforward to fix once someone reads the declarations pages side by side, and that is the first thing we do in a review.

Before storm season in Bow

• Know your hurricane or named-storm deductible in dollars, not just as a percentage
• Photograph or video each room so a contents claim is easier to document
• Keep your declarations pages, flood policy and any elevation certificate somewhere you can reach from your phone
• If you are thinking about flood coverage, buy it well ahead of a storm because of the waiting period
• If you live on one of the roads that floods or washes out, know a second way out
• Know how you will heat the house and run your well pump in a long power outage

Buying a home in Bow

Start the insurance conversation before you are under contract, not the week of closing. Send us the listing and the inspection report when you have it. The report answers most of what carriers ask: roof age, electrical panel, heating, plumbing and any water in the basement. Near the river or a brook, ask for any elevation certificate and the seller’s flood history. On a well, ask for water quantity and quality test results. We line up the homeowners binder, and a flood binder if you need one, so both are ready for your lender.

How a Bow home quote works

• Tell us about the house: address, year built, square footage, roof age and updates to wiring, plumbing and heating.
• Send your current declarations page so we can compare like for like and point out limits that look short.
• We shop the carriers that fit and lay the options out side by side, with the differences in coverage, deductibles and storm terms, not just price.
• You choose, and we handle the switch, including your mortgage company and the effective date, so there is no gap.

Serving Bow from Portsmouth

Our office is at 601 Islington St, Unit 206, Portsmouth, NH 03801, and we work with Bow clients by phone, email and online. Call (603) 431-4020. Nearby, see our Concord, Pembroke and Hooksett pages. For larger homes next door, see high-value home insurance in Dunbarton.

Sources

• Town of Bow, Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2025 (FEMA approved February 10, 2025)
• U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 subcounty population estimates
• FEMA Flood Map Service Center
• FloodSmart, buying a flood policy

Get a quote

Tell us about the property and we will compare carriers and follow up with options. Prefer to talk? Call (603) 431-4020.

Frequently asked questions

Do you insure homes in Bow, NH?

Yes. We insure Bow homes from our Portsmouth office at 601 Islington St, and by phone, email and online. Call (603) 431-4020.

Does Bow flood?

In places, yes. The 2025 hazard mitigation plan rates inland flooding as an extreme risk and lists roads such as Allen Road, Bow Bog Road and NH 3A near Robinson Road as regular flood or washout spots. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center.

Does homeowners insurance cover a flooded basement?

Not from flood. Water backup from sewers, drains or a sump pump is an add-on, and rising or surface water needs a flood policy.

Who writes your NFIP flood policies?

We write NFIP policies through Selective, and we compare private flood from Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge.

Do you charge fees?

No. We don’t charge fees on any policy we write, including homeowners, condo, renters, landlord, dwelling and auto.