Driving in Stratford means sharing I-95 with everyone heading between New Haven and New York, taking the Merritt Parkway when the highway backs up, and working your way through Barnum Avenue and Main Street on errands. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent agency that serves Connecticut from our Connecticut office and by phone, email and online. We help Stratford drivers put together car insurance (auto insurance) that fits their cars, their commute and what they have to protect. We compare 40+ carriers, so we can shop the policy instead of selling you one company’s version of it.
By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO. Updated October 14, 2026.
We’ve been open since 2005, we’re licensed in 10 states, we work with 40+ carriers, and we have over 2,000 client testimonials. Request a quote. There’s no obligation to buy. We are New Hampshire’s highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. Our Stratford clients get the same people and the same approach.
Connecticut Car Insurance Requirements
Unlike New Hampshire, Connecticut requires auto insurance to drive legally. According to the Connecticut Insurance Department, the minimums are $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 per accident for property damage, or a $50,000 single limit. You must also carry at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
The Department also points out that collision and comprehensive aren’t required by law, though a lender or leasing company will require them, and it recommends shopping for higher limits because the minimums may not be enough. Under Connecticut General Statutes section 38a-336, insurers must offer uninsured/underinsured motorist limits up to twice your bodily injury limits, and your UM/UIM limits follow your liability limits unless you request lower limits in writing.
For a closer look, read our post What Are Connecticut Car Insurance Requirements?.
Why Fairfield County Drivers Usually Need More Than the Minimum
Fairfield County roads are full of newer, expensive vehicles, and a chain-reaction crash on I-95 near the Bridgeport line can involve several of them at once. A $25,000 property damage limit doesn’t stretch far in that situation. If you own a home along the shoreline in Stratford, Fairfield or Westport, or you’ve built up savings and investments, low limits leave those assets exposed.
Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage deserves the same attention. It protects you and your passengers when the other driver has little or no insurance. Because Connecticut ties UM/UIM to your liability limits unless you sign for less, raising one usually means raising both.
Coverage for Higher-Value Drivers in Stratford and Fairfield County
- Higher liability and UM/UIM limits. We’ll show you what each step up looks like, and whether doubling your UM/UIM limits makes sense for your family.
- A personal umbrella. An umbrella adds a layer of liability protection above your auto and home policies. Learn more on our umbrella insurance page.
- Several cars, leased or luxury vehicles. We’ll make sure every household vehicle and driver is listed correctly, that lease and loan requirements are met, and that options such as new car replacement or original manufacturer parts are on the table where a carrier offers them.
- Collector and weekend cars. A car that’s garaged most of the year usually belongs on its own policy. See collector car insurance.
- Teen and college drivers. We’ll help you add young drivers the right way, including students who keep a car at school out of state.
Stratford Roads, Metro-North Commuters and Coastal Storms
Stratford sits between I-95 and the Merritt Parkway, with Route 8 and Route 25 close by for trips up to Trumbull and Shelton. I-95 carries the trucks and commercial traffic, because the Connecticut Department of Transportation bars commercial vehicles, trailers, buses and any vehicle over 8 feet tall, 24 feet long or 7 feet 6 inches wide from the Merritt Parkway (Route 15 from Greenwich to Exit 54 in Milford). That matters for insurance: if you tow a boat or camper, drive a work van with commercial plates, or use your car for business, tell us so the right policy is in place. The Merritt itself is beautiful, but its tight ramps, narrow lanes and old stone overpasses make for a different kind of driving than the interstate. If you ride the Metro-North New Haven Line from the Stratford station, your car may spend the workday in a commuter lot. Comprehensive coverage is what responds to theft, vandalism or a falling branch while you’re on the train.
The shoreline adds its own risks. Lordship, Stratford Point and the neighborhoods along the Housatonic River can see flooding when a coastal storm or nor’easter pushes water up from Long Island Sound. The Connecticut Insurance Department explains that comprehensive coverage is what pays for damage to your car from causes such as severe weather, floods and theft, so if your car lives near the water, comprehensive is worth keeping even on an older vehicle.
Bundling Auto, Home and Umbrella in Stratford
Coordinating your car insurance with your homeowners and umbrella policies keeps liability limits consistent, puts one agent on both policies, and avoids gaps between them. Many carriers also offer a multi-policy discount when auto and home are written together; whether one applies, and how much, depends on the carrier, so we compare bundled and unbundled options for you across 40+ carriers. If you own a home in Stratford, see our Stratford homeowners insurance page, especially if you’re near the shoreline in Lordship or along the Housatonic.
Learn more on our auto insurance page or our Stratford, CT insurance agency page.
Your Stratford Auto Insurance Agent
Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance serves Connecticut from its Connecticut office and by phone, email and online. We’re an independent agency, so we work for you, not for an insurance company. Asking us for a quote doesn’t obligate you to buy anything. We help drivers in nearby towns, including Fairfield and Milford, and with licenses in 10 states, we can also help with a vehicle kept at a second home or a family member in another state. Visit our Connecticut insurance agency page for coverage across the state.
By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO. Last updated October 14, 2026.
Get a Car Insurance Quote in Stratford
Every household is different, so the best next step is a conversation. Call us at (603) 431-4020, email insure@portsmouthatlanticins.com, or start your car insurance quote online. We’ll compare your options across 40+ carriers, and explain them in plain English.
Car Insurance FAQs for Stratford, CT
What are the minimum car insurance requirements in Connecticut?
Connecticut requires $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage, or a $50,000 single limit, plus at least $25,000/$50,000 of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage.
Is uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage required in Connecticut?
Yes. Connecticut law requires UM/UIM coverage, and insurers must offer limits up to twice your bodily injury limits. Your UM/UIM limits follow your liability limits unless you request lower limits in writing.
Are collision and comprehensive required in Connecticut?
Not by state law, but a lender or leasing company will require them. Comprehensive is also what covers theft, vandalism and flood damage to your car.
How much liability coverage should a Fairfield County driver carry?
It depends on your assets and household. Most homeowners choose limits well above the state minimum and add a personal umbrella. We’ll compare the options with you.
Does car insurance cover flood damage from a coastal storm?
Flood damage to a car is covered under comprehensive coverage on your auto policy. A home flood insurance policy does not cover vehicles.
Can you insure several cars and young drivers on one policy?
Yes. We regularly put households with multiple vehicles, teen drivers and collector cars together, and coordinate the auto policy with home and umbrella coverage.
Can I bundle car insurance with homeowners insurance in Stratford?
Yes. We can quote your auto and homeowners policies together and compare them with separate policies. Many carriers offer a multi-policy discount, but availability and amount vary by carrier.
Are commercial vehicles or trailers allowed on the Merritt Parkway?
No. The Connecticut Department of Transportation prohibits commercial vehicles, trailers, buses and vehicles over 8 feet tall, 24 feet long or 7 feet 6 inches wide on the Merritt Parkway, so those trips use I-95 instead.
Do I have to buy if I request a car insurance quote in Stratford?
No. Request a quote, and there’s no obligation to buy. We compare 40+ carriers and you can reach us at (603) 431-4020.
Sources
- Connecticut Insurance Department, Auto Insurance
- Connecticut General Statutes section 38a-336, Uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage
- Connecticut Insurance Department, What Is Auto Insurance?
- Connecticut Department of Transportation, Parkway Restrictions
For more on coverage across the state, visit our Connecticut insurance agency page, or call us at (603) 431-4020.