New Hampshire Home Insurance Agency

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO, Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance

Home · Condo · Flood · Umbrella · Auto · New Hampshire

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Your home is probably the largest thing you will ever insure. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent insurance agency founded in 2005, licensed in 10 states and based in Portsmouth. Because we work with 40+ carriers instead of one, we can shop your home and show you real choices. We are New Hampshire's highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. This guide explains how we approach New Hampshire homeowners insurance, what carriers look at here, and where the gaps tend to be.

Why New Hampshire homeowners work with an independent agency

• 40+ carriers, one conversation. We compare options so you don’t have to call around, and we re-shop when your renewal jumps.
• No fees. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance charges no fees on anything we write, including homeowners, condo, renters, landlord and dwelling policies.
• Reviews. We are New Hampshire's highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials.
• Local, statewide. Our office is at 601 Islington St, Unit 206, Portsmouth, NH 03801, and most clients work with us by phone and email from the Seacoast to the Lakes Region, the Merrimack Valley, the Monadnock region and the Upper Valley.

Homeowners coverage for every kind of New Hampshire home

Under about $2 million in dwelling coverage, nearly all of our 40+ carriers are in play, so we focus on the best mix of price, coverage and claims service. Andover writes up to about $1.5 million in New Hampshire, or about $1 million for homes far from a fire hydrant or fire station. From roughly $2 million to $3 million, Hanover is often a strong fit. For high-value homes we quote both Cincinnati and Chubb. Both write homes at any dwelling limit. Each carrier underwrites the specific house, so these are starting points, not promises.

• Older homes. Colonials, capes, farmhouses with several additions, and multi-family homes in the old mill cities. See below.
• Coastal and waterfront homes. Wind, surge and replacement cost all matter. See coastal home insurance in New Hampshire.
• High-value homes. See high-value home insurance in New Hampshire.
• Condos. An HO-6 has to fit the association’s master policy. See our New Hampshire condo insurance guide.
• Seasonal homes and camps. See seasonal home insurance.
• Rentals. See landlord insurance.

What carriers look at on a New Hampshire home

Rebuild cost, not market value

A lot of New Hampshire houses are old. An older home can cost more to rebuild than its sale price suggests, especially with plaster walls, slate roofs or custom trim. We set the dwelling limit around the cost to rebuild, and we look at extended or guaranteed replacement cost and ordinance or law coverage, which helps pay to bring a damaged older home up to current code.

Roof, wiring, plumbing and heat

Carriers ask about roof age and material, the electrical panel, plumbing and how the house is heated: oil, propane, wood or pellet stoves, or heat pumps. Some want updated systems before they will write an older home. A woodstove isn’t a deal-breaker, but it narrows the carrier list, so tell us up front. Documented updates with dates widen your options.

Winter: ice dams, frozen pipes and snow load

Ice dams, frozen pipes and roof damage from heavy snow are common New Hampshire claims. Water damage from a burst pipe is usually covered when the home is heated and occupied; a house that sits empty for part of the winter can change that. Tell us if anyone checks on the house while you are away, and ask about water leak and low-temperature sensors, which some carriers credit.

Distance to fire protection

Rural homes far from a hydrant or fire station are harder to place, and some carriers write lower limits for them. That is why Andover’s limit drops to about $1 million for homes far from a hydrant or fire station. We shop those homes with the carriers that want them.

Flood: the gap most New Hampshire homeowners have

No homeowners policy covers flood, whether it is storm surge on the coast, a river over its banks or surface water pooling around the foundation. The numbers in local hazard plans show how few homes carry it:

• Concord’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan says only 82 of the city’s 14,938 parcels were insured against flooding in April 2023, while about 720 parcels with buildings may sit at least partly in the special flood hazard area.
• Nashua’s 2024 Hazard Mitigation Plan reports 81 structures fully or partly in the 1% annual chance floodplain with no NFIP policy.
• North Hampton’s 2018 Hazard Mitigation Plan says Route 1A through town and Little Boar’s Head is prone to splash-over when storms combine with high tide.
• Durham’s 2017 hazard plan says many high-value homes along the Great Bay/Oyster River estuary shoreline could be susceptible to coastal flooding.

• 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 from a sewer, drain or sump pump is a separate add-on to homeowners, and it is not flood. If your basement is finished, ask about both. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center, and see our New Hampshire flood insurance page or our flood insurance overview.

Wind and coastal deductibles

On the Seacoast, some carriers apply a separate wind or named storm deductible, often a percentage of the dwelling limit. We convert every deductible to dollars before you choose. Inland, the all-perils deductible is the main decision: a higher deductible usually lowers the premium, but make sure you could write that check after a storm.

What we help you compare

• Dwelling limit: insured to rebuild cost.
• Replacement cost on contents: new for old, not depreciated value.
• Liability: matched to your assets, with a personal umbrella on top if needed.
• Deductibles: all-perils and any wind or named storm deductible, in dollars.
• Endorsements: water backup, ordinance or law, scheduled jewelry and art, home business coverage.
• Carrier options: price, coverage and claims service across our 40+ carriers.

Condos, rentals and renters

Condo owners need an HO-6 matched to the master policy, including loss assessment. Landlords who own a two- to four-family building or a rental condo need a dwelling or landlord policy, and we don’t charge fees on those either. Tenants need a renters policy; we shop renters coverage across our carriers, and Progressive Home is one of them, which we use for renters policies only.

Auto, umbrella and the rest of the household

Most New Hampshire households also need auto insurance, and many add a personal umbrella. See how we bundle home and auto insurance in New Hampshire. 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 New Hampshire

• 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 coast, a river or a brook
• A house left empty for part of the winter without telling the carrier

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 New Hampshire

• 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
• Keep gutters clear and the attic well insulated and ventilated to limit ice dams

Buying a home in New Hampshire

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. Ask the seller for the roof age, the heating system type and age, and any history of water in the basement. We line up the homeowners binder, and a flood binder if you need one, so both are ready for your lender.

How a New Hampshire 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.

Where we insure homes in New Hampshire

We help homeowners from the Seacoast to the Lakes Region and everywhere in between. Local pages: Portsmouth, Manchester, Dover, Exeter, Hampton, Rye, New Castle, Bedford, Windham, Amherst, Hollis, Keene, Hanover, Wolfeboro. See every town on our service areas page, or our New Hampshire insurance agency page. In Portsmouth itself, see Portsmouth homeowners insurance.

Sources

• City of Concord, Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2024
• City of Nashua, Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2024
• Town of North Hampton, Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2018
• Town of Durham, Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2017
• 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.

Start your New Hampshire home insurance quote →

Frequently asked questions

Are you an independent insurance agency?

Yes. We are an independent agency founded in 2005, so we don’t work for one insurance company. We compare homeowners coverage from 40+ carriers and recommend the one that fits your house.

Do you charge fees?

No. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance charges no fees of any kind.

Can you insure a high-value home in New Hampshire?

Yes. Under about $2 million, nearly all of our carriers are an option. Andover writes up to about $1.5 million (about $1 million far from a hydrant or fire station), Hanover roughly $2 million to $3 million, and Cincinnati and Chubb for high-value homes at any dwelling limit.

Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in New Hampshire?

No. Flood needs a separate policy. We write NFIP flood through Selective and compare private flood from Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge.

Do I have to live near Portsmouth to work with you?

No. Our office is at 601 Islington St, Unit 206 in Portsmouth, and we insure homes all over New Hampshire by phone, email and online.

How do I get a quote?

Start a quote online or call (603) 431-4020. We’ll shop your home across our carriers and walk you through the options.