By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO, Licensed Insurance Advisor
Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent agency licensed in Maine. Our Portsmouth, New Hampshire office sits just across the Piscataqua from Kittery, and we’ve insured homes and cars since 2005. With more than 40 carriers, we can compare options for a Portland condo, a lake camp you close every October or an Acadia rental cottage. In Maine we compare carriers including Chubb, Hanover, Cincinnati, Vermont Mutual, Concord Group and Andover, plus Openly, Safety and National General.
Maine winters decide most of the questions
- Ice dams. Heat escaping through an older roof melts snow that refreezes at the eaves and backs water under the shingles. Sudden water damage inside is often covered, but the Maine Bureau of Insurance is clear that a policy isn’t a maintenance contract: worn shingles and slow leaks are the owner’s job.
- Snow load and roof collapse. The Bureau lists weight of ice and snow among the perils in broad-form and higher policies. “Collapse” is defined differently by each policy, and sagging alone usually doesn’t count.
- Frozen pipes. Most policies cover freeze damage only if you kept the heat on or drained the water. In a house that sits empty all week, a low-temperature alert can be the difference.
About half of Maine households heat mainly with fuel oil, according to the Maine Department of Energy Resources. We ask about the tank’s age and location, because coverage for a leaking tank or spill cleanup can be limited, depending on the policy.
Older homes, older systems
Nearly a quarter of Maine’s housing units, 23.4 percent, were built before 1940, compared with about 12 percent nationally (Census ACS 2018–2022, as reported by The Maine Monitor). Knob-and-tube wiring, aging oil boilers and tired roofs all show up in underwriting. The Bureau notes that older homes often cost more to insure, though many insurers give credit for a roof, heating, plumbing and electrical updated in the past 10 to 20 years, and Maine law bars refusing coverage solely because of a dwelling’s age. We set the dwelling limit from rebuild cost, add ordinance-or-law coverage for code upgrades, and find the carriers that will take the house as it stands.
Coast or inland: different risks
On the coast, from York through Portland to Mount Desert Island, the Bureau says being near the ocean can mean a higher premium, a percentage windstorm deductible, or both. The January 2024 storms behind FEMA’s major disaster declaration for Maine (DR-4764) put water over waterfront streets and wharves.
Flood from the ocean, a river or a rising lake isn’t covered by homeowners insurance. It needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy, and NFIP coverage generally starts 30 days after purchase. Private flood carriers we work with include Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge.
Inland, distance to the fire department is a factor every insurer uses, so a rural home far from a station or hydrant can rate very differently from the same house in Bangor, Lewiston or Augusta.
Lake camps and seasonal cottages
Seasonal homes make up an unusually large share of Maine’s housing. Whether your camp is on Sebago, the Belgrade Lakes, Rangeley or Moosehead, carriers ask about:
- Occupancy: how many weeks you’re there, and whether it’s rated as a seasonal or secondary home
- Heat: the Bureau notes that heating mainly with wood can raise the premium, and carriers may ask how the stove was installed
- Access: an unplowed camp road or a boat-only island affects fire response and which carriers will write it
- Vacancy: under Maine’s Property Insurance Cancellation Control Act, a vacant home without custodial care is a permitted reason to cancel mid-term. See does homeowners insurance cover a vacant property?
- Toys: docks, boats, snowmobiles and ATVs usually need their own coverage
Renting near Acadia and Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor requires every short-term rental to register with the town each year and pass a life-safety inspection. Registration doesn’t settle the insurance question. Many homeowners policies limit coverage for regular rentals, so a cottage rented to a new family every summer week may need a landlord or dedicated short-term rental policy. Tell us before the first booking.
Portland condos, high-value homes and manufactured homes
- Condos on the Portland peninsula and elsewhere need an HO-6 limit that fits the master policy, plus loss assessment. See condo vs homeowners insurance.
- High-value homes in places like Cape Elizabeth, Kennebunkport or Camden often fit carriers built for them. We compare Chubb, Cincinnati, Openly, National General, Hanover and Andover, and for the largest estates, Chubb and Cincinnati. See high-value home insurance.
- Manufactured homes go to a specialist carrier: in Maine we write them with Foremost. See mobile home insurance.
Driving in Maine
Maine requires liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist and medical payments coverage on every registered vehicle, per the Bureau. Rural commutes, winter roads and deer and moose at dusk make higher limits worth a look, and an umbrella policy can sit over your cars and homes. For standalone auto we compare Hanover and Progressive, plus Hagerty for collector cars. Chubb and Cincinnati write auto only when it’s packaged with their home policy. See Maine auto insurance and our Maine home and auto bundle.
Where we work in Maine
We work with Maine households from Kittery and York up the coast. Every live Maine town and regional page is listed below. We do not have a Maine office; Maine clients work with us by phone, email and online from our Portsmouth, NH office, just across the Piscataqua from Kittery.
Southern Maine coast
York County and the southern coast, including Cape Elizabeth on the Portland shoreline.
Midcoast & Down East
Camden on the Midcoast, and Mount Desert Island farther Down East.
For statewide home details, see Maine homeowners and second-home insurance. Every area we serve is on our service areas page.
Also licensed nearby: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont.
Why Portsmouth Atlantic
- An independent agency since 2005, licensed in 10 states, including Maine
- Access to 40+ insurance carriers
- Over 2,000 client testimonials (read client feedback)
- One agent for your Maine property and your New Hampshire or Massachusetts home, from our Portsmouth, NH office
Maine insurance FAQs
Can a New Hampshire agency insure my home or camp in Maine?
Yes. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is licensed in Maine, and our Portsmouth office is just across the river from Kittery. We insure year-round homes, camps, seasonal cottages and rentals across the state.
Does homeowners insurance cover ice dams and roof collapse from snow in Maine?
Often, for sudden damage. Broad-form and higher policies include weight of ice and snow, and sudden water damage from an ice dam is commonly covered. Wear and tear and gradual leaks are not.
How should I insure a Maine camp I close for the winter?
Make sure it’s rated as a seasonal home, and agree on whether it stays heated or gets drained. Disclose wood stoves, winter access and who checks on it. A vacant camp without custodial care can give an insurer grounds to cancel.
Do I need different insurance to rent my cottage near Bar Harbor or Acadia?
Usually, if you rent it regularly. Many homeowners policies limit coverage for short-term rentals, so frequent rentals may need a landlord or short-term rental policy. Bar Harbor registration isn’t insurance.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding from the ocean or a lake in Maine?
No. Flood from storm surge, rivers or rising lake levels is excluded. You need a separate NFIP or private flood policy, and NFIP coverage generally starts 30 days after purchase.
What car insurance does Maine require?
Liability, uninsured/underinsured motorist and medical payments coverage on every registered vehicle. We’ll explain the minimums and whether higher limits make sense.
Get a Maine home or camp insurance review. Tell us about your house, camp, cottage or rental and we’ll compare options from 40+ carriers, including flood and umbrella. Request a quote or call (603) 431-4020.