By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO
Manchester is New Hampshire’s largest city, and its homes vary a lot. A West Side triple-decker, a loft in the Amoskeag Millyard, a 1920s colonial in the North End and a newer house near the Bedford line each need different homeowners coverage. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent agency. We compare home coverage from 40+ carriers and charge no agency fees.
We are New Hampshire’s highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. We insure Manchester homes from our Portsmouth, NH office by phone, email and online. Call (603) 431-4020 or request a quote.
Why Manchester homeowners use an independent agency
A captive agent can offer one company’s policy. We can shop the same house across many carriers, which matters in a city where older multi-family buildings, condos and single-family homes are underwritten very differently. If one carrier declines your roof age or your knob-and-tube history, another may still write it. You keep one agent for home, auto, umbrella and flood.
- 40+ carriers, including regional and national companies (see our carriers and how we choose them)
- No agency fees
- One review of home, auto and umbrella together, so the limits line up
Matching the policy to your Manchester home
Owner-occupied two- to four-family homes
Triple-deckers and multi-families are common on the West Side, the East Side and around the inner city. If you live in one unit and rent the others, the policy has to cover the whole building, lost rent and your liability as a landlord. Some carriers write these on a homeowners form, others on a dwelling policy. Ask your tenants to carry renters insurance. Buildings with five or more units are commercial property; see landlord insurance and our landlord vs. homeowners guide.
Millyard lofts and other condos
Condos in the converted Amoskeag mill buildings, and in newer complexes across the city, are insured partly by the association’s master policy. Your own HO-6 policy covers what the master policy leaves out: often interior finishes, improvements, your belongings, liability and loss assessment. Bring the master policy declarations page or the bylaws and we will size the coverage. Our New Hampshire condo insurance guide goes deeper.
Older single-family houses
A lot of Manchester’s housing dates to the early twentieth century. Carriers will ask about wiring, plumbing, heating, and the age of the roof, and documented updates can widen your options. Make sure the dwelling limit reflects the cost to rebuild, which can differ from the sale price, especially for plaster walls, detailed trim and slate or older roofing.
Larger and newer homes
Newer houses on the city’s edges and in neighboring Bedford often carry higher rebuild costs, finished basements and more contents. Carrier fit changes as the rebuild cost rises:
| Estimated rebuild cost | Carriers that are often a fit |
|---|---|
| Under about $2 million | Almost all of the carriers we work with |
| About $1 million to $1.5 million | Andover writes many NH homes up to about $1.5 million, closer to $1 million if the home is far from a hydrant or fire station |
| About $2 million to $3 million | Hanover |
| Any dwelling limit | Cincinnati and Chubb |
What makes insuring a Manchester home different
- Winter claims. Ice dams and frozen pipes are the classic New Hampshire homeowners claims. Older multi-family buildings with unheated hallways or basements deserve a close look at water-damage coverage and deductibles.
- The Merrimack and Piscataquog rivers. Low-lying properties near either river can have flood exposure. Homeowners policies exclude flood. Check your address on the FEMA Flood Map Service Center and see our flood insurance page. We write NFIP policies through Selective.
- Water backup. Sewer and drain backup is usually excluded unless you add it. If your basement is finished or holds the laundry, ask about it. More in does homeowners insurance cover basement flooding.
- Landlord liability. Renting out units raises your liability exposure. A personal umbrella adds a layer above your home and auto limits.
Bundle home and auto
Many Manchester households commute on I-93, I-293 or the Everett Turnpike. We quote auto insurance alongside the house so liability limits match your umbrella and you have one agent at renewal. See our New Hampshire auto insurance guide.
How a Manchester home quote works
- Tell us about the property. Address, year built, square footage, roof age and updates to wiring, plumbing and heating. For a multi-family, list the number of units and whether you live in one.
- Share your current coverage. Your declarations page shows your limits, deductibles and endorsements, so we compare like for like, or recommend changes where the limits look short.
- We shop the carriers. We send the home to the carriers that fit it, then lay out the options side by side with the differences in coverage, not just price.
- You choose, and we handle the switch. We coordinate with your mortgage company, line up the effective date and help you cancel the old policy so there is no gap.
After the policy starts, you keep the same agent. Call us for a mortgage change, a new roof, a renovation, a claim, or when you buy a rental. We review the coverage again before each renewal.
Nearby towns we insure
We also insure homes in Bedford, Amherst, Windham and Hollis, and across the state; start at our New Hampshire homeowners insurance page or the New Hampshire insurance agency page. Looking for Manchester-by-the-Sea, Massachusetts? See our Manchester-by-the-Sea page. In the city, see Manchester condo insurance, Manchester landlord insurance and renters insurance in Manchester. Nearby, see Goffstown, Merrimack, Londonderry and Concord. For larger homes near Lake Massabesic, see Auburn high-value home insurance.
Get a Manchester homeowners quote
Tell us about the house and we will compare carriers and follow up with options. Prefer to talk? Call (603) 431-4020. Have your current declarations page handy, and the master policy if you own a condo.
Frequently asked questions
I live in one unit of my Manchester triple-decker. What policy do I need?
You need a policy that covers the whole building and your liability as a landlord. Depending on the carrier, an owner-occupied two- to four-family home is written on a homeowners form or a dwelling policy. Your tenants should carry their own renters insurance.
What does an HO-6 condo policy cover in a Millyard condo?
It covers what the association master policy does not, often interior finishes, improvements, your belongings, personal liability and loss assessment. We read the master policy or bylaws to size it.
Which carriers write larger Manchester homes?
Most carriers we work with fit homes that cost under about $2 million to rebuild. Hanover is often a fit around $2 to $3 million. Cincinnati and Chubb both write homes at any dwelling limit, so we quote both. Andover writes many New Hampshire homes up to about $1.5 million, closer to $1 million for homes far from a hydrant or fire station.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding from the Merrimack River?
No. Homeowners policies exclude flood. We write National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies through Selective, and we can check private flood options too.
Do you have an office in Manchester?
No. We work with Manchester clients by phone and email from our Portsmouth, NH office at 601 Islington St, Unit 206. Call (603) 431-4020.
Do you charge agency fees?
No. We do not charge agency fees on any policy, including home, condo, renters, auto, flood and umbrella.