Pembroke, NH Home Insurance

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO

Home · Flood · Condo · Renters · Umbrella · Pembroke, 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 Pembroke home across 40+ carriers, and we charge no fees. Start with New Hampshire homeowners insurance, or read on.

Pembroke at a glance

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 7,579 Pembroke residents as of July 1, 2025 (7,202 in the April 2020 estimates base). The town’s Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2017, prepared with the Central NH Regional Planning Commission, was prepared for Board of Selectmen adoption on January 17, 2017.

The plan describes a town split by the Suncook and Soucook rivers, which meet the Merrimack River, with US Route 3 as a major corridor and dense neighborhoods in Suncook Village.

For insurance, that means village homes near the rivers and dams, plus rural homes in North Pembroke.

Where you live in Pembroke changes the policy

• Along the Suncook River. The plan lists the Suncook floodplain as a hazard area and includes fluvial erosion maps showing where the river channel can move. It says the 2006 and 2007 floods did more damage than the March 2010 flood.
• Below the Suncook River dams. The plan lists Pembroke Dam (high hazard), Webster Mill Dam (significant hazard) and China Mill Dam (low hazard) on the Suncook River, and says Suncook Village would need to be evacuated in a failure.
• Along the Soucook River. The plan lists the Soucook floodplain and erosion near Memorial Field among its hazard locations.
• North Pembroke. The plan names North Pembroke and dense residential neighborhoods among the areas most susceptible to wildfire. A house far from a hydrant or fire station is rated differently by some carriers.

Flood coverage in Pembroke

The plan counted 22 NFIP policies with $4,573,400 of coverage in November 2015, and 38 paid losses totaling $1,028,418 since 1978. It lists 8 repetitive loss properties after 2010; the town bought 3 and elevated 1.

With about 80 buildings in the flood zone and 22 policies town-wide, many homes near the rivers 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 Pembroke plan

The plan ranks drought highest, followed by tornadoes, downbursts, severe wind and thunderstorms, and severe winter weather and ice storms, with wildfire and dam failure next.

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

Winter, trees and wind in Pembroke

The plan lists the January 1998 and December 2008 ice storms among Pembroke’s federal disasters, and says the town received $32,100 after the 2008 storm. 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.

Newer homes on larger 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 Pembroke, 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 village home or mill-era house in Suncook, carriers will ask about the roof, heating, wiring, plumbing and basement water history.

Renters and tenants in Pembroke

If you rent in Pembroke, 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 Pembroke households also need auto insurance, and many add a personal umbrella. Pembroke drivers rely on US Route 3 and nearby I-93 and I-393, and the plan lists the Route 3 double-decker bridge over the Suncook River among its sites of concern, 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 Pembroke

• 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 Suncook or Soucook river
• No water backup coverage on a home with a finished basement
• Too little dwelling coverage on a newer or renovated 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 Pembroke

• 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 in Suncook Village, know the evacuation route away from the river
• Keep sump pumps and backup power in working order before spring thaw

Buying a home in Pembroke

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 Suncook or Soucook river, ask for any elevation certificate, the seller’s flood history, and whether the home has had a flood claim. We line up the homeowners binder, and a flood binder if you need one, so both are ready for your lender.

How a Pembroke 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 Pembroke from Portsmouth

Our office is at 601 Islington St, Unit 206, Portsmouth, NH 03801, and we work with Pembroke clients by phone, email and online. Call (603) 431-4020. Nearby, see our Concord, Bow and Hooksett pages.

Sources

• Town of Pembroke, Hazard Mitigation Plan Update 2017 (Central NH Regional Planning Commission)
• 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 Pembroke, NH?

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

Does Pembroke flood?

Along the Suncook and Soucook rivers, yes. The 2017 hazard mitigation plan says the 2006 and 2007 floods damaged homes and the town had 8 repetitive loss properties after 2010. 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.