High Net Worth Insurance, Organized Around What You Own

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO

Most families with significant assets didn’t set out to build a complicated insurance program. It happens one purchase at a time: a lake house, a car you’ve wanted since high school, a ring that was your grandmother’s, a boat, a teenager with a new license. Each new policy makes sense when you buy it. Years later, you might have five policies with three companies, renewing in five different months, and nobody looking at how they fit together.

That is where gaps tend to hide. A home insured for what it cost to build years ago. Jewelry sitting under a homeowners policy’s small theft limit. A second home that sits empty all winter. Liability limits that never grew as your assets did. Our job is to look at everything you own together, place each piece with a carrier that fits it, and keep the whole program current as your life changes.

Is a high-value program right for you?

There is no single dollar figure that makes someone a “high net worth” client. What matters is how complex your life is and how much you have to protect. If several of these sound familiar, a coordinated high-value program is worth a conversation:

• You own more than one home, such as a lake house, ski house, beach place or a home in another state.
• A home is on or near the water, or in a flood zone, or you’ve been asked about wind or hurricane deductibles.
• Your home has custom or historic construction: millwork, slate or copper roofing, stone, an older post-and-beam frame or architect-designed features.
• You own jewelry, watches, art, wine, antiques or collections worth more than you’d want to lose.
• You own collector, classic or high-performance cars, or several vehicles.
• You own a boat or other watercraft.
• You have household staff, such as a nanny, housekeeper, caretaker or property manager.
• You have teen or young adult drivers in the household.
• You rent out a property, even for a few weeks a year.
• You serve on a nonprofit or community board, or you have a public profile.
• Your policies are spread across several companies with different renewal dates, and nobody reviews them together.

Checked two or more? We can review your current program in one conversation and tell you plainly whether a high-value carrier makes sense, or whether a standard policy with the right adjustments fits you better.

How we build your program

Every client gets the same process, whether you have one home or several:

• A full review. We look at your homes, vehicles, collections, boats and liability together, along with your current policies and renewal dates.
• Placement by fit. As an independent agency working with 40+ carriers, we match each part of your life to a carrier that fits it, rather than forcing everything onto one company.
• Coordination. We line up your home, auto, valuables and umbrella so the limits work together, and we can often bring renewals closer together.
• Regular check-ins. We revisit rebuilding values, valuables and liability as your life changes: a renovation, a new purchase, a new driver, a move.
• Help with claims. We help you report a claim and follow up with the carrier until it’s resolved.

You can read more about how we work on our Our Process page.

Coverage by asset

Homes and second homes

For a high-value home, the most important number is what it would cost to rebuild it, not what it would sell for. Custom finishes, older construction methods and specialized trades can push rebuilding costs well past what a standard estimate assumes. We help you set a dwelling limit based on the house you actually have, and we revisit it after renovations.

Many high-value home policies offer broader options than a standard policy, such as extended replacement cost, higher limits for personal property and more flexible settlement options. Terms vary by carrier and by state, so we confirm what each policy includes before you rely on it.

Second homes bring their own questions: who checks on the house in winter, whether it has low-temperature or water-leak monitoring, whether it’s rented out and how it’s used. Each one can affect which carrier fits.

• High-value home insurance in New Hampshire
• High-value home insurance in Connecticut
• Coastal Massachusetts high-value home insurance
• Secondary and seasonal home insurance
• Second home insurance in New Hampshire
• Massachusetts second-home and vacation home insurance
• Maine homeowners and second-home insurance
• Vermont second home and ski house insurance

Coastal and flood exposure

Waterfront homes on the Seacoast, Cape Ann, the South Shore, Cape Cod and the Connecticut shoreline face wind, storm surge and flood risks that inland homes don’t. Two points surprise many owners: flood is usually excluded from homeowners policies and needs its own policy, and coastal homes often carry a separate wind or hurricane deductible.

We review flood zone, elevation and construction with you, and we compare NFIP and private flood options. For higher-value homes, a private flood policy may offer higher limits than the NFIP, and some homes may need excess flood coverage on top of a primary policy.

• Flood insurance in New Hampshire and Connecticut
• Coastal home insurance in New Hampshire
• Coastal home, flood and wind insurance in Connecticut
• Flood insurance in Fairfield County, CT

Collections and valuables

A standard homeowners policy usually has low limits for theft of jewelry, watches, furs and similar items, and it may not cover accidental loss, like a stone falling out of its setting. Fine art, wine, antiques, silver and other collections can face similar limits.

The usual answer is to schedule important pieces individually, often on an agreed-value basis, or to cover a collection on a blanket basis. Either way, it helps to have current appraisals or receipts, photos, and a plan for how items are stored, shipped and displayed. Tell us about anything that travels with you, is on loan or is kept at a second home.

Collector and high-value cars

Collector cars are usually insured on an agreed-value policy, where you and the insurer set the car’s value up front. These policies usually come with conditions on storage, use and drivers. Modern high-performance and luxury cars that you drive regularly typically belong on an auto policy built for high-value vehicles.

• Classic and collector car insurance in New England
• Classic car collection insurance
• Agreed value car insurance
• Exotic and high-value collector car insurance
• High-value auto insurance in New Hampshire
• Start a collector car quote

Boats and watercraft

From a runabout on Lake Winnipesaukee to a sailboat on a Seacoast mooring, boats belong in the same conversation as your homes and cars. Where it’s kept, how far you take it, who operates it and its value all affect coverage. Boat liability also needs to line up with your umbrella. See our boat insurance page for the basics.

Liability and umbrella

Liability is the one exposure that isn’t capped by what you own. A serious car accident, an injury at your pool or dock, or a guest hurt at a party can lead to a claim larger than your home or auto liability limits. A personal umbrella adds a layer above those policies.

The right umbrella limit depends on your assets, income, household and activities. Teen drivers, household staff, rental property, boats, board service and a public profile can all raise your exposure. We also check that every underlying policy meets the umbrella’s requirements, because a gap there can leave you exposed.

Learn more about umbrella insurance.

The carriers we work with

Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is an independent agency, and we work with 40+ carriers. That lets us place each part of your program with a company that fits it, instead of fitting you to one company’s rules.

For high-value homes, Chubb and Cincinnati write homes at any dwelling limit. Both are established names in high-value home insurance, and we often compare them for the same home. Openly is another option we compare for homes up to $5 million. Depending on your home, location and the rest of your program, another carrier may fit better, and we’ll explain why. For a closer look, read our local agent’s views of Chubb and Cincinnati.

Every carrier makes its own underwriting decisions, so we confirm eligibility and terms for your situation before you rely on a policy.

When you have a claim

A claim is when your insurance program is really tested. When you have a loss, call us first at (603) 431-4020. We help you report the claim to the carrier, explain what to gather (photos, receipts, appraisals, repair estimates), and follow up with the carrier until the claim is resolved. You won’t be left to work through it alone. For contacts and how to report, see our Billing & Claims page.

Why families choose Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance

We are New Hampshire’s highest-rated agency on Google, with 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. We have been family-owned since 2005, and our team of 15 is licensed in 10 states, so we can help with homes in more than one state. Our office is in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and we also have a Connecticut office. Read what our clients say or meet our team.

What our clients say

From our client surveys. Comments are lightly edited for typos only.

“

Jon is super helpful and amazingly communicative. He responds fast with well thought out answers making the process of getting insurance for my home and car super simple.

“

Very informative, responsive, and helpful with answering any questions we had. Helped us get the best deal and coverage, explained the differences between coverage options, and let us choose what worked best for us. Highly recommend!

“

Excellent guidance on insurance options and fantastic quoting and onboarding experience. We trust their recommendations and feel that we have best coverage for peace of mind at best possible cost.

Read more client testimonials

High-value home insurance by location

For local detail on construction, flood zones and carriers, see our town and regional guides:

• New Hampshire: high-value home insurance in New Hampshire, Portsmouth, Rye, New Castle
• Massachusetts: Coastal Massachusetts, Weston, Wellesley
• Connecticut: Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Litchfield Hills

Frequently asked questions

What is high net worth insurance?

High net worth insurance, sometimes called private client insurance, is a coordinated set of policies for people whose homes, possessions and liability exposure go beyond what standard policies were built for. It usually combines high-value home coverage, scheduled valuables, collector or high-value auto, boat coverage and a personal umbrella, reviewed together by one advisor.

Do I need a home worth a certain amount to qualify?

No. There is no single dollar threshold. What matters is the complexity of what you own: more than one home, coastal or flood exposure, custom construction, valuable collections, collector cars, a boat, household staff or teen drivers. We look at the whole picture and tell you plainly whether a high-value carrier or a standard policy fits better.

Can my homes, cars, valuables and umbrella be coordinated?

Usually, yes. Some carriers can write several lines together, and even when parts of your program are with different carriers, we line up the limits so your umbrella sits properly above your home, auto and boat policies. We can often bring renewal dates closer together, too.

Which carriers do you work with for high-value homes?

We work with 40+ carriers. For high-value homes, Chubb and Cincinnati write homes at any dwelling limit, and we often compare them for the same home. Openly is another option for homes up to $5 million. The best fit depends on the home, its location and the rest of your program, and every carrier makes its own underwriting decisions.

How should I insure jewelry, art and other collections?

Important pieces are usually scheduled individually, often at an agreed value, or a collection may be covered on a blanket basis. Standard homeowners policies often have low theft limits for jewelry and similar items. Current appraisals or receipts and photos make the process easier, and we will ask how items are stored and whether they travel with you.

What happens if I have a claim?

Call us first at (603) 431-4020. We help you report the claim to the carrier, explain what documentation to gather, and follow up with the carrier until the claim is resolved. The carrier makes the coverage decision, and we stay involved throughout.

Request a private consultation

Tell us a little about your homes, vehicles, collections and current coverage, and we’ll set up a private conversation at a time that suits you. We’ll review what you have, point out any gaps we see, and explain your options across our carriers, with no obligation. What you share stays between you and our team. Prefer to talk now? Call us at (603) 431-4020 or email insure@portsmouthatlanticins.com.

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