By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO
About one in four New Hampshire homes is rented, from triple-deckers on Manchester’s West Side and mill-building lofts in Nashua and Dover to student apartments in Durham, ski-town condos and garden apartments along the Route 101 and Route 3 corridors. Renters insurance is a small policy with a specific job: it covers what you own, pays for a place to stay when a covered loss makes your unit unlivable, and protects you if you are blamed for injuring someone or damaging the building.
Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance, a family-owned agency in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, places renters policies across the state with 40+ carriers. We are New Hampshire’s highest-rated agency on Google, and the 592 Google reviews on our Portsmouth, NH listing include plenty of tenants. Phone (603) 431-4020.
Key takeaways
- Statewide, a little over a quarter of occupied homes are rented; in Manchester the figure is slightly more than half.
- A renters policy covers your belongings, extra living costs after a covered loss, and your personal liability; the landlord’s policy does not.
- New Hampshire caps deposits at one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater, and gives landlords 30 days to return them.
- About one in four rented homes in the state was built in 1939 or earlier, which matters for wiring, heat and water claims.
- Flood, cars, home-business property and short-term subletting usually need separate coverage or permission.
Who rents in New Hampshire
The Census Bureau counts about 151,400 renter-occupied homes in New Hampshire out of roughly 555,800 occupied homes (ACS 2024, B25003). The share climbs sharply in the cities: in Manchester, 25,233 of 49,162 occupied homes are rented (ACS 2024, Manchester).
| New Hampshire rental homes | Approximate share of renters | Why it matters for a renters policy |
|---|---|---|
| In two- to four-unit buildings | Nearly 3 in 10 statewide; nearly 4 in 10 in Manchester | A fire or leak in one unit often reaches the others; shared basements and porches |
| In buildings with 5 to 49 apartments | About 4 in 10 | Shared laundry, storage cages, parking lots and stairwells |
| In complexes with 50 or more apartments | About 1 in 11 | Leases that require renters insurance with liability |
| Single-family houses | Fewer than 1 in 5 | Garages, yards, wood stoves, more of your own stuff in the basement |
| Built in 1939 or earlier | About 1 in 4 (nearly 3 in 10 in Manchester) | Older wiring and plumbing; pipes in exterior walls |
| Built in 2010 or later | Fewer than 1 in 10 | Newer buildings, often with sprinklers |
Sources: ACS 2024, B25032 (units in structure), Manchester, B25036 (year built), Manchester. Heat is a mix: about one in three rented homes uses utility gas, a little more than one in four electricity, a little more than one in five fuel oil or kerosene, and about one in eight propane (ACS 2024, B25117). Oil and propane are more common outside the cities, where a missed delivery in January can mean frozen pipes.
What a New Hampshire renters policy covers
| Part of the policy | What it pays for | New Hampshire example |
|---|---|---|
| Personal property | Your belongings after covered causes such as fire, smoke, theft, windstorm or a sudden pipe break | A space heater fire in a Nashua apartment; a bike stolen from a Concord basement |
| Loss of use (additional living expense) | Extra costs of living elsewhere while a covered loss is repaired | A hotel and meals after a fire in another unit forces the building to close |
| Personal liability | Claims that you injured someone or damaged their property, plus legal defense | Your overflowing tub ruins the ceiling of the unit below |
| Medical payments to others | Small injury bills for guests, regardless of fault | A friend slips on your icy steps leaving a party |
| Scheduled items (optional) | Jewelry, instruments, cameras or collections above the standard limits | An engagement ring or a good guitar |
The loss of use part matters more than people expect in a tight rental market. Ask whether a quote pays replacement cost or actual cash value for your belongings. Replacement cost pays to buy new; actual cash value subtracts depreciation, which can leave a gap on furniture and electronics.
New Hampshire tenant law and where insurance fits
Most of the state’s security deposit rules live in RSA 540-A:6 through 540-A:8. They help explain why a deposit is not a substitute for insurance.
| New Hampshire rule | In short | The insurance angle |
|---|---|---|
| RSA 540-A:6 deposit limit and receipt | No more than one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater. You get a receipt or written notice, and you have 5 days after moving in to list conditions needing repair. | Photos and that written list help with both the deposit and any later claim. |
| RSA 540-A:6, IV interest | A deposit held a year or longer earns interest, based on what the New Hampshire bank or credit union holding it pays. | A deposit is your money held in trust, not coverage. |
| RSA 540-A:7 return | Returned within 30 days after the tenancy ends, less damage beyond reasonable wear and tear or unpaid rent, with an itemized list and evidence. | Accidental damage you cause may fall under the liability part of a renters policy. |
| RSA 540-A:8 remedies | A landlord who misses the return rules can owe twice the deposit plus interest. | Keep your forwarding address in writing; the landlord’s duty depends on it. |
| RSA 540-A:3 prohibited acts | No willful shutoff of heat, water or other utilities and no lockouts without court process; rules for towing blocking or unregistered vehicles. | Your car is not covered by renters insurance; it belongs on the auto policy. |
| RSA 153:10-a alarms | Rental units need smoke alarms and, where there is fuel-burning equipment or an attached garage, carbon monoxide detectors, maintained by the owner. | Working alarms protect you first and also matter after a fire. |
Some smaller landlords are outside the deposit rules: an owner renting a single-family house who owns no other rental, or units in an owner-occupied building of five units or fewer, except units with someone 60 or older (RSA 540-A:5). This is a summary, not legal advice; for lease questions, contact a New Hampshire attorney or legal aid.
Winter in a New Hampshire rental
- Burst pipes are the classic January claim. Your renters policy typically covers your belongings and extra living costs; the building is the landlord’s.
- If you are leaving for a week in winter, keep the heat on and tell the landlord. Some policies restrict coverage for pipes that burst in a unit left unheated.
- Space heaters, candles and wood or pellet stoves cause many rental fires. Keep heaters away from bedding and curtains and never run them on extension cords.
- Ice dams on older buildings can push water into top-floor apartments; see our article on snow and ice damage.
- If your car is buried or towed during a snow emergency, that is an auto matter, not a renters claim.
- Shoveling or plowing driveways for pay is a business. Personal auto coverage stops short of plowing or hauling for hire, which calls for a commercial auto policy.
Students and young renters
New Hampshire has a lot of student housing: around the University of New Hampshire in Durham, Dartmouth in Hanover, Keene State in Keene, Plymouth State, and the colleges in Manchester and Concord. A parent’s homeowners policy may extend some coverage to a student living in a dorm, often capped at a fraction of the parents’ contents limit, but an off-campus apartment is a different story with many carriers.
Roommates are the other trap. A renters policy normally covers the named insured and resident relatives, not unrelated roommates. Each roommate should carry a policy, or the carrier must specifically add them. Laptops, bikes and e-bikes are the items students most often need to list.
Flood is separate
Renters policies exclude flooding from rising water, storm surge and heavy runoff. That matters along the Merrimack, Contoocook, Souhegan and Piscataqua rivers, on the Seacoast, and anywhere you keep belongings in a basement. Tenants can buy a contents-only flood policy (FloodSmart). We write new NFIP flood policies with Selective, and the private flood markets we can compare are Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge. Most NFIP policies start after a 30-day wait, so do not leave it until a storm is forecast. Our flood insurance page explains more.
Other things to sort out before you sign a lease
- Dogs. Under RSA 466:19, a dog’s owner or keeper is answerable for damage it does to others, with a parent liable for a minor owner. Renters liability usually responds, though some carriers limit certain breeds or bite histories.
- Home offices. Business equipment and clients visiting your apartment may need an endorsement or a small business policy.
- Subletting and short-term guests. Renting your unit by the night is commonly excluded and often against the lease.
- Storage units and cars. Belongings in a storage unit may be covered at a reduced limit; things stolen from your car are typically a renters claim, but the car itself is an auto claim.
- Valuables. Jewelry, watches, firearms, collectibles and instruments often have low theft limits unless scheduled.
Renting in New Hampshire cities and towns
We also have local pages for renters in Manchester and Bedford, and for Portsmouth and the Seacoast on our main renters insurance page. Renters in Nashua, Concord and Dover can start with those town pages. If you own a condo instead of renting, see our New Hampshire condo guide; if you are the landlord, see landlord insurance.
Many tenants combine renters with their car policy; our post on the auto and renters bundle explains how that works, and our comparison of homeowners and renters insurance covers the differences. New to the state? Our moving to New Hampshire guide is a good start.
How we work with New Hampshire renters
Tell us about the apartment and what you own, and we compare renters options across our 40+ carriers, checking replacement cost, water and theft limits, liability, and anything you need scheduled. We don’t charge any fees. If something goes wrong, we help you report the claim and keep after the carrier until it is resolved. For New Hampshire renters we can write with Andover, Chubb, Cincinnati, Concord Group, Foremost Signature, Hanover, Liberty Mutual, National General, Patriot, Plymouth Rock, Providence Mutual, Safety, Stillwater and Vermont Mutual. Learn more about the agency and founder Jon Merwin.
Request a New Hampshire renters quote
Request a quote. There’s no obligation to buy. Tenants are well represented among the people behind our 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials. Fill in the form below, visit our quotes page, write to insure@portsmouthatlanticins.com, or phone (603) 431-4020. Office hours: 9 AM to 5 PM Monday to Thursday and 8 AM to 4 PM on Friday, Eastern time.
Renting in the Souhegan Valley? See our page on Merrimack renters insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Is renters insurance required in New Hampshire?
No state law requires it. A landlord can require it in the lease, though, and many New Hampshire apartment communities and property managers do, often asking to be listed so they are told if the policy lapses. Even when it is optional, it is the only policy that covers your own belongings and your personal liability; the landlord’s insurance is written for the building.
Does my landlord’s insurance cover my things?
Generally not. A landlord policy insures the structure, the landlord’s own property and the landlord’s liability. Your furniture, clothes, electronics and bikes, and the cost of staying somewhere else while the unit is repaired, need a renters policy of your own.
Can my security deposit cover damage instead of renters insurance?
Not really. In New Hampshire a deposit is capped at one month’s rent or one hundred dollars, whichever is greater (RSA 540-A:6), and the landlord may deduct only for damage beyond reasonable wear and tear, with an itemized list, within 30 days after you move out (RSA 540-A:7). A kitchen fire or an overflowing tub can do far more damage than a month’s rent. The liability part of a renters policy is what typically responds when you accidentally damage the building.
Does renters insurance cover a burst pipe in winter?
Usually it covers your belongings when water from a pipe bursts suddenly and accidentally, and it may pay for a hotel while the unit is repaired. It does not repair the building; that is the landlord’s policy. Gradual leaks and flooding from outside are treated differently, so ask how each quote handles water.
Is flood covered on a New Hampshire renters policy?
No. Flooding from rising water is excluded on renters forms. Tenants can buy contents-only flood coverage, either a National Flood Insurance Program policy (ours go through Selective) or a private one from markets like Neptune Flood and Beyond Floods. Ground-floor tenants and anyone with a basement storage cage near a river or the coast should look the address up on FEMA’s flood map site.
I am a college student in New Hampshire. Do I need my own policy?
It depends on where you live and on your parents’ homeowners policy. Many homeowners forms extend some coverage to a resident student living in a dorm, often with a lower limit, but an off-campus apartment shared with roommates frequently falls outside that. A separate renters policy in your own name settles the question and adds your own liability coverage.
What do you need to quote renters insurance in New Hampshire?
The address and unit number, the type of building, whether anyone else on the lease needs coverage, a rough value of your belongings, any jewelry, instruments, bikes or cameras worth scheduling, dogs, and whether you work from home. Request a quote. There’s no obligation to buy. Call (603) 431-4020 or send the form on this page.
Sources
- RSA 540-A:6, security deposits: procedure
- RSA 540-A:7, return of security deposit
- RSA 540-A:8, remedies
- RSA 540-A:5, definitions
- RSA 540-A:3, certain specific acts prohibited
- RSA 153:10-a, smoke and carbon monoxide detection in dwellings
- RSA 466:19, liability of owner or keeper of a dog
- FloodSmart (National Flood Insurance Program)
- FEMA Flood Map Service Center
- Census Bureau ACS 2024 (5-year), New Hampshire and Manchester city: B25003, B25032, B25036, B25117
General information for New Hampshire tenants, not legal advice, an offer of coverage or proof that any policy exists; policy wording and each carrier’s underwriting decide coverage, and New Hampshire law changes. To talk through your own situation, call (603) 431-4020.