Home · Coastal · Second homes · Rhode Island
By Jon Merwin, Founder & CEO, Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance · Reviewed by Jon Merwin, licensed insurance agent
Published October 2026 · Updated October 4, 2026
- Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is licensed in Rhode Island and insures year-round homes, beach houses and second homes across the state.
- Second homes cluster on the coast. About 76 percent of housing units on Block Island and about a third in Little Compton, Charlestown and Narragansett are seasonal, per Census data.
- Rhode Island caps hurricane deductibles at 5 percent of dwelling coverage and bans separate windstorm deductibles on homeowners policies.
- Approved mitigation, like fitted storm shutters or hurricane glass, can remove the hurricane deductible.
- Homeowners insurance does not cover flood. Look at NFIP or private flood for any home near the water.
Looking for Rhode Island homeowners or second-home insurance? Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is licensed in Rhode Island, among 10 states, and has been insuring homes since 2005. We insure year-round houses, summer homes and beach cottages, including homes for families whose main house is in New Hampshire, Massachusetts or Connecticut. As an independent agency, we compare 30+ carriers instead of selling one company’s policy. In Rhode Island, the right fit often comes down to how close the house is to the water, how its hurricane deductible works, and whether it’s rented in the summer.
Can an agency based in New Hampshire insure my Rhode Island home?
Yes, as long as the agency holds a Rhode Island license. We do. Our Portsmouth, NH team works with Rhode Island homeowners by phone and email and handles renewals and claims support the same way we do for local clients. Many of our Rhode Island clients also own a home in another state we serve, so we can keep everything with one agent.
Where are Rhode Island’s second homes?
Mostly along the south coast and on the islands. In the Census Bureau’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, about 3.7 percent of Rhode Island’s 484,615 housing units were held for seasonal, recreational or occasional use. That statewide number hides how concentrated they are. On Block Island (the town of New Shoreham), it’s about three in four homes. Washington County, which takes in South County and Block Island, comes in at 16.7 percent, and Newport County at 9.9 percent.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates, tables B25004 (vacancy status) and B25001 (housing units), from the ACS summary file. Our calculation: seasonal units divided by total housing units. The ten towns shown have the highest shares in the state. Small-town estimates have margins of error, so small differences may not be meaningful.
Rhode Island’s homes are also old. The same survey puts about 30 percent of the state’s housing units as built in 1939 or earlier, and about 49 percent before 1960. Older homes can cost more to rebuild and carriers will ask about updates to the roof, wiring, plumbing and heating.
How do hurricane deductibles work in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island spells out its hurricane deductible rules in state law (R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-76-2) and Department of Business Regulation regulation 230-RICR-20-05-13. Here’s what they mean for a homeowner:
- No separate windstorm deductible. Homeowners policies in Rhode Island may not include a windstorm deductible. A nor’easter generally falls under your regular all-perils deductible.
- Hurricane deductibles are capped. A hurricane deductible can be no more than 5 percent of your dwelling coverage (Coverage A), whether it’s a percentage, a flat amount or both.
- A clear trigger. The hurricane deductible applies only to hurricane losses during the window that opens when the National Weather Service issues a hurricane warning for part of the state and closes shortly after the last warning ends. Block Island has its own trigger, based on hurricane-force winds reported there.
- Once a year. If two hurricanes hit in the same calendar year, the insurer can apply the hurricane deductible only once for that year.
- Clear notice and a credit. Insurers must explain the deductible clearly, give at least two examples, show the actual amount on the declarations page, and give a premium credit for it.
Because the percentage is figured on your dwelling limit, a 5 percent hurricane deductible on a larger home is a real number. We’ll show you what it would be on your declarations page before you choose.
Can mitigation remove the hurricane deductible?
Yes. Under the same rules, the hurricane deductible must be waived if you install approved mitigation measures and the insurer inspects the home or you submit proof. Depending on your home’s wind zone under the Rhode Island building code, the approved measures include pre-cut plywood shutters with anchors installed on every window and door, roof tie-downs, or permanent storm shutters or hurricane glass. Once you’ve taken mitigation steps an insurer requested, it cannot non-renew you because of its catastrophe exposure, with limited exceptions such as nonpayment or fraud.
| Situation | What Rhode Island rules say | What to ask us |
|---|---|---|
| Nor’easter or other wind that is not a hurricane | No separate windstorm deductible on homeowners policies | What is my all-perils deductible? |
| Hurricane with a warning issued for Rhode Island | Hurricane deductible may apply, up to 5 percent of Coverage A | What is my hurricane deductible in dollars? |
| Two hurricanes in one calendar year | Hurricane deductible applies only once that year | How would a second storm be handled? |
| Approved shutters, hurricane glass or tie-downs installed | Hurricane deductible must be waived after inspection or proof | What proof does the carrier need? |
| A loss from a catastrophic event | Insurer cannot non-renew or surcharge you solely because of it | How does a claim affect my renewal? |
“Inflation keeps moving the goalposts on dwelling replacement cost, and Rhode Island’s shingle-style and older coastal homes are a big part of that. Many of the houses we review need much higher dwelling coverage than they had a few years ago. The good news is that carriers are expanding their appetite for higher-value homes, so owners from Newport to Watch Hill have more good options than they once did.”— Jon Merwin, Founder & CEO, Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in Rhode Island?
No. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation puts it simply: homeowners insurance is not flood insurance, and it does not cover losses from flood. There is no state law requiring flood insurance, but a mortgage lender usually will if the home is in a high-risk zone. Look up any address on FEMA’s Flood Map Service Center.
Rhode Island saw back-to-back flood disasters in the winter of 2023-24. FEMA declared major disasters for the December 17 to 19, 2023 severe storm and flooding and the January 9 to 13, 2024 severe storms and flooding, both on March 20, 2024.
We write NFIP policies and also quote private flood through Flow Flood, Neptune Flood, Beyond Floods, The Flood Insurance Agency, CatCoverage and Aon Edge where they’re available for the property. NFIP coverage usually starts 30 days after purchase, though there’s no wait for a policy bought while making, increasing, extending or renewing a mortgage. Our flood insurance page explains the options.
We’ll walk through your hurricane deductible, flood options and rental use, and compare carriers.
Talk to our Portsmouth team: (603) 431-4020 · Start a Rhode Island home insurance quote
What does a Rhode Island second-home policy need to get right?
- Occupancy. The carrier needs to know the house is a secondary or seasonal home. Our second and seasonal home insurance guide explains why.
- Rentals. Weekly summer rentals are common in South County and on Block Island. Tell us before you rent, because many homeowners policies limit coverage for regular rentals.
- Winter vacancy. A beach house closed from October to May needs a winterizing plan and someone to check on it. Our article on leaving a home empty covers what carriers expect.
- Liability. Renters, guests, docks and pools add exposure. An umbrella policy can sit over this home and your primary home if the underlying limits line up.
- If the market says no. The DBR points homeowners who can’t find coverage in the regular market to the Rhode Island Joint Reinsurance Association, the state’s FAIR Plan. We’ll check our carriers first.
How much dwelling coverage does a Rhode Island home need?
Insure the cost to rebuild, not the market value. For a shingle-style house near the water, a historic home in Newport or an older cottage, rebuilding with today’s materials and labor can be very different from what the house would sell for.
Which carriers insure higher-value Rhode Island homes?
For higher-value homes in Rhode Island, from Newport and Jamestown to Watch Hill and Block Island, we compare our six high-value home carriers: Chubb, Cincinnati, Hanover, Openly, National General and Andover. All six write in every state where we do business, including Rhode Island, and we place Cincinnati in all 10 of our licensed states across nearly all personal lines. For homes up to $5 million, we place only with Cincinnati, Chubb, Openly and National General. For homes of $10 million and up, we use only Chubb and Cincinnati. See our high-net-worth insurance page for more.
Can one agent cover my Rhode Island home and my home in another state?
Yes. Because we’re licensed in Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut and Maine, among 10 states, we can coordinate both homes, your cars and one umbrella policy. If your other home is in Connecticut, our Connecticut coastal home insurance page covers that side.
- The current declarations page, including the hurricane deductible and all-perils deductible.
- Proof of any storm shutters, hurricane glass or roof tie-downs.
- How many months a year the house is occupied, and any rental use.
- Flood zone, elevation certificate and any current flood policy.
- The year the home was built and when the roof, heating, plumbing and wiring were last updated.
Frequently asked questions
Can a New Hampshire insurance agency insure my Rhode Island home?
Yes, if the agency is licensed in Rhode Island. Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance is licensed in Rhode Island, among 10 states, so we can insure your Rhode Island house and coordinate it with your homes in New Hampshire, Massachusetts or Connecticut.
How do hurricane deductibles work in Rhode Island?
Under Rhode Island rules, a hurricane deductible can be no more than 5 percent of your dwelling coverage (Coverage A). It applies only to hurricane losses during the period that starts when the National Weather Service issues a hurricane warning for part of the state. Insurers must give you clear notice, show at least two examples, and give a premium credit for the deductible.
Can I get rid of my hurricane deductible in Rhode Island?
Possibly. Rhode Island law says the hurricane deductible will not apply if you install approved mitigation measures, such as fitted storm shutters, hurricane glass or, in some wind zones, roof tie-downs, and the insurer inspects the home or you submit proof of installation.
Does homeowners insurance cover flooding in Rhode Island?
No. The Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation states that homeowners insurance does not cover losses from flood. You need a separate NFIP or private flood policy. NFIP coverage usually starts 30 days after purchase, with exceptions such as a policy bought when you close on a mortgage.
Do I need different insurance if I rent out my Rhode Island beach house?
You may. Tell your agent before you start renting. Some homeowners policies allow occasional rentals, while regular weekly summer rentals usually need a different policy or added coverage for the rental exposure.
Sources
- R.I. Gen. Laws § 27-76-2, “Hurricane deductibles, triggers, and policyholder notice”
- Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, “Property Insurance and Weather Related Claims” (230-RICR-20-05-13)
- Rhode Island Department of Business Regulation, “Division of Insurance – Consumers”
- FEMA, “Rhode Island Severe Storm and Flooding” (DR-4765)
- FEMA, “Rhode Island Severe Storms and Flooding” (DR-4766)
- FEMA, “Flood Map Service Center”
- FEMA FloodSmart, “Buy a Flood Insurance Policy”
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates, table B25004 “Vacancy Status”
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2019-2023 5-year estimates, table B25034 “Year Structure Built”
This page is general information, not a policy. Coverage, forms and availability vary by state, carrier and property, and every policy is subject to underwriting. Your policy documents control.
Year-round house, summer home or beach rental, we’ll compare carriers and line it up with your other policies.
Talk to our Portsmouth team: (603) 431-4020 · Request a Rhode Island home insurance quote
Reviewed by Jon Merwin, licensed insurance agent
Portsmouth Atlantic has been an independent agency since 2005, is licensed in 10 states, works with 30+ carriers and has earned over 2,000 testimonials. Meet our team.