RV Insurance in New Hampshire

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO

New Hampshire is good RV country. Families pull travel trailers to lake campgrounds every summer weekend, motorhomes climb through the White Mountains each fall, and the state’s only RV park directly on the coast sits at Hampton Beach. RV insurance here has to handle all of that: a vehicle on steep, two-lane mountain roads, a home parked at a campsite and a large asset sitting under snow for half the year.

Portsmouth Atlantic Insurance has been an independent, family-owned agency since 2005, working from 601 Islington St, Unit 206 in Portsmouth. We place motorhomes, travel trailers, fifth wheels and campers with 40+ carriers, including RV specialists, and tie the policy in with your auto, home and umbrella. Call (603) 431-4020 with questions.

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Motorhome, trailer or camper: how each is insured

The first question is what kind of RV you own, because the coverage is built differently.

• Motorhomes (Class A, B and C). These are motor vehicles, so they need liability, uninsured motorist, medical payments, collision and comprehensive, plus the living-space coverages a car policy lacks.
• Travel trailers and fifth wheels. Liability while towing usually comes from the tow vehicle’s auto policy. The trailer policy handles physical damage to the unit, belongings inside and liability while it is parked at a campsite.
• Pop-ups and truck campers. Lighter units with the same basic split: the truck or tow vehicle carries the driving liability, and the camper needs its own physical damage coverage.
• Park models and units left on a seasonal site. These rarely move and may need a seasonal-site or specialty form rather than a standard travel trailer policy.

Our RV insurance guide and the RV insurance page explain the coverage parts in general terms. Below is what changes for New Hampshire owners.

New Hampshire’s rules for RVs

New Hampshire is one of the few states that does not make auto insurance compulsory for most drivers. It does require proof of financial responsibility in certain situations, and RSA 264:20 sets that amount at $25,000 for bodily injury to one person, $50,000 for bodily injury to two or more people and $25,000 for property damage, for any motor vehicle, trailer or semi-trailer (RSA 264:20). Our post on whether New Hampshire requires car insurance explains when proof comes into play.

When you buy a policy, the law shapes it too. RSA 264:15 requires uninsured motorist coverage at least equal to the minimum bodily injury limits, and when you choose higher liability limits, uninsured motorist coverage automatically rises to match (RSA 264:15). For an RV that can carry a family of five, that matching matters: an uninsured driver who causes a serious crash can injure several passengers at once.

Registration follows the vehicle type. Motorhomes register like other motor vehicles through your town or city clerk, and trailers register there too; the state’s title requirement applies to trailers with a gross weight of 3,001 pounds or more (NH DMV vehicle registrations). Lenders will require collision and comprehensive on a financed unit, and some campgrounds ask for proof of liability coverage.

Driving the mountains

The Kancamagus Highway is the drive most RVers want to make. The national forest service describes the byway as about 34 miles through the White Mountain National Forest, and the National Forest Foundation puts it at about 34.5 miles on Route 112 between Conway and Lincoln, climbing in tight switchbacks to Kancamagus Pass at 2,855 feet (USDA Forest Service; National Forest Foundation). There are campgrounds along the way but no gas stations, restaurants or other businesses.

That combination of long grades, no services and limited cell coverage makes a few coverages worth having:

• RV-specific roadside assistance. A standard auto tow truck can’t move a 35-foot motorhome. RV plans arrange heavy-duty towing and mobile repair.
• Emergency expense. Lodging, meals and transportation when the RV breaks down or is damaged far from home.
• Collision with a sensible deductible. Brake fade on long descents and tight turns are real risks for heavy rigs; downshift and take it slow.

Some roads are off limits. The Mount Washington Auto Road does not allow trailers, RVs, motorhomes, dual-wheeled vehicles or pickups with campers that extend wider than the cab, and it caps wheelbase at 176 inches and width at 93 inches (Mount Washington Auto Road vehicle restrictions). If you tow a car behind a motorhome to use for side trips like that one, the towed car needs its own auto policy.

Campgrounds and the coast

Hampton Beach State RV Park, at the mouth of the Hampton River on Route 1A at the Seabrook–Hampton town line, is the only RV park directly on the New Hampshire coast. It has 28 sites and takes reservations from Memorial Day weekend through Columbus Day weekend, and the park itself reminds campers that it sits in an urban area and to keep valuables secured (NH State Parks: Hampton Beach State RV Park).

Coastal and lakeside campsites bring their own exposures: storm surge and heavy rain, falling limbs, theft from an unattended site and guests hurt on your awning, steps or campsite. Comprehensive on the RV is what typically responds to flood and storm damage to the unit itself, while campsite liability covers injuries to visitors while the RV is parked. If you also keep a house near the water, see our Hampton flood insurance page.

Seasonal sites

Many New Hampshire families leave a trailer on the same campground site from spring to fall. Tell us if yours does. Decks, screen rooms and sheds you add may not be covered unless listed, and some carriers treat a unit that never moves differently from one that travels.

Winter storage

Most New Hampshire RVs sit parked from late fall to spring. Snow load can damage roofs and slide-outs, mice nest in walls and wiring, and storage lots attract thieves. Keep comprehensive on the unit while it is stored, and ask whether your carrier offers a storage period that pauses collision and liability. Winterize the plumbing, clear snow from the roof and check on the RV through the season. Rodent damage and cold-weather damage from skipped winterization are often excluded as maintenance issues, so prevention matters.

Full-timers and long trips

If the RV is your primary home for much of the year, a standard recreational policy may not be enough. Full-timer coverage adds personal liability similar to a homeowners policy, broader protection for belongings and medical payments for guests. For newer units, ask about total loss replacement, which can replace a recently purchased RV with a new one rather than paying depreciated value.

New Hampshire’s statutory definition of a motor vehicle liability policy covers accidents in the United States and Canada (RSA 259:61), so trips north are usually straightforward. Call us before a long trip so we can confirm the territory, roadside plan and emergency expense limits with your carrier.

Carriers and the rest of the account

For RVs we compare Progressive, National General, Foremost and Liberty Mutual, among others. The best fit depends on the type and age of the RV, how many weeks a year it is used, where it is kept and who drives it. We set the tow vehicle’s auto policy, the trailer policy and any boat or powersports toys you bring along so their liability limits line up, then place a personal umbrella over all of them.

An RV insurance checklist

• Confirm what kind of RV you own and whether liability comes from its own policy or the tow vehicle’s.
• Set liability well above New Hampshire’s financial responsibility amounts, and let uninsured motorist coverage follow.
• Choose agreed value or total loss replacement where the carrier offers it.
• Add RV roadside assistance, emergency expense and personal belongings coverage.
• Tell us about seasonal campsites, decks and add-on structures.
• Plan winter storage and keep comprehensive active.
• Insure any towed car separately, and put an umbrella over everything.

Related pages

See auto insurance, the New Hampshire auto insurance guide, motorcycle insurance, boat and watercraft insurance, Hampton, Seabrook, Portsmouth and the New Hampshire hub.

Get an RV insurance quote

Tell us about the RV, how you use it and where it lives in the off-season, and we will compare options from 40+ carriers. Request a quote. There’s no obligation to buy. We don’t charge any fees. The form below takes a few details, or start on our quotes page or call (603) 431-4020. Our client feedback page shows what clients think of us: 1,000+ Google reviews and over 2,000 testimonials.

Frequently asked questions

Is RV insurance required in New Hampshire?

New Hampshire does not make auto insurance compulsory for most drivers, and that includes motorhomes. The state does hold owners financially responsible for accidents, at amounts that match 25/50/25 liability, and a lender will require physical damage coverage on a financed RV. In practice, nearly every RV owner we work with insures it, and we would not recommend going without liability.

Does my car insurance cover the travel trailer I tow?

Your auto policy’s liability often extends to a trailer while it is hitched to the insured tow vehicle, but that does not cover damage to the trailer itself, its contents or the time it sits at a campsite. A travel trailer policy fills those gaps. We check how your auto carrier treats towing and then insure the trailer to match.

What is different about insuring a motorhome?

A motorhome is a motor vehicle and a living space at once. The policy needs auto-style liability, uninsured motorist, medical payments, collision and comprehensive, plus coverage for the things a car policy ignores: personal belongings aboard, built-in appliances, awnings, emergency lodging after a breakdown far from home, and campsite liability when it is parked.

Can I take my RV into Canada on a New Hampshire policy?

New Hampshire’s definition of a motor vehicle liability policy covers accidents in the United States and Canada, and most RV policies follow that territory. Carry proof of insurance and your registration, and call us before a long trip so we can confirm the details with your carrier. Mexico generally requires a separate policy.

How should I insure an RV that stays at a seasonal campsite all summer?

Tell us how it is used. A trailer that stays on a site for the season is exposed to storms, falling trees, theft and visitors in a way a trailer on the road is not. Some carriers offer seasonal-site options with liability for the campsite, coverage for decks or sheds you add, and contents protection.

Do I need to keep coverage while the RV is in winter storage?

Keep comprehensive in place. Theft from storage lots, fire, snow load on a roof and fallen limbs are all off-season losses. Some carriers let you set a storage period that suspends collision and liability while the RV is parked, which you reinstate before the first spring trip.

What do you need to quote an RV?

The year, make, model, VIN, length and type of each RV, what you paid or its current value, the tow vehicle if it is a trailer, where it is stored, how many weeks a year you use it, who drives it, and your current auto and home policies. Request a quote. There’s no obligation to buy. Send it through the form below or call (603) 431-4020.

Sources

• NH RSA 264:20, amount of proof of financial responsibility
• NH RSA 264:15, uninsured motorist coverage
• NH RSA 259:61, motor vehicle liability policy defined
• NH Division of Motor Vehicles: vehicle registrations
• USDA Forest Service: White Mountain National Forest scenic drives
• National Forest Foundation: Kancamagus Scenic Byway
• Mount Washington Auto Road: vehicle restrictions
• NH State Parks: Hampton Beach State RV Park camping information