Wakefield, NH Home Insurance

By Jon Merwin, Founder and CEO

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

Wakefield at a glance

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates 5,558 Wakefield residents as of July 1, 2025 (5,228 in the April 2020 estimates base). The Wakefield and Brookfield Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024 was adopted by Wakefield on June 26, 2024, and by Brookfield on June 18, 2024.

The plan describes Wakefield as part of the Lakes Tourist Region, best known for its scenic lakes and historic Wakefield Village (Sanbornville), bordered by Effingham and Ossipee to the north, Brookfield and Wolfeboro to the west, Milton and Middleton to the south, and Maine to the east. It says the town grew 4.6% (252 people) since 2010.

For insurance, that means lake homes and former camps, village houses in Sanbornville, and rural homes on wells and septic, many of them in the woods.

Where you live in Wakefield changes the policy

• The lakes and ponds. The plan says Wakefield’s floodplain is mostly around its lakes, ponds and swamps: Province Lake, Belleau Lake, Stump Pond, Balch Lake, Pine River Pond, Sand Pond, Great East Lake and Union Meadows Pond. Lakefront homes raise flood, water backup and dock questions.
• Along the Branch River and the brooks. The plan names the Branch River, Copp Brook, Scribner Brook and unnamed brooks between Belleau Lake and Pine River Pond, and says minor ice jams and erosion can happen anywhere along the Branch River.
• Sanbornville and the village bridges. In the 2006 Mother’s Day flood, the plan says Wakefield lost the Maple Street and Bridge Street bridges and some basements flooded; in the April 2007 storm, downtown parking lots and the Town Hall basement flooded and railroad tracks washed out at Union Meadows. In 2022 a beaver dam breach flooded Witchtrot Road and Brackett Road.
• Below the dams. The plan lists three high hazard dams (Lovell Lake, Great East Lake and Horn Pond) and three significant hazard dams (Union Meadows, Pine River Pond and Belleau Lake), all but Belleau Lake owned by NHDES.

Flood coverage in Wakefield

Wakefield has been in the NFIP since June 17, 1991, with flood maps dated March 19, 2013. FEMA figures in the plan (June 2022) showed 16 policies, all on single-family homes, with about $3.15 million of coverage, 4 paid losses and no repetitive losses.

Sixteen policies in a town with this many lakes means most lakefront homes carry no flood coverage at all.

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 Wakefield plan

The plan says many homes in both towns are in the wildland-urban interface, with steep terrain, softwood forest, clear cuts and blowdowns, and that Wakefield has limited water supply, so firefighters must often rely on ponds and other static water sources in some areas. Homes far from a hydrant or fire station are rated differently by some carriers.

For a homeowner, most Wakefield losses start with trees, wind and water: roofs, basements, wells and docks. We review wind, water backup, flood and seasonal-occupancy terms on every Wakefield homeowners quote.

Winter, trees and wind in Wakefield

The plan says the 1998 ice storm hit Wakefield’s higher terrain hard, with ice-laden trees causing outages of more than a week in some places, and that Hurricane Bob, Irene and Sandy all cut power in parts of town. A June 2020 downburst damaged numerous homes with falling trees, and half-dollar size hail fell in East Wakefield. For homeowners, that means ice dams, frozen pipes, snow loads and trees on roofs. 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.

Renovated and newer homes on Great East Lake, Province Lake and Lovell Lake 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 Wakefield, 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 a lake camp, carriers will ask about the roof, heating, wiring, plumbing, well and septic, and whether the house is lived in year-round. Tell us if a camp sits empty all winter.

Renters and tenants in Wakefield

If you rent in Wakefield, 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 Wakefield households also need auto insurance, and many add a personal umbrella. Wakefield drivers rely on NH 16, 109 and 153, so a good auto policy and roadside coverage are worth a look. Ask about boat coverage too if you keep one on the lake. 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 Wakefield

• 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 on one of Wakefield’s lakes or along the Branch River
• A seasonal camp that is now used year-round, or a year-round home left empty all winter
• A boat or dock with no liability coverage lined up with the umbrella

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 Wakefield

• 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 on a lake or near the Branch River, keep sump-pump and elevation records handy
• Know how you will heat the house and run your well pump in a week-long power outage

Buying a home in Wakefield

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. On a lake, near the Branch River or below one of the listed dams, ask for any elevation certificate and the seller’s flood history. For a camp, confirm whether it is winterized and used year-round. We line up the homeowners binder, and a flood binder if you need one, so both are ready for your lender.

How a Wakefield 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 Wakefield from Portsmouth

Our office is at 601 Islington St, Unit 206, Portsmouth, NH 03801, and we work with Wakefield clients by phone, email and online. Call (603) 431-4020. Nearby, see our Brookfield, Middleton, Effingham and Milton pages.

Sources

• Towns of Wakefield and Brookfield, Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan 2024
• 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 Wakefield, NH?

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

Does Wakefield flood?

Around its lakes and along the Branch River, yes. The 2024 hazard mitigation plan says the 2006 Mother’s Day flood took out the Maple Street and Bridge Street bridges, and the April 2007 storm flooded parts of downtown. 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.