Best Car Insurance in New Hampshire

Whether you’re traveling to hike in the White Mountains, Heading to Hanover to check out the historic campus of Dartmouth University, or setting out to one of the many lakes, gorges, or forests the Granite State has to offer, all drivers must have auto insurance or enough savings to cover any of the victim’s expenses in an at-fault accident. 

Finding the best car insurance agencies in New Hampshire is a top priority for those who opt to carry a policy. Let’s check out how you can find the best agency, policy, and premium for your New Hampshire auto insurance policy. 

Finding the right policy can be tricky for those who opt to carry car insurance in New Hampshire. It’s important to remember that policies vary based on each driver, insurance policy, and state, so the best policy for you may not be the best policy for everyone else. When selecting a policy, the most important distinction you must make is what you value more: cost or coverage.

Those who value cost over coverage will often opt for a minimum coverage policy from an insurer that offers base rates lower than the average cost of premiums in the state. A minimum coverage policy will often be the cheapest policy in the state. Those who value coverage over cost may instead opt for a full coverage policy from an insurer that offers a range of optional, additional coverages to add to one’s policy.

Those who value cost and coverage equally may have to compromise somewhere between their values. Typically, this looks like a full coverage policy from an insurer that offers lower-than-average base rates and plenty of opportunities for stackable discounts, so policyholders may reduce their premiums even further. 

Those who opt for a car insurance policy in the Granite State must ensure their policies meet the state’s minimum legal requirements. Every car insurance policy in New Hampshire must have at least $25,000 in bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 in bodily injury liability per accident, $25,000 in property damage liability per accident, or 25/50/25 liability coverage, $25,000 in uninsured or underinsured motorist bodily injury (UMBI/UIMBI) coverage per person, $50,000 in UMBI/UIMBI per accident, or 25/50 UMBI, and $1,000 in medical payments coverage (MedPay) per person. Those who finance or lease their vehicles may be legally required to have collision and comprehensive coverages as a facet of their legally binding financing or leasing agreement. 

While many drivers aren’t required to carry auto insurance policies in the Granite State, drivers convicted of specific traffic violations may be required to maintain policies that meet the state’s minimum limits. Those who require a policy but fail to meet the legal coverage limits may face the penalties for driving uninsured in the state and may also require an SR-22 to be filed on their behalf. Uninsured drivers may face consequences like fines, fees, license or registration suspension, and significant legal trouble should they cause an accident and the victim decide to sue. 

While it’s always best to stick to your comfort zone when it comes to auto insurance, we highly suggest springing for a policy rather than trying your luck and going without. Typically, it’s far less expensive to pay the premiums on a minimum coverage policy than risk financial ruin in a worst-case accident scenario just to save a few bucks in the present moment. The average full coverage policy in the Granite State costs about $1,210 annually, or about $100 monthly. Since New Hampshire is one of the cheapest states for auto insurance, finding a great deal on a policy shouldn’t be too tough. 

Finding the best car insurance in New Hampshire will vary from driver to driver, especially when narrowing down which company best fits your needs. The most efficient way to find an insurer that best suits your lifestyle is to select what you value more in a policy, coverage or cost, and gather quotes that align with your values. Once you have quotes from a few insurers, you can make the most informed decision about which insurance company is the best for you. 

Since many things about auto insurance are subjective, that means premiums are, too. Insurance companies often use several factors about each driver when determining premiums, like one’s insurance history, driving record, age, gender, and ZIP code. This information helps insurers assess a driver’s risk of filing a claim, which directly impacts the cost of one’s premiums. If a characteristic indicates a driver is at higher-than-average risk of filing a claim, an insurer may charge them higher premiums to compensate for the risk. 

While one’s insurance history and driving record can certainly paint a clear picture, insurers use non-driving-related factors to fill in some blanks and leave no boxes unchecked. For example, according to the CDC, male drivers under 20 are highly likely to get into or cause accidents. Due to this statistic, teenage boys often pay higher premiums than their female counterparts to compensate for their risk of filing a claim, even with a clean driving record and excellent insurance history.

Those who pay higher-than-average rates on their premiums don’t need to worry about being stuck with high premiums forever. Premiums tend to ebb and flow over time, so while they may be expensive for a few years, they will likely even out as time passes. In the meantime, though, many insurers offer a range of discounts for policyholders to stack onto their policies. 

When it comes to insurers, no two are the same. Let’s check out which insurers are favored among New Hampshirites and what sets these companies apart.

One of the top insurers among residents in the Granite State is Allstate. Allstate offers top-of-the-line customer service for policyholders and a wide range of optional coverages those with full coverage policies may choose from. Allstate’s full coverage policy costs about $1,670 annually, about 30% above the state average but on par with the national average rate. While a full coverage policy may cost a bit more than average, Allstate offers plenty of discounts for policyholders to stack to lower their premiums, sometimes by nearly 20%.

Progressive, our partner, is regarded among New Hampshirites as one of the top insurers in the state, and for good reason. Progressive offers top-notch customer service to its policyholders and consistently ranks highly on the J.D. Power insurance surveys. A full coverage policy with this insurer costs about $1,200 annually, or just $10 below the state average. Plus, Progressive offers excellent discounts, like a pay-per-mile program in which drivers who travel fewer than 12,000 miles annually can enroll to receive a discount on their premiums.

Geico is one of the top insurers in New Hampshire, and not for nothing. The average full coverage policy in New Hampshire with Geico costs about $930, or 25% less than the state average. Geico offers competitively low base rates and plenty of optional coverages to keep policyholders renewing year after year. Plus, policyholders can stack discounts like the multi-car or usage-based discounts to lower their premiums even further. 

New Hampshirites bind with Nationwide because of the company’s lower-than-average base rates and competitively excellent customer service. Nationwide offers full coverage policies with premiums averaging about $920 annually, boasting savings of over 25% off the national average cost. While the low base rates are enticing enough, this insurer offers plenty of discounts policyholders can use to lower their premiums even further, like the bundling discount or the good driver discount.

The average policy with State Farm in the Granite State costs about $800 annually, over 30% less than the state average cost. New Hampshirites are obviously loyal to this insurer for the competitively low base rates, but the best-in-class customer service and a plethora of additional coverages are the cherries on top of a fantastic insurance sundae. Policyholders can lower their premiums even further using State Farm’s many discounts, like their anti-theft device discount or telematics program. 

While the list of New Hampshire auto insurance companies is full of excellent options for any policy, the best insurer will differ based on each type of policy. Typically, liability insurance, or a minimum coverage policy, will be the same no matter where you go within the state. So, the top insurers for a minimum coverage policy will likely be State Farm, Nationwide, and Progressive, among a few others. Such policies often carry premiums that cost about half that of a full coverage policy, so in New Hampshire, a minimum coverage policy will cost, on average, about $600 annually. 

Whether you’re new to the Granite State, a new driver binding a policy for the first time, or just curious about the best car insurance in New Hampshire, the best way to find a policy that meets all your needs is to get and compare quotes online. By getting and comparing quotes online, you can see offerings from several insurers and select the policy with the coverages and premiums that best suit your lifestyle.

Lucky for you, we’re quoting experts here at Clovered. We even have a free quoting tool you can use to get your unique quotes in minutes. If you’d rather chat with a professional about your quote, contact one of our licensed agents at 833-255-4117 or [email protected].