At Plymouth Rock, we do more than just help drivers get auto insurance. We want to help you pick the right policy with the right coverage so you can feel comfortable that you and your loved ones are protected moving forward. Let’s break down the minimum car insurance requirements in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire is one of the few states where auto insurance is not required, but highly recommended. We’ll show you how it works, what it does and, more importantly, what it doesn’t do.
Here are general descriptions of basic auto insurance concepts, and the coverage requirements in New Hampshire. It’s not intended to describe every condition and exclusion of your insurance policy. Consult with your Plymouth Rock agent about your particular needs.
Understanding your NH auto insurance limits
The terms “auto insurance limits” and “coverage limits” refer to the maximum amount an insurer will pay in the event of a loss that is covered under your insurance policy.
The higher the limit, the more the insurer will pay in the event of an accident. Carrying lower limits can reduce your premium payments, but it comes with some risk. With lower limits, you’ll be responsible for higher out-of-pocket costs in the event of an accident.
Don’t worry – it’s not as complicated as it sounds. Balancing financial risk and the cost of your insurance policy is a personal decision based on your own unique needs.
Consider aspects like the value of your car and the amount that you’re comfortable spending in the event of an accident or even a total loss. Your ability to pay for medical expenses for yourself or another party in the unfortunate case of an accident that causes injuries should also be an important factor when thinking about how much coverage you need. In New Hampshire, the at-fault driver is responsible for paying for the other party’s medical bills and property damage in the event of an accident.
Each state has different coverage limits and requirements. Those limits are usually referring to the “per-person” and “per-accident” limits for bodily liability coverage, as well as the property damage liability limit. So what is your auto insurance legally required to cover in New Hampshire?
NH state auto insurance requirements
While New Hampshire does not legally require a driver to have auto insurance, there are still minimum limits a policy is required to have. minimum car insurance in New Hampshire
Your auto insurance policy must have Auto Liability Coverage limits of at least $25,000 per person and $50,000 per accident for Bodily Injury (BI), Property Damage coverage limit of $25,000 and at least $1,000 of Medical Payments (MedPay) coverage. Finally, if you buy auto insurance in New Hampshire, you must also purchase Uninsured Motorist (UM) Coverage at limits equal to your Auto Liability Coverage.
So what do all of those coverages mean? Here’s some basic information regarding those coverage limits for New Hampshire auto insurance:
Bodily injury to others (BI)
This protects you against legal liability for the accidental injury or death of others (excluding your passengers) caused by the operation of your car. You need at least $25,000 per-person and $50,000 per-accident for your auto insurance in New Hampshire.
Property damage (PD)
This pays for damage to another person’s property when you, a household member or another authorized driver cause an accident. Typically, this will be another person’s vehicle. There’s a minimum coverage limit of $25,000.
Medical payments (MedPay)
MedPay covers medical expenses for you and your passengers in an accident, no matter who was at fault. It can also cover health insurance deductibles and copays. If you have auto insurance in New Hampshire, you need at least $1,000 of MedPay coverage.
Uninsured motorists (UM)
This protects you, anyone you let drive your car, household members and passengers against losses caused by an uninsured or underinsured driver.
Uninsured drivers are those without insurance, and this also covers unidentified (“hit and run”) drivers as well. An underinsured driver is one who has liability insurance, but not enough to cover your injuries or damages. Your UM limits must be equal to your Auto Liability Coverage, so a minimum limit of $25,000 per-person and $50,000 per-accident is required for auto insurance in New Hampshire.
Major types of optional auto insurance coverage
When you come to Plymouth Rock for all your New Hampshire auto insurance needs, you’ll have additional coverage options to choose from. Here are just a few of the more common optional coverages our auto insurance customers buy:
Collision insurance covers the cost to repair or replace your car after a collision with another vehicle or stationary object. Collision also covers damage to someone else’s car that you are operating with permission of the owner. It does not cover the damage you cause to other vehicles, however. That would fall under your Property Damage coverage. Mechanical breakdowns and wear and tear are also not covered by Collision.
Comprehensive coverage protects your car from damage NOT related to a collision with another vehicle. This includes things like natural disasters and storms, fires, vandalism, damages caused by hitting an animal and more.
Coverage for substitute transportation helps you get around while your car is being repaired from a Collision or Comprehensive claim. We offer car rental limits ranging from $15 per day/$450 maximum up to $100 per day/$3,000 maximum.
Loan/lease gap insurance covers you in the case if you’ve totaled your car to the point where the cost of repairing it exceeds its actual cash value, but you’re still making payments.
Collision and Comprehensive coverages pay no more than the actual cash value of your vehicle just before the accident occurred. Sometimes, you might owe more than that on your loan or lease.
For a covered Collision or Comprehensive loss, loan/leap coverage will pay the difference between the actual cash value of your car and the remaining balance on your loan or lease so that you can free yourself from this financial burden and get you back on the road as quickly as possible.
Proof of insurance
There are some cases when you’re required to carry insurance by the New Hampshire DMV. If you’ve been convicted of certain offenses like driving while intoxicated (DWI) or if you’ve been at fault for an accident while you were uninsured, you may be required to carry Proof of Insurance (SR-22 certificate) for at least three years to maintain your license.
Read more about New Hampshire’s Proof of Insurance requirement here.
If you have any additional questions about how New Hampshire auto insurance works or if you’d just like to sit down and speak to someone about your own situation in more detail, please don’t delay – contact Plymouth Rock today.
