State
New Hampshire car insurance requirements and laws
New Hampshire does not require most drivers to buy car insurance, but you must be able to pay for crashes you cause, and any policy must meet 25/50/25.
Minimum coverage
| Liability limits | 25/50/25 |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage | $25,000 |
| Other required coverage | Insurance is optional for most drivers; if you buy a policy (or must carry one after an accident or conviction) it must include 25/50/25 liability, $1,000 medical payments and uninsured motorist coverage equal to your liability limits |
Rules
| Fault system | At-fault — no compulsory insurance law; drivers who cause crashes are personally responsible, and uninsured drivers in a crash lose their license and registration until they post security |
|---|---|
| PIP required | No — but every policy must include at least $1,000 of medical payments coverage (RSA 264:16) |
| Uninsured motorist required | Yes, on any policy you buy — uninsured motorist coverage must equal your bodily injury liability limits; only umbrella or excess policies can reject it (RSA 264:15) |
| Negligence rule | Modified comparative negligence (51% bar — you recover only if your fault is not greater than the defendant's; RSA 507:7-d) |
| SR-22 | Yes — required after an accident while uninsured, a DWI or certain other convictions, or an unpaid crash judgment (RSA 264:2, 264:3) |
| Penalty for driving uninsured | No penalty for simply driving without insurance; after an uninsured crash, license and registration are suspended until you post security for the damages and file proof of future financial responsibility (SR-22) |
| Time limit to sue | 3 years (personal injury and property damage; RSA 508:4) |
Costs and context
| Average cost | $987 average annual expenditure (NAIC, 2023 data) |
|---|---|
| Uninsured drivers | About 1 in 10 drivers (10.0%, Insurance Research Council, 2023) |
Regulator
| Insurance regulator | New Hampshire Insurance Department |
|---|---|
| Consumer hotline | 800-852-3416 |
| Website | insurance.nh.gov |
| Address | 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 14, Concord, NH 03301 |
Minimum car insurance requirements
New Hampshire is the only state that does not have a compulsory auto liability insurance law for most drivers. Instead, it relies on a financial responsibility law: you can legally register and drive a car without insurance, but if you cause a crash you must be able to pay for the damage, and the state will take your license and registration until you do. In practice, most New Hampshire drivers buy insurance anyway, and anyone with a car loan or lease will be required to by the lender.
The law becomes mandatory for some drivers. The Division of Motor Vehicles can require you to carry insurance and file proof of future financial responsibility (an SR-22) if you:
- are involved in a reportable accident without insurance (RSA 264:3);
- are convicted of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of an accident, or motor vehicle homicide or assault, or are convicted a second time of speeding or reckless driving (RSA 264:2); or
- fail to pay a judgment from a crash.
Whenever you do buy a policy, whether voluntarily or because you must, New Hampshire sets what it must include. Compare states with the state car insurance requirements lookup.
| Coverage (if you buy insurance) | New Hampshire minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability, per person | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability, per accident | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability, per accident | $25,000 |
| Medical payments | $1,000 per person |
| Uninsured motorist | Equal to your liability limits (at least 25/50) |
The liability limits come from the definition of a motor vehicle liability policy (RSA 259:61). Uninsured motorist coverage must match your liability limits automatically (RSA 264:15), and medical payments coverage must pay at least $1,000 per person for medical costs within three years of a crash (RSA 264:16).
What going uninsured means in practice. Suppose you skip insurance and cause a crash that leaves the other driver with $40,000 in medical bills and a $20,000 car repair. Your license and registration are suspended until you post security covering what the other side may recover, and you must also file an SR-22 before driving again. You are personally liable for the full $60,000 and more if pain and suffering is added. With a 25/50/25 policy, your insurer would pay up to $25,000 for the injuries and $20,000 for the car, leaving a smaller gap. state minimum vs full coverage: which do you need? and how much liability coverage do you need? can help you decide.
Fault system and what it means after a crash
New Hampshire is an at-fault state. The driver who causes the crash is responsible for the other side's medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering and vehicle damage. If that driver is insured, their liability insurer pays up to the limits; if not, you may have to rely on your own uninsured motorist coverage or a lawsuit against the driver personally (what to do after an accident with an uninsured driver).
New Hampshire uses modified comparative negligence: you can recover only if your fault is not greater than the defendant's (or the defendants' combined), and your damages are reduced by your share (RSA 507:7-d). Most personal actions, including injury and property damage suits, must be filed within three years (RSA 508:4). See no-fault vs at-fault states and statutes of limitations for car accident claims.
Optional coverage worth considering here
- Uninsured motorist coverage. Because insurance is optional, it is especially valuable here. If you buy higher liability limits, your UM rises to match. The Insurance Research Council estimates 10.0% of New Hampshire drivers were uninsured in 2023, below the national 15.4% (uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage explained).
- More medical payments coverage. $1,000 is the floor; higher MedPay limits are inexpensive.
- Collision and comprehensive. Deer and moose collisions, winter storms and frost-heaved roads make physical damage coverage worth considering.
- An umbrella policy if you have a home or savings to protect.
What drives rates in New Hampshire
The NAIC puts New Hampshire's average annual expenditure at $987 in 2023, below the national average of $1,282 (What NAIC auto insurance data measures). Because insurance is optional, averages reflect only drivers who buy it.
Low population density, light traffic outside the southern tier and relatively low claim costs help keep premiums moderate. Winter weather, wildlife collisions and rising repair costs push in the other direction. Rates in Manchester and Nashua typically run higher than in northern towns (Why your ZIP code changes your car insurance price).
Penalties for driving uninsured
There is no fine simply for driving without insurance in New Hampshire. The consequences come after a crash: if you were uninsured, the DMV suspends your license and registration and requires surrender of your plates until you deposit security for the damages and file proof of future financial responsibility (RSA 264:3). An unpaid crash judgment brings the same kind of suspension. See penalties for driving without insurance.
SR-22 and high-risk drivers
The SR-22 is central to New Hampshire's system: it is how drivers who were uninsured in a crash, convicted of DWI or other listed offenses, or who owe a crash judgment prove they now carry a qualifying policy. Your insurer files the certificate with the DMV and must notify the state if the policy ends. The DMV's notice states how long the filing must remain in place. See SR-22 insurance explained, Car insurance after a DUI and high-risk car insurance: options when insurers say no.
Insurers with a strong presence in New Hampshire
National carriers Progressive, GEICO, Allstate and State Farm write widely. New England companies are prominent too: Liberty Mutual, which has a large New Hampshire workforce, Safety Insurance, Plymouth Rock Assurance and Amica. Several local mutuals sell through independent agents (regional car insurers: when smaller carriers can beat the giants).
Where to get help
The New Hampshire Insurance Department regulates insurers and helps consumers. Call Consumer Services at 603-271-2261 or, in state, 800-852-3416, email [email protected], visit insurance.nh.gov, or write to 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 14, Concord, NH 03301. Suspensions and SR-22 filings are handled by the Division of Motor Vehicles. If you are hit by an uninsured driver, a licensed New Hampshire attorney can explain your options.
Sources
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/259/259-61.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/264/264-2.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/264/264-3.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/264/264-15.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XXI/264/264-16.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LII/507/507-7-d.htm
- gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/LII/508/508-4.htm
- web.archive.org/web/20260407220707/https://www.nh.gov/insurance
- iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-uninsured-motorists
- iii.org/table-archive/21247
Requirements were checked against these sources on the review date below. Laws change - confirm with the state insurance regulator or motor vehicle agency.
Profile last reviewed October 4, 2026