State guide
Car Insurance in New Hampshire
Updated August 2026
New Hampshire is the one state where most drivers are not legally required to buy car insurance at all. Instead of an insurance mandate, the state runs on a financial responsibility law: if you cause a crash, you must be able to pay for the harm you did, and if you can't demonstrate that, you face suspension and a future filing requirement. Uninsured driving is legal in New Hampshire in a way it isn't anywhere else — but the financial exposure it leaves is entirely yours.
The catch is that 'optional' does not mean 'unregulated.' Any auto policy actually written in New Hampshire must meet a strict template: liability limits of at least 25/50/25, at least $1,000 of medical payments coverage, and uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage automatically equal to whatever liability limits you choose.
| Coverage | Required minimum |
|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability (per person) | $25,000 |
| Bodily injury liability (per accident) | $50,000 |
| Property damage liability | $25,000 |
| PIP / medical | $1,000 medical payments coverage required in any policy written (RSA 264:16) |
| Additional requirements | Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage equal to the policy's liability limits required in any policy written (RSA 264:15); insurance itself is not mandatory for most NH drivers |
| No-fault state | No |
| SR-22 used | Yes |
Source: RSA 259:61, RSA 264:15, RSA 264:16; New Hampshire Insurance Department
Average annual expenditure for auto insurance in New Hampshire was $889 in 2022. (NAIC 2022 Auto Insurance Database Average Premium Supplement)
What every New Hampshire policy must include
Under RSA 259:61, a motor vehicle liability policy in New Hampshire must carry at least $25,000 of bodily injury coverage per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 for property damage. RSA 264:16 adds a minimum of $1,000 in medical payments coverage for the driver and passengers, and RSA 264:15 requires uninsured motorist coverage — sized automatically to match your liability limits, so buying 100/300 liability means 100/300 UM protection too.
That automatic UM matching is unusual and quietly valuable. In most states drivers can buy high liability limits while leaving their own uninsured-motorist protection at the floor; New Hampshire doesn't allow that mismatch. Nationally, 15.4% of drivers were uninsured in 2023 (Insurance Research Council) — and in a state where coverage is optional, the UM piece of the policy is doing real work.
When insurance stops being optional: SR-22 filings
New Hampshire's tolerance ends at the first serious incident. After a DWI conviction, an uninsured at-fault accident, or certain other violations, the state imposes an SR-22 filing requirement: your license and operating privileges cannot be restored or kept unless an insurer files proof of coverage with the NH DMV, typically maintained for three years.
So while an ordinary NH driver may go uninsured, a driver under a filing requirement must carry — and continuously prove — coverage. Carriers price SR-22 risks very differently from one another, which makes this the single situation where comparing several quotes matters most in New Hampshire.
Going uninsured vs. buying coverage
Skipping insurance saves the premium but leaves you personally liable for every dollar of injury and damage you cause, with license and registration suspension as the enforcement stick. Given that average annual expenditure for auto insurance in New Hampshire was $889 in 2022 per the NAIC — below the $1,127 countrywide average — most NH households conclude the optional purchase is worth it. The more useful question is usually not whether to buy but at what limits and from whom, and quotes at two or three coverage tiers answer that quickly.
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Frequently asked questions
Is car insurance required in New Hampshire?+
Not for most drivers. New Hampshire has a financial responsibility law rather than an insurance mandate: you must be able to pay for accidents you cause. Insurance becomes compulsory only after certain events — like a DWI or an uninsured at-fault crash — that trigger an SR-22 filing requirement.
What are New Hampshire's minimum coverage limits?+
Any policy written in NH must include at least $25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, and $25,000 property damage (25/50/25), plus $1,000 medical payments coverage and uninsured motorist coverage equal to the liability limits (RSA 259:61, 264:15, 264:16).
Is New Hampshire a no-fault state?+
No. New Hampshire is an at-fault state — the driver who causes the accident is financially responsible for the resulting injuries and damage. That's the entire premise of its financial responsibility law.
Does New Hampshire use SR-22s?+
Yes. After DWI convictions, uninsured accidents, and certain other violations, the NH DMV requires an SR-22 filed by an insurer licensed in New Hampshire, generally for three years. Driving privileges can't be restored until the filing is in place.
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