New Hampshire Car Insurance
New Hampshire does not generally require auto insurance. Owners who do not insure must demonstrate financial responsibility and remain personally liable. If a policy is purchased (or required after a triggering offense under RSA 264:18)4, minimums are 25/50/25 liability under RSA 259:611 plus compulsory UM/UIM at policy limits under RSA 264:152 and $1,000 MedPay under RSA 264:163.
YesWeSure Bottom Line
Optional insurance, but liability is not optional. Not carrying insurance does not eliminate personal liability. If you cause a crash, New Hampshire will expect you to pay out of pocket; if you cannot, DMV action under RSA 264:18 can follow4.
If you buy, the floor is 25/50/25 + UM/UIM + MedPay. Any New Hampshire policy must include compulsory UM/UIM at the policy's BI limits and $1,000 MedPay23.
How to make a real decision. Most New Hampshire drivers choose to insure. For how to think about limits above the statutory floor, see how to choose coverage limits.
State requirements at a glance
What New Hampshire car insurance law requires
Is auto insurance compulsory?
Not generally required4
New Hampshire does not require most drivers to carry auto liability insurance by statute. Owners who choose not to insure must demonstrate they can personally satisfy a judgment under the state's financial-responsibility law.
Minimum limits if a policy is purchased
25 / 50 / 251
$25,000 bodily injury per person, $50,000 per accident, $25,000 property damage per accident when a New Hampshire motor vehicle policy is written under RSA 259:61.
Personal Injury Protection (PIP)
Not required3
New Hampshire is a traditional tort state. No PIP is required on personal auto. If any policy is purchased, it must include $1,000 Medical Payments coverage under RSA 264:16.
Medical Payments (MedPay)
$1,000 required if policy purchased3
If a New Hampshire driver purchases an auto policy, RSA 264:16 requires it to include MedPay at not less than $1,000 per person.
Uninsured / Underinsured Motorist
Compulsory at policy BI limits if purchased2
If a policy is purchased, RSA 264:15 requires UM and UIM coverage at not less than the policy's bodily-injury liability limits (25/50 at the floor). UM/UIM in New Hampshire is compulsory when any liability policy exists.
Financial-responsibility triggers
DUI, uninsured injury crash, specified offenses4
Under RSA 264:18 and RSA 264:12, drivers convicted of DUI, driving uninsured after a crash with injury, or other triggering offenses must demonstrate financial responsibility (typically SR-22) and carry 25/50/25 coverage for a statutory period.
Rate approval regime
NHID oversight5
New Hampshire does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age as personal-auto rating factors.
Insurance is not generally compulsory
Unlike nearly every other state, New Hampshire does not require most drivers to carry auto liability insurance5. Owners who choose not to insure must demonstrate they can personally satisfy a judgment under the state's financial-responsibility law. If a policy is purchased, the floor is 25/50/25 under RSA 259:611.
PIP: not required in New Hampshire
New Hampshire does not require Personal Injury Protection. If any auto policy is purchased, it must include Medical Payments coverage at $1,000 per person under RSA 264:163. For how MedPay compares to PIP, see our medical payments coverage guide.
Compulsory UM/UIM when a policy is purchased
If a New Hampshire driver purchases an auto policy, RSA 264:15 requires UM and UIM coverage at not less than the policy's bodily-injury liability limits2. UM/UIM in New Hampshire is compulsory whenever any liability policy exists; it is not merely a must-offer.
Financial responsibility and lapse enforcement
New Hampshire does not operate a universal compulsory-insurance verification system56. Under RSA 264:18 and RSA 264:12, drivers convicted of specified offenses (such as DUI) or involved in reportable crashes while uninsured must demonstrate financial responsibility, typically by filing an SR-22 and carrying 25/50/25 coverage for a statutory period4. For a general lapse treatment, see our after-a-lapse guide.
Rating-factor landscape
New Hampshire does not maintain a headline statewide prohibition on credit-based insurance scoring, gender, or age5.
Where the New Hampshire situation rules live on YesWeSure
This State Guide owns the New Hampshire pricing and legal framework. Situation-specific mechanics live on the sibling Situation guides:
- After an accident. See our after-an-accident guide.
- After a DUI. New Hampshire SR-22 and reinstatement mechanics are treated in our after-a-DUI guide.
- After a lapse. DMV consequences of a lapse (where applicable) are treated in our after-a-lapse guide.
- Moving into New Hampshire. New-resident registration is treated in our moving-to-another-state guide.
What we verified for this page
- StrongNew Hampshire does not generally require auto insurance verified against the New Hampshire Insurance Department consumer guide. Owners must still demonstrate financial responsibility; triggering offenses under RSA 264:18 force an insurance filing.
- Strong25/50/25 minimum limits when a policy is written under RSA 259:61 verified against the statute. This is the floor if you choose to buy a policy or are required to file one.
- Strong$1,000 MedPay required on any New Hampshire policy under RSA 264:16 verified against the statute.
- StrongUM/UIM compulsory at the policy's liability limits under RSA 264:15 verified against the statute. New Hampshire requires UM/UIM whenever any liability policy exists.
- StrongFinancial-responsibility triggers under RSA 264:18 verified against the statute. DUI and uninsured-injury-crash convictions force SR-22 filing and compulsory coverage for a statutory period.
- LimitedDeliberately omitted from V1. A New Hampshire modeled cost anchor; carrier-specific NH underwriting; the exact SR-22 duration (deferred to the after-a-DUI guide); and telematics program detail.
- LimitedNamed author and expert reviewer. V1 attributes to "YesWeSure Editorial." A New Hampshire-licensed reviewer is tracked as a pre-launch YMYL item.
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Common questions
Is car insurance required in New Hampshire?
Not generally. New Hampshire does not require most drivers to carry auto liability insurance by statute. Owners must demonstrate financial responsibility, and triggering offenses under RSA 264:18 force an insurance filing45.
What are the minimum limits if I do buy a policy?
25/50/25 liability under RSA 259:611, plus compulsory UM/UIM at policy BI limits under RSA 264:15 and $1,000 MedPay under RSA 264:1623.
What triggers compulsory insurance in New Hampshire?
Convictions for specified offenses (such as DUI), driving uninsured after a crash with injury, or other triggering offenses under RSA 264:18 require the driver to demonstrate financial responsibility, typically by filing SR-22 and carrying 25/50/25 coverage for a statutory period4.
Sources & methodology
- RSA 259:61: definition of "owner's or operator's policy" and 25/50/25 minimum limits when a New Hampshire motor vehicle policy is written. (New Hampshire General Court, TIER 1)
- RSA 264:15: Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist coverage at policy liability limits when a New Hampshire auto policy is purchased. (New Hampshire General Court, TIER 1)
- RSA 264:16: Medical Payments coverage at $1,000 per person when a New Hampshire auto policy is purchased. (New Hampshire General Court, TIER 1)
- RSA 264:18: financial-responsibility requirements for drivers convicted of specified offenses or involved in reportable crashes. (New Hampshire General Court, TIER 1)
- New Hampshire Insurance Department: Automobile Insurance consumer page. (New Hampshire Insurance Department, TIER 1)
- New Hampshire DMV: Financial Responsibility and SR-22 consumer page. (New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles, TIER 1)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after an accident (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a DUI (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance after a lapse in coverage (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: Car insurance when moving to another state (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: What is medical payments coverage? (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How to choose coverage limits (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
- YesWeSure: How insurers calculate rates (YesWeSure, INTERNAL)
Evidence hierarchy on this page: Tier 1 (New Hampshire Revised Statutes Annotated, New Hampshire Insurance Department, New Hampshire DMV). Every legal number traces to a New Hampshire primary source: RSA 259:61; RSA 264:15, 264:16, 264:18. This page is informational and does not constitute legal, tax, or insurance advice. Last reviewed .