Car Insurance in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Estimated full coverage in Portsmouth runs about $1,200 a year ($100/month) — ▲ +6% versus the New Hampshire average, ranking 3rd most expensive of the 8 New Hampshire cities we cover.
- Per month
- $100
- vs. New Hampshire average ($1,135)
- +6%
- vs. U.S. average ($1,590)
- −25%
- State-minimum coverage
- $425/yr
- Minimum liability
- 25/50/25
- Insurance offices nearby
- 6
Why car insurance in Portsmouth costs more than the New Hampshire average
Insurers price by territory, and Portsmouth's numbers explain most of the gap. With 22,938 residents on 15.7 square miles, the city's density (1,465 people per square mile) is 5.8 times the density where the typical New Hampshire resident lives (254). The average commute is 22.2 minutes (New Hampshire: 26.7), and 69% of workers drive alone. Together these put our location factor at 1.06× the state baseline for liability and collision, and 1.07× for comprehensive once FEMA weather risk for Rockingham County is included.
| Factor | Portsmouth | New Hampshire ref. | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population density | 1,465 / sq mi | 254 / sq mi | More vehicles per mile of road means more fender-benders and claims. |
| Average commute | 22.2 min | 26.7 min | Longer daily drives add exposure to crashes. |
| Commutes over 60 min | 9.2% | — | Long highway commutes raise mileage-based risk. |
| Drive alone to work | 68.6% | — | Share of workers commuting by car. |
| Public transit to work | 0.9% | — | Transit use lowers how much residents drive. |
| Work from home | 21.9% | — | Remote workers may qualify for low-mileage pricing. |
| Households without a car | 4.9% | — | Context for non-owner and occasional-driver policies. |
| Weather hazard score (FEMA) | 74.5 | 70.4 | Hail, wind, flood and hurricane exposure drive comprehensive claims. |
Minimum car insurance in Portsmouth
Portsmouth drivers follow New Hampshire's rules: at least 25/50/25 liability coverage, and uninsured motorist coverage. New Hampshire is at-fault (tort). We estimate state-minimum coverage in Portsmouth at $425 a year, and $615 for 100/300/100 limits.
| Coverage | Required? | Minimum | What it pays for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bodily injury liability | Yes | $25,000 per person / $50,000 per accident | Injuries you cause to other people |
| Property damage liability | Yes | $25,000 | Damage you cause to other vehicles and property |
| Personal injury protection (PIP) | No | — New Hampshire does not require personal injury protection. | Your own medical bills and lost wages, regardless of fault |
| Uninsured motorist (UM) | Yes | 25/50 Every auto liability policy includes uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage at the same limits as the liability coverage. | Your injuries when the at-fault driver has no insurance |
| Underinsured motorist (UIM) | Yes | 25/50 Underinsured protection is included with uninsured motorist coverage at the policy's liability limits. | The gap when the at-fault driver’s limits are too low |
| Medical payments (MedPay) | Yes | $1,000 Policies issued in New Hampshire include at least $1,000 of medical payments coverage. | Medical bills for you and your passengers |
New Hampshire does not require drivers to buy auto insurance, but drivers must be able to pay for damages they cause; proof of insurance can be required after a conviction, crash or administrative action. The limits shown apply to any policy that is purchased.
Risk factors that shape Portsmouth premiums
Accidents
New Hampshire recorded 133 traffic deaths, or 0.96 per 100 million vehicle miles (U.S.: 1.19), in the latest full year of federal crash data. Local crash frequency is folded into our density and commute factors.
Vehicle theft
New Hampshire's vehicle theft rate is 53 per 100,000 residents (U.S.: 197). The most-stolen vehicle in the state is the Chevrolet Pickup (Full Size) (NICB). Theft losses are paid by comprehensive coverage.
Weather
FEMA rates Rockingham County as relatively low for hail, relatively moderate for inland flooding and relatively moderate for strong wind, and relatively moderate for hurricanes.
Traffic & commuting
9.2% of Portsmouth commuters spend an hour or more getting to work, and there are 1.62 vehicles per household. 21.9% work from home — worth mentioning to insurers that offer low-mileage pricing.
| Hazard | Risk rating | Score (0–100) | Insurance impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hail | 35.5 | Comprehensive (car); roof claims (home) | |
| Tornado | 73.5 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Hurricane | 83.8 | Comprehensive; wind/hurricane deductibles (home) | |
| Inland (river) flooding | 89.1 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Coastal flooding | 92.8 | Comprehensive; home needs a separate flood policy | |
| Strong wind | 72.5 | Comprehensive; dwelling | |
| Winter weather | 65.6 | Collision (icy roads); frozen pipes (home) |
Scores are national percentiles of FEMA's county risk (higher means more expected loss than most other U.S. counties).
Estimated car insurance in Portsmouth by driver profile
A clean-record driver in their 50s pays the least in our Portsmouth model (about $1,100 for full coverage); an 18-year-old on their own policy pays about $3,295, and a DUI pushes a 30-something to $2,215.
| Driver | Minimum | Standard | Full coverage | Full / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Teen driver (18, own policy) | $1,170 | $1,695 | $3,295 | $275 |
| Young adult (22) | $680 | $985 | $1,915 | $160 |
| Adult in their 30s | $425 | $615 | $1,200 | $100 |
| Adult in their 50s | $390 | $565 | $1,100 | $92 |
| Senior (72) | $475 | $690 | $1,340 | $112 |
| 30s, one at-fault accident | $615 | $895 | $1,740 | $145 |
| 30s, DUI on record | $785 | $1,140 | $2,215 | $185 |
Minimum vs. standard vs. full coverage in Portsmouth
| Coverage level | What it includes | Per year | Per month | Typical range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State minimum liability | Only the liability (and PIP/UM where required) limits your state mandates. No coverage for your own car. | $425 | $35 | $350–$500 |
| Standard liability (100/300/100) | Higher liability limits plus uninsured motorist coverage. Still no coverage for damage to your own car. | $615 | $51 | $505–$725 |
| Full coverage | Standard liability plus collision and comprehensive, typically required on a financed or leased car. | $1,200 | $100 | $985–$1,415 |
Estimate your premium in Portsmouth
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Cheap car insurance in Portsmouth: how to lower your rate
The cheapest policy is the one that fits your situation. These levers are priced with Portsmouth's own numbers:
| Change | Est. yearly savings | Good fit if… |
|---|---|---|
| Raise collision/comprehensive deductible from $500 to $1,000 | $85 | You have savings to cover a bigger out-of-pocket repair. |
| Low-mileage / usage-based pricing (under 7,500 mi) | $85 | You're among the 21.9% of Portsmouth workers who work from home, or you rarely drive. |
| Drop collision & comprehensive on an older car | $320 | The car is paid off and worth little more than a year of premiums. |
| Standard (100/300/100) instead of full coverage | $585 | No loan or lease requires physical-damage coverage. |
| Avoid one speeding ticket | $260 | Everyone — violations typically affect rates for three to five years. |
Also ask about bundling, good-student, paid-in-full and defensive-driving discounts, and re-shop at every renewal — the same driver can be priced very differently by different insurers. We don't recommend specific companies. Common car insurance discounts.
Comparing car insurance quotes in Portsmouth
- Use identical limits and deductibles on every quote — e.g. 100/300/100 liability with $1,000 deductibles — or prices aren't comparable.
- Get quotes from different channels: captive agents, independent agents who quote several insurers, and direct online insurers. There are 6 offices listed below.
- Check complaint records with the New Hampshire Insurance Department (complaint information) before you buy.
- Mention your ZIP code accurately — within Portsmouth, our estimates differ by up to $0 a year between neighborhoods.
Car insurance agents near Portsmouth, NH
We found 6 insurance offices within about 3 miles of central Portsmouth, from open map data. Hover over a listing to show it on the map, click it to open the address in Google Maps, or tap it on a phone to start navigation. We don't sell insurance, rate these offices or receive anything from them.
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Companion Insurance Agency
NH -
Karen Wright - Allstate
3 Greenleaf Woods Dr, Unit 201, Portsmouth, NH 03801 -
Richard D Guidice - Farmers Insurance
145 Mirona Rd, Portsmouth, NH 03801 -
Aileen Dugan - State Farm
93 Middle Street, Portsmouth, NH 03801 -
Kane Insurance
242 State Street, , NH -
GEICO
NH
Map © Google. Office list: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0) - https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright; All The Places (alltheplaces.xyz), data released under the CC-0 waiver; run 2026-09-19-13-32-18. OSM license. Listings are informational and may be out of date.
Insurance cost of popular cars in Portsmouth
| Model | Segment | Est. full coverage / yr | vs. average car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honda CR-V | Small SUV | $895 | −25% |
| Subaru Outback | Wagon | $890 | −26% |
| Tesla Model 3 | Midsize car | $1,280 | +7% |
| Subaru Forester | Small SUV | $870 | −28% |
| Honda Civic | Compact car | $1,375 | +15% |
| Toyota Corolla | Compact car | $1,280 | +7% |
| Jeep Wrangler | Midsize SUV | $990 | −18% |
| Mazda CX-5 | Small SUV | $1,015 | −15% |
| MINI Cooper | Subcompact car | $905 | −25% |
| Tesla Model Y | Midsize SUV | $1,150 | −4% |
Car insurance in nearby New Hampshire cities
- Dover $1,185/yr · 10 mi
- Rochester $1,185/yr · 19 mi
- Manchester $1,280/yr · 34 mi
- Concord $1,155/yr · 41 mi
- Nashua $1,295/yr · 42 mi
- Laconia $1,095/yr · 47 mi
- Keene $1,080/yr · 77 mi
All New Hampshire cities and state rules · Homeowners insurance in Portsmouth
Frequently asked questions
How much is car insurance in Portsmouth, NH?
We estimate full coverage in Portsmouth at about $1,200 a year ($100 a month) for a driver in their 30s with a clean record, and about $425 for New Hampshire's minimum liability coverage. Real quotes vary by insurer, driver and vehicle.
Why is car insurance in Portsmouth more expensive than the New Hampshire average?
Our Portsmouth estimate is 6% higher than the statewide figure. The model reflects a population density of 1,465 people per square mile (the typical New Hampshire resident lives at about 254) and an average commute of 22.2 minutes versus 26.7 statewide. Denser traffic and longer drives mean more claims, which insurers price into local rates.
What car insurance is required in Portsmouth?
Drivers in Portsmouth follow New Hampshire law: at least 25/50/25 liability coverage and uninsured motorist coverage.
How much is car insurance for a teenager in Portsmouth?
An 18-year-old with their own full-coverage policy would pay around $3,295 a year in Portsmouth by our estimate ($1,170 for minimum coverage). Adding a teen to a parent's policy is usually cheaper.
Does weather affect car insurance in Portsmouth?
FEMA's National Risk Index does not rate Rockingham County as high risk for hail, hurricanes, flooding or tornadoes, so weather has a smaller effect on the comprehensive part of local premiums.
Are there car insurance agents near me in Portsmouth?
We list 6 insurance offices in and around Portsmouth, with addresses, phone numbers where published, and directions. We don't sell insurance or rank these offices.
How we estimate this
We start from the state's average liability, collision and comprehensive premiums published by the NAIC, then apply a location factor (population density and commute time from the Census ACS, weather hazard scores from FEMA's National Risk Index), a vehicle factor (HLDI insurance-loss data where available, otherwise vehicle segment), and a driver-profile multiplier. Results are rounded ranges for comparison, not quotes. Read the full methodology.
- New Hampshire Insurance Department: Automobile Insurance Consumer Guide
- New Hampshire Insurance Department: Automobile Insurance
- NH RSA 264:15 (uninsured motor vehicle coverage)
- NH DMV: Insurance Requirements / SR-22
- New Hampshire Insurance Department: Auto Cost (premium comparison)
- New Hampshire Insurance Department: Filing a Complaint
- NAIC 2022/2023 Auto Insurance Database Report
- NAIC Homeowners Insurance Report: Data for 2023
- Insurance Research Council uninsured motorist estimates (via Triple-I)
- IIHS Fatality Facts: state by state
- FBI Crime Data Explorer: Crime in the United States 2025 (Table 4)
- NICB 2022 Vehicle Theft Data: top 10 stolen vehicles by state
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table DL-1C (licensed drivers)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table MV-1 (registrations)
- FHWA Highway Statistics 2024, Table VM-2 (vehicle-miles traveled)
- U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2024 population estimates
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (Portsmouth and ZIP code tabulation areas)
- U.S. Census Bureau population estimates and Gazetteer files
- FEMA National Risk Index (county hazard ratings)
- Insurance office locations: OpenStreetMap contributors and All The Places