New Hampshire Auto Insurance Quotes and
Coverage Guide
New Hampshire Motor Vehicle Insurance
Questions & AnswersQ: Is
auto insurance mandatory?
A: No. New Hampshire is not a mandatory or
compulsory insurance state. The Granite State is
firm in its decision to allow its citizens the
freedom to take their chances, and some of that
granite seems to find its way into some people’s
heads. In other words: You can be as rock-headed as
you want – but be prepared to face the consequences
if your luck runs out.
Q: Is New Hampshire a "no-fault" or “tort” state?
A: Sort of a blend of the two. New Hampshire
is what is called an “add-on” state. In add-on
states, drivers receive compensation from their own
insurance company as they do in no-fault states, but
there are no restrictions on lawsuits. The term
“add-on” is used because in these states,
first-party benefits have been added on to the
traditional tort liability system. In New Hampshire,
first-party coverage is optional, and the benefits
may be lower than in true no-fault states. Of
course, this is all provided your head isn’t made of
some of that granite, and you got the insurance in
the first place. If you have, indeed, been a rock
head and haven’t protected yourself, the injured
party is restituted personally by you-know-who –
including everything won in an unrestricted lawsuit.
If the traffic gods frown upon you, you could be
left with nothing but those rocks in your head.
Q: What type of insurance is required to purchase
and maintain a New Hampshire tag and registration?
A: Because there is no compulsory auto
insurance law in New Hampshire, proof of insurance
is not required for the purchase of a tag and
registration. If you are in a wreck that was your
fault, however, and in which there were damages of
more than $1,000, or personal injury occurred, you
will be required to post a bond or cash equal to the
amount of damage you caused in that accident. You
must also obtain an SR-22 certificate from an agent
licensed to sell insurance to rock heads in New
Hampshire verifying minimum financial responsibility
limits of $25,000 per bodily injury to an
individual, $50,000 per bodily injury to two or more
people, and $25,000 property damage. It’s pretty
simple and straightforward, even for a rock head: no
pay, no drive, no kidding.
Q: How long am I required to have an SR-22
insurance certificate?
A: Three years from the date of
conviction/crash or from the date imposed by a
hearings examiner. If you’re convicted of a Driving
While Intoxicated Second Offense, then make that
five years from the date of conviction. If convicted
of a major offense in the timeframe required to
carry an SR-22 insurance certificate, the
requirement will be extended for three years from
the date of the major conviction. New Hampshire is
happy to reward your rock-headedness with some
pretty hard-nosed action of its own.
Q: An uninsured motorist hit my vehicle. How can
I get restitution?
A: If the combined damages are over $1,000,
and/or there is personal injury, and the uninsured
motorist is at fault, New Hampshire can suspend the
uninsured motorist's driver license and registration
privileges. But they can’t do anything about the
rocks in his/her head.
To request that an uninsured motorist's driver
license and registration privileges be suspended,
submit the following to the Financial Responsibility
Crash Unit, 23 Hazen Drive, Concord NH 03305:
-- A copy of a police report or an Operator Report
-- A written damage estimate
-- A written request for New Hampshire to take
action
Q: What can New Hampshire do if an uninsured
motorist is an out-of-state resident?
A: The person’s privilege to drive in New
Hampshire will be suspended, and his/her home state
will be notified of the suspension. Or you can chase
him down yourself and shake the rocks in his head
until they either fall out through his ears or he
pays restitution. But this method is NOT recommended
without the advice of an attorney.
Q: Can a minor be suspended for an uninsured
crash?
A: Yes. A parent or guardian will be held
responsible only if there is a judgment in court
against them. And then THEY can shake the rocks out
of their kid’s head.
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