Temporary Car Insurance in New Hampshire: The Cheapest Options and What You Need to Know
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Updated: 2/8/2023
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If you own a car, one way to create temporary car insurance is by purchasing a policy and canceling it within six months. If you cancel it early, you should be able to get a full refund on your unused premiums. In New Hampshire, a three-month vehicle insurance policy costs an average of $195.
Rental vehicle insurance may be the best option for travelers visiting New Hampshire or drivers who do not own a car in New Hampshire but need to drive temporarily.
MoneyGeek also evaluated several scenarios in which temporary car insurance may be required, such as purchasing non-owner insurance to reinstate your license or working for a ridesharing company.
Can You Get Temporary Car Insurance in New Hampshire
Temporary automobile insurance can mean different things in different states, including in New Hampshire. To get temporary car insurance, car owners may opt to get full coverage and cancel it early. Or, individuals who do not own a vehicle could get non-owner auto insurance or rental car insurance.
There's no one-size-fits-all solution for getting short-term vehicle insurance in New Hampshire, so MoneyGeek researched all the available options to get temporary auto insurance.
- Need a full car insurance policy temporarily? Buy and cancel
- Want to add or remove a driver? Alter your policy
- Renting a car? Buy from the rental company or use your own policy
- Don’t own a car? Look into non-owner Insurance
- Working for a rideshare company? Buy rideshare insurance
Buying a Six-Month New Hampshire Insurance Policy and Canceling It Early
Most insurance companies in New Hampshire and elsewhere won't insure vehicles for less than six months. Auto insurance in New Hampshire costs an average of $389 for six months. If you cancel early, you may be able to get insurance coverage for a shorter period of time since most insurance companies will provide a refund for your unused months of coverage.
In New Hampshire, a driver might pay an average of $195 for 90 days of coverage. This insurance cost is half the price of a six-month policy.
If you use this strategy, MoneyGeek recommends avoiding a lapse in your vehicle insurance so you don’t pay more later on.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance in New Hampshire
MoneyGeek computed the cost of auto insurance from a New Hampshire provider for a six-month, three-month and one-month policy.
On average, the cheapest vehicle insurance providers in New Hampshire for a 90-day policy include:
- Progressive: $148 per 90 days
- Concord Group: $149 per 90 days
MoneyGeek’s calculations don’t include cancellation costs. Most auto insurance companies do not charge cancellation fees and will give refunds for the unused coverage months.
Annual Cost of Car Insurance in New Hampshire by Policy Length
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Altering New Hampshire Car Insurance Temporarily Depending on Your Needs
If you already have car insurance in New Hampshire, the best way to temporarily add or remove coverage could be to make modifications to your current insurance policy. The questions drivers most often ask about temporary car insurance include getting short-term coverage for a family's teen who is going to college, storing a vehicle or letting someone drive your vehicle.
When You Should Alter Your Policy Temporarily
If your child is attending school elsewhere in New Hampshire, you can either temporarily remove them from your policy or request a discount.
If you intend to store your vehicle, you can save money by canceling everything but your comprehensive insurance. Military members can also take advantage of USAA's auto storage discounts.
If you let someone else drive your vehicle, you only need to add them to your insurance policy if they do so regularly.
Cheap Temporary Car Insurance for Students in New Hampshire
If your child lives with you in New Hampshire, you will need to add them to your insurance policy. This can be costly. MoneyGeek found that the estimated annual cost of adding an 18-year-old to an insurance policy in New Hampshire is $1,824.
To save money when having your child on your policy, you can either remove them for part of the year if they live more than 100 miles away, use distant student discounts or leave them on the policy.
MoneyGeek found that you'll pay $304 on average per year in New Hampshire if you add a student to your policy for only two months during the summer compared to approximately $1,824 for a full year.
Nationwide has the biggest savings in New Hampshire for temporarily removing a student from a car insurance policy.
Annual Cost of Adding an 18-Year-Old to Car Insurance in New Hampshire
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If your child attends a school that is less than 100 miles from your home, you may still be able to save money by shopping around. MoneyGeek compared different insurance companies to help you find the cheapest insurance providers for teens.
What to Do About Car Insurance if You’re Storing Your Car in New Hampshire
If you are temporarily storing your vehicle in New Hampshire and want to save money, you can request a car storage discount or switch to a comprehensive-only policy.
Switching to comprehensive-only coverage while your car is in storage helps you save money by eliminating liability insurance. Comprehensive and collision insurance with a $1,000 deductible costs an average of $273 a year in New Hampshire compared to an average of $681 annually for a policy that includes liability insurance.
If you are military personnel on active duty, USAA may be an excellent alternative. This insurer provides a discount for car storage and has one of the lowest rates in New Hampshire before the discount, at an average of $435 per year.
What to Do If You Let Someone Else Drive Your Car
If you let someone else in your household drive your vehicle on a regular basis, they must be covered by the same auto insurance policy as you. On the other hand, if you let a non-household member drive your car, they will be covered by your current policy automatically, and you won’t need to make any modifications to your coverage.
Buying Rental Car Insurance in New Hampshire
If you are temporarily renting a car in New Hampshire, you don’t need to buy a car insurance policy since you can get car insurance through the car rental company. Most rental car companies provide basic liability insurance as well as the option to add collision damage waivers, supplementary liability and personal accident insurance coverages. The cost of adding all of these coverages ranges from $41 and $58 a day depending on your provider, but you can mix and match coverages to save money.
Finding Cheap Rental Car Insurance in New Hampshire
MoneyGeek gathered information about rental car insurance in New Hampshire from Manchester. Depending on the company, insurance costs for a rental car in New Hampshire range from $41 to $58 per day. On average, Enterprise charges $41, Avis charges $57 and Hertz charges $58 a day.
If you already have your own car insurance policy, then you may already have coverage for liability, collision and medical payments. Additionally, if you have coverage through your credit card provider, you may be able to save money by declining the rental car company's insurance.
Cost per Day of Rental Car Insurance in New Hampshire
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Buying Non-Owner Car Insurance in New Hampshire
Non-owner vehicle insurance is a good option for drivers who do not own a car but need proof of insurance when filing an SR-22 to reinstate their license. In New Hampshire, non-owner car insurance costs an average of $345 per year.
Non-owner insurance is the cheapest alternative if you don't own a vehicle and need to file an SR-22 to get your license reinstated.
How to Get Temporary Rideshare Car Insurance for Rideshare in New Hampshire
Rideshare drivers in New Hampshire are covered by rideshare insurance when they accept a fare or ride with passengers. However, there will be a temporary coverage gap every time the driver does not have a fare. In this case, rideshare insurance might be beneficial. However, ridesharing insurance is not available in every state.
MoneyGeek compared the coverage given by several insurance providers for this policy to help you find the best rideshare insurance in New Hampshire.
Frequently Asked Questions About Temporary Car Insurance in New Hampshire
There are a variety of situations that make temporary vehicle insurance in New Hampshire a good option for certain drivers. Not only does it give reasonable coverage, but it also provides drivers with peace of mind while they are on the road.
You can create temporary vehicle insurance in New Hampshire, but most insurers will not provide coverage for less than six months at a time.
Yes. If you terminate your auto insurance policy before the end of the six-month period, most insurers will give you a refund for the unused months of coverage. However, you should be aware that there might be a fee for canceling your policy.
Methodology
Car owner and non-owner car insurance quotes were gathered across New Hampshire in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. The policies were for a 40-year-old male driver with a clean driving record and full coverage, as detailed on our methodology page. The student costs represent the average cost of adding an 18-year-old driver to an existing policy.
MoneyGeek calculated one-month and three-month policy costs on a prorated basis, assuming a full refund from the insurance company. MoneyGeek also utilized the online tools of Avis, Enterprise and Hertz to manually collect rental vehicle insurance costs in New Hampshire.
About Mark Fitzpatrick
Mark Fitzpatrick is a Licensed Property and Casualty Insurance Producer and MoneyGeek's Head of Insurance. He has analyzed the insurance market for over five years, conducting original research and creating personalized content for every kind of buyer. He has been quoted in several insurance-related publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.
Fitzpatrick earned a master’s degree in economics and international relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his knowledge of economics and insurance to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.