Cold weather can make driving treacherous on New Hampshire roads. Here’s how you can protect yourself with car insurance in New Hampshire.
Snow-covered trees, frozen lakes, and the opportunity for outdoor activities like skiing and snowboarding make winter in New Hampshire one of the gorgeous times of the year. However, the frigid weather, snow, and ice could make driving difficult or even impossible. Recent statistics from the US Department of Transportation suggest that inclement weather is the cause of over a quarter of all road accidents in the country. So, if you live in New Hampshire, we’d suggest taking your car out only if it’s urgent.
However, if your work demands you to drive many miles in the winter, you could protect yourself from financial losses that may arise from a road accident by getting yourself car insurance in New Hampshire.
How to cover accident repair during winter in New Hampshire
Driving on New Hampshire roads during the winter can be pretty treacherous. Icy roads can lead to cars skidding off the road and crashing into barriers, causing damage to the vehicle’s body panels and mechanical bits. While New Hampshire drivers are required to have minimum liability car insurance at all times, it may not be sufficient to cover the cost of repairing dented body panels and worn-out tires. Fortunately, you can find adequate protection for your vehicle by choosing optional coverage like comprehensive and collision car insurance.
Collision coverage covers the cost of repairs if you collide with another vehicle or an object. Meanwhile, comprehensive coverage covers damages caused by acts of vandalism, theft, hail, fire, and cracked windshields due to the extreme cold. So having these coverage options can undoubtedly ease the financial burden of repairing your car in the event of an accident.
To know more about the various types of car insurance coverage, click here.
What are the minimum car insurance requirements in NH?
Although New Hampshire does not require all drivers to carry car insurance, you do need some level of cover for bodily injury and property damage. The minimum requirements are as follows:
- $25,000 for bodily injury per person
- $50,000 for bodily injury per accident
- $1000 for medical payments, or MedPay
- $25,000 per person for uninsured motorist bodily harm
- $50,000 of uninsured motorist cover per accident.
While bodily injury covers the other party’s medical bills in the event of an at-fault accident, property damage covers the cost of repairing any property damage. MedPay covers up to $1000 for your own medical expenses post an accident, regardless of who was at fault. Buying adequate liability insurance to cover what you could lose in a lawsuit is a good rule of thumb. Purchasing umbrella insurance will provide you with additional liability coverage at a reasonable cost.
Optional coverage for New Hamshire winters
Depending on your insurance carrier, you could buy optional coverage such as roadside assistance and rental car insurance this winter. Roadside assistance will cover the cost of towing your vehicle to the mechanic in the event of a mechanical breakdown. It will also cover the expenses of jumping your car’s dead battery. On the other hand, Rental car insurance will reimburse you for the cost of renting a vehicle while it is at the workshop undergoing repairs covered by your insurance company.
We hope these tips will help you stay safe this winter. Finally, remember to carry food and some blankets in your car in case you get stranded in the middle of nowhere on a frigid winter’s night.
With winter on the horizon, here’s a checklist we have compiled to make sure your car is in top shape. Need more information about winter car insurance? We’ve got you covered: Winter is coming – do you have winter car insurance?
Check out our blogs for info on finding top-rated airport parking, the best parking spots in your city, and affordable car washes near you.
