Uninsured Motorist Coverage for Seniors in New Hampshire
New Hampshire doesn't require car insurance, but if you carry it, uninsured motorist coverage protects you the same way at any age.
Your age doesn't change whether you need this coverage
New Hampshire is the only state that doesn't require drivers to carry auto insurance. But if you do carry a policy, most insurers in the state still have to offer you uninsured motorist coverage, and you have to reject it in writing if you don't want it. Being 65 or older doesn't change that offer or the price of it on its own.
What matters more is how much you'd lose if another driver without insurance hit you. If you rely on a fixed income, a serious injury or a totaled car without this coverage can be harder to absorb than it would be for someone still earning a paycheck. That's a reason to keep the coverage, not a reason insurers treat you differently for asking.
Whether you have health insurance that covers a crash
If you're on Medicare, it will generally pay for emergency treatment after a crash regardless of who caused it or whether they had insurance. That's different from how it works for someone relying on an employer health plan with high out-of-pocket costs.
But Medicare doesn't replace lost income, doesn't pay for pain and suffering, and won't cover damage to your car. Uninsured motorist coverage can fill those gaps. If you're mainly worried about medical bills, ask your insurer how the coverage interacts with what Medicare already pays, since some policies coordinate with it and some don't.
If a passenger in your car, like a spouse or grandchild, doesn't have their own health coverage, that's another reason this matters more for your household than it might for someone else's.
What people get wrong about New Hampshire's rules
Because New Hampshire doesn't mandate insurance, some drivers assume uninsured motorist coverage is optional or unusual there. It isn't unusual. Insurers still sell it, and the number of uninsured drivers on New Hampshire roads doesn't drop just because the state doesn't require coverage statewide.
The other thing people miss is the paperwork. If you don't want the coverage, you typically have to decline it in writing. If you never got that form or don't remember signing it, you may already have the coverage without realizing it. Check your current policy's declarations page or ask your insurer directly.
Finally, don't confuse uninsured motorist coverage with underinsured motorist coverage. They cover different situations, the first for a driver with no insurance at all, the second for a driver whose coverage is too small to pay for what happened. Ask your insurer whether your policy includes both.
Questions people ask about this
Does Medicare cover a car accident caused by an uninsured driver?
Medicare generally covers emergency medical treatment after a car accident regardless of who caused it. It won't pay for your car repairs, lost income, or pain and suffering, which is what uninsured motorist coverage is meant to cover instead.
Can my insurer drop me for being an older driver in New Hampshire?
Insurers set their own underwriting rules, and these vary by company. If you're concerned about renewal, ask your insurer directly what triggers a non-renewal and whether age alone is a factor in their underwriting.
Do I need uninsured motorist coverage if I rarely drive anymore?
Driving less doesn't remove the risk of being hit by an uninsured driver, including as a passenger or while parked. If you're considering dropping coverage because you drive infrequently, ask your insurer whether a lower-mileage policy might reduce your cost without removing this protection.
What happens if an uninsured driver hits my parked car in New Hampshire?
Whether that's covered depends on the specific policy and whether it includes property damage under uninsured motorist coverage, which not all policies do. Check your declarations page or ask your insurer whether parked-car incidents are included.
Is uninsured motorist coverage required if I only drive a few miles a year?
New Hampshire doesn't require any auto insurance, including uninsured motorist coverage, regardless of how much you drive. If you choose to carry a policy at all, the offer for this coverage still applies unless you decline it in writing.
See what it would cost to add or keep this coverage before your next renewal.
Pull out your current policy's declarations page and look for uninsured motorist coverage listed by name. If you don't see it, or you're not sure what you signed when the policy started, call your insurer and ask them to read back exactly what you have. Ask specifically whether it covers property damage, not just injury, since that varies. If you're shopping for a new policy, ask each company the same question so you're comparing the same coverage, not just the same price. Have your current declarations page and your Medicare card nearby, since some agents will ask how the two interact.
