New Hampshire Tornado Insurance
Find the right tornado insurance policy for you.
Written by
Ann Herro has been writing about insurance and employee benefits for over 15 years. She has covered topics as easy as insuring a car, and as difficult as transparency in healthcare costs.
While the Granite State is not the most likely candidate for a tornado outbreak, New Hampshire does experience one or two of these storms per year. As one of the most destructive forces of nature, tornados can strike with only a few minutes warning. In the plains of the U.S., many homeowners take extra precautions when building their houses, using reinforced glass and adding security to roofs and sidings. In New Hampshire, where tornados are less common, residents are more likely to prepare for heavy snows and flooding. As a resident of this state, it is important that you protect your investments by ensuring that your property is covered by tornado insurance.
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Significant New Hampshire Tornadoes
- In September 1821, a tornado half a mile wide killed six people and injured hundreds more, leaving thousands homeless.
- In July 1997, southwest NH was struck by a group of tornadoes including an EF1 that brought down trees and destroyed a building and the stables at Cheshire Fairgrounds in Swanzey, and an EF2 that struck Greenfield and caused a great deal of damage.
- In July 2008, an EF2 hit Epsom, Northwood, and Ossipee. One person was killed, 60 buildings were damaged or destroyed, and acres of forest were damaged. This was the worst tornado in state history.
What Is a Microburst?
A microburst is similar to a tornado in that it produced very strong and damaging winds. But, whereas a tornado has circular winds, microbursts travel in a straight line. This state is at high risk for these types of storms and has already experienced some that caused significant damage. Some microbursts contain winds reaching 175 mph, which can destroy buildings and down large trees.
In 1991, a microburst hit Stratham, killing five people and injuring eleven. The storm caused nearly $2.5 million in damages. In 1994, another storm hit Moultonborough and left a path of destruction measuring a half-mile wide and 4-6 miles long. In 1999, another storm hit the center of the state and killed two people. Whether winds are traveling in a circular motion or in a straight line, history proves they can be damaging and even deadly. Chances are, if you have coverage against tornado damage, you are also covered against microbursts.
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Do I Need New Hampshire Tornado Insurance?
If you already have insurance coverage for your property, you most likely already have tornado insurance. Most homeowners insurance providers will include coverage for damages caused by these destructive storms as part of their standard policies. There are exceptions, however. If you have a named-peril insurance policy and have not specifically named tornadoes among your covered events, you will not be able to collect compensation for damages if your home is struck by a twister.
Similarly, if you own a business, you may want to be sure that your company is properly covered against this type of damage. If you have continuation of income coverage, your business can continue to take in revenue even when temporarily closed down for repairs or if the roads to your business are impassable due to tornado damage. But you will only get this coverage if tornados are among the events covered by your policy.
It is important that you review your homeowners and business policies, paying particular attention to exclusions. If you find a coverage gap in a policy, you may want to consider supplementing it with an endorsement or looking for another provider that will include tornado coverage automatically. Other properties that New Hampshire residents may want to consider covering against tornado damage include cars, trucks, motorcycles, boats, and ATVs. In each case, simply including comprehensive coverage as part of your insurance policies on these items will provide you with suitable tornado insurance.
How Much New Hampshire Tornado Insurance Do I Need?
Tornado damage can be all-encompassing. If your home or business is in the tornado's path, you can expect to suffer a total loss. For this reason, it is important that you have sufficient coverage to allow you to completely rebuild and start anew. As a homeowner, this means ensuring that your contents coverage is sufficient to fully cover your personal property.
It is a good idea to review your coverage limits every three to five years as new purchases can add to the amount you wish to cover. Also, although it is more expensive, you may want to consider purchasing your coverage at replacement-cost value rather than at actual-cash value. If your compensation for lost or damaged property comes only at its actual, depreciated value, you may not have enough funds to permit to you easily refurnish a home.
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Find Affordable New Hampshire Tornado Insurance Quotes
Independent agents in our network will help you get the coverage you need. Your agent can review your currently-held policies with your check for coverage gaps. If gaps are found, your agent can work with several different highly-rated insurance companies to provide you with quotes for tornado insurance policies that can provide you with adequate coverage.
Contact an independent agent in our network today to learn more and to start comparing New Hampshire Tornado insurance quotes.