For many NH homeowners and insurers, 2024 was a turbulent year. Premiums rose, and guidelines tightened as insurers tried to keep pace with inflation and more expensive claims payouts. This caused financial hardship for many NH homeowners even if they never filed a claim.
What is in store for 2025? Only time will tell, but we are trying to read the tea leaves so everyone can be prepared.
Overall, we expect some stabilization in the home insurance market; however, it will depend on your situation. Are you a
Over recent years, insurance companies experienced significant losses due to the frequency and severity of claims due to climate change. Even though such events were not apparent in NH, insurance is not a local market. Insurance companies also buy insurance (called re-insurance) to ensure they can cover catastrophic losses. (Think of it like insurance for the insurance company.)
Re-insurance companies operate nationally and globally, so if there are wildfires in the West or an earthquake overseas, we are all indirectly impacted.
Add the rising costs of settling claims due to inflation, and many companies have lost a lot of money insuring homes in NH and throughout the nation in recent years.
These events seemed to take hold in 2024 as we saw some insureds experience 30% or more premium increases.
For 2025, we expect some relief, as carriers have hopefully made up for some of the losses with significant premium increases in 2024. That said, we do not expect premiums to drop but instead not increase as much as in 2024.
As mentioned, insurance companies were experiencing increased costs due to claims. To rectify this, carriers not only increased premiums in 2024, but many also sent out inspectors to reduce the likelihood of future claims.
If an inspection came back unfavorable, the carrier would notify the homeowner of cancellation or non-renewal. In a typical insurance marketplace, we, as independent agents, could go to another carrier to find coverage. However, this tactic is no longer as easy, as most home insurance companies have taken a similar stance, especially if a non-renewal notice is issued.
We do not expect this trend to slow down in 2025. The least expensive claim is the one that never happens, so companies will continue to be selective about who they offer coverage to.
There is nothing wrong with trying to find a reasonable premium for your home insurance, but be aware that if your home is not in great shape, you may pay more than if you stayed with your current insurance company.
Here are some of the issues we have seen create problems:
If the home is new, has a newer roof, and is in great shape, it should not take more than a few days to secure coverage.
If the home is older or a fixer-upper, start looking for insurance early. If a new roof is needed now or in the next few years, consider negotiating with the seller or building those costs into your budget.
It is rare that we can not find coverage for a homeowner, but you may have to buy a policy that is considered nonstandard. A nonstandard policy is more expensive and offers less coverage than most home insurance policies. If you have no alternative to this market, work with your agent to find out what you need to do to have your home qualify for the standard market.
Wishing you all the best in 2025!