Roof storms & insurance claims in Franklin, NH
Radar recorded severe or damaging hail over Franklin, NH on 9 days in the last two years, the largest an estimated 1.06" on May 11, 2025. The storm's date is what decides a roof claim here, so check the exact date over your own address before you file.
8,823 residents · radar window 2024-07-19 to 2026-07-18
Radar figures are NOAA MRMS estimates of hail size aloft near the city centre — modeled, not measured, and never a confirmation that hail hit a specific roof. Verified events are NOAA’s quality-controlled Storm Events record; preliminary reports are spotter reports awaiting it.
City averages don’t decide claims — your address does.
Look up the exact storms whose swath crossed your roof in Franklin, with dates an adjuster can check.
The rules of the game in New Hampshire
Roofing and insurance are governed state by state — who may sell you a roof, what your deductible can look like, and how long you have to act all depend on New Hampshire law. Each item below cites where it comes from.
Roofer licensing in New Hampshire
New Hampshire does not license or register roofing contractors at the state level, and no state board issues a roofing or general home-improvement contractor license. There is no dollar-value threshold that triggers a state roofing license, because none exists; the state's Office of Professional Licensure and Certification regulates specific trades such as electricians, plumbers, and mechanical/gas fitters, but not roofers. Because there is no state license to verify, homeowners should instead confirm the roofer carries general liability and workers' compensation insurance, check that any required local building permit is pulled through the town or city building department, and verify the business is registered with the NH Secretary of State. Widely repeated online claims that a "Home Improvement Contractor" registration is required for jobs over $1,000 under RSA 310-A:188 are false: that statute governed home inspectors and was repealed effective July 1, 2024 (the $1,000 threshold is a Massachusetts requirement, not a New Hampshire one).
Public adjusters in New Hampshire
In New Hampshire, public adjusters (who represent you, the policyholder, not the insurance company) must be licensed under the state Insurance Commissioner (New Hampshire Insurance Department). Any public adjuster you hire must give you a written contract that discloses their fee and states that hiring one is optional and that you can still communicate directly with your insurer and your own attorney. State law does not cap the fee, but the contract may not let the adjuster collect the entire fee from the first insurance check rather than as a percentage of each payment you receive. You have the right to rescind the contract within three business days after the day you sign it, and anything of value you gave under the contract must be returned to you within 15 business days after your cancellation notice is received.
Source: New Hampshire RSA Chapter 402-D, Public Adjusters, §402-D:13 (NH General Court) (2026-07-19)
How wind & hail deductibles work here
In New Hampshire, home insurance policies generally do not carry a separate hurricane or named-storm deductible; as of June 2025, New Hampshire is not among the 19 states and Washington, D.C. where such storm-specific deductibles are in place (though neighboring Maine, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are). Wind and hail are typically covered perils under a standard homeowners policy and are subject to your one regular deductible. If a separate wind/hail deductible ever does appear, it is often written as a percentage (commonly ranging from about 1% to 15%) calculated on your home's insured value (dwelling coverage), not on the claim amount, so it can be far larger than a flat dollar deductible. Check your declarations page and ask your insurer to spell out any percentage or separate wind/hail deductible before a storm hits.
Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) — Hurricane Deductibles (2026-07-19)
Matching: must the insurer replace undamaged shingles?
New Hampshire has no matching law. The state has not enacted any statute or insurance regulation requiring an insurer to replace undamaged roofing or siding so that repairs match in color or appearance, and no controlling New Hampshire court decision establishes such a duty. Whether your insurer pays to match undamaged sections therefore depends on your specific policy's language, so read your replacement-cost and loss-settlement provisions and, if a claim is shorted on mismatched materials, you can dispute it or contact the New Hampshire Insurance Department consumer services division.
Roof age and your coverage
In New Hampshire, an insurer may refuse to write or renew a homeowners policy over roof condition only when there is clear evidence of actual property degradation or damage. It may not do so solely based on cosmetic issues such as roof discoloration. If aerial imagery does not conclusively demonstrate degradation or damage sufficient to justify the refusal, or if the applicant/insured disputes the insurer's determination, the insurer must conduct a follow-up physical inspection to verify its findings. This is NHID underwriting guidance; separately, an ACV-versus-replacement-cost payout on an older roof is governed by your specific policy language, not by a roof-age statute.
Source: New Hampshire Insurance Department Bulletin, Docket #INS 25-016-AB, "Aerial Imagery and Refusal to Write or Renew" (Commissioner D.J. Bettencourt), issued Feb 19, 2025 (2025-02-19)
Deadlines that decide claims
In New Hampshire, homeowners policies incorporate the state's standard fire policy, which requires you to file any lawsuit against your insurer within 12 months after the inception of the loss, so do not let a dispute drag past that one-year deadline. Your insurer must acknowledge your claim within 10 working days, begin investigating within 5 working days of receiving notice, and make a complete coverage decision within 30 days of receiving notice of the claim. Once you and the insurer agree on payment, the company must pay within 5 working days of that agreement (or within 5 working days of receiving any documentation it requested).
Source: N.H. RSA 407:22 (standard fire policy 12-month suit limitation) and N.H. Admin. Code Ins 1002.05 (claims settlement time limits) (2026-07-19)
Insurer of last resort
New Hampshire does not have a FAIR Plan, beach/wind pool, or any state-run insurer of last resort for property owners who cannot get standard coverage. If your home is turned down or non-renewed by regular carriers, the path is the private market instead: work with an independent agent to shop admitted insurers, and if none will write the risk, a surplus lines (non-admitted) carrier can usually cover a high-risk or storm-damaged roof, though typically at a higher price and with fewer consumer protections. There is no last-resort government plan to fall back on, so keeping your roof and home well maintained and documented is what keeps you insurable.
Source: Insurance Information Institute (III) — Insurance Provided by FAIR Plans by State, Fiscal Year 2024 (2026-07-19)
Buying or selling: what must be disclosed
New Hampshire law does not require a seller to complete a general property-condition disclosure form or to affirmatively disclose the roof's condition. Under RSA 477:4-a through 477:4-d, a seller must give written disclosure or notification of only specific items: the private water supply system (477:4-c/4-d), the private sewage disposal system (477:4-c/4-d), insulation (477:4-d), whether the property lies in a federally designated flood hazard zone (477:4-d), and notification about radon, arsenic, lead, PFAS, and flood risk (477:4-a). Beyond these, New Hampshire follows caveat emptor ("buyer beware"), so a buyer should obtain an independent roof inspection rather than rely on a seller statement. A seller still may not knowingly misrepresent or actively conceal a known defect.
Source: New Hampshire Revised Statutes RSA 477:4-a through 477:4-d (NH General Court) (2026-07-19)
What homeowners pay here
In New Hampshire, the average annual premium for a standard homeowners policy (the HO-3 owner-occupied form most homeowners carry) was $1,188 in 2022, according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Across all owner-occupied homeowners policy forms combined, the statewide average was $1,207. New Hampshire runs below the national average, but your own premium depends on your home's value, location, roof condition, and coverage limits.
When the insurer won't move: file a complaint
In New Hampshire, complaints against an insurer are handled by the New Hampshire Insurance Department through its Consumer Services Unit. First try to resolve the issue directly with your insurance company, agent, or broker; if that fails, file a complaint with the Department using its online Consumer Complaint Form or the printable form (mailed or faxed). You can also reach the Consumer Services Unit at 800-852-3416 or consumerservices@ins.nh.gov. By law (RSA 400-A:16 II), the insurer must respond to the Department within ten business days of receiving the complaint.
Source: New Hampshire Insurance Department — Filing a Complaint (2026-07-19)
Worth knowing
Since 1980, New Hampshire has been hit by 21 billion-dollar weather disasters, and 11 of them — more than half — were winter storms, which also account for roughly 70% of the total damage costs. For homeowners, this means the biggest threat to your roof is not summer hail but cold-season snow load, ice dams, and nor'easters. Before winter, have your roof and attic insulation and ventilation checked to prevent ice dams, and clear heavy snow buildup after major storms to reduce structural strain.
Source: NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), Billion-Dollar Weather and Climate Disasters — New Hampshire state summary (1980–2024) (2026-07-18)