Service of Process Guidelines
The mission of the New Hampshire Insurance Department is to promote and protect the public good by ensuring the existence of a safe and competitive insurance marketplace through the development and enforcement of the insurance laws of the State of New Hampshire. We are committed to doing so in an honest, effective and timely manner.
Please Note:
If you are filing a Small Claims Action, information can be found here:
The New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner may receive service on behalf of all foreign insurance companies that are licensed in New Hampshire. To serve the Commissioner, read the following instructions:
- Confirm the company is licensed in New Hampshire. You can do this by doing a search through the State-Based Systems. This list is updated quarterly and provides the correct legal name of the company for service.
- Determine if the insurance company is a domestic or foreign insurance company by viewing the State-Based Systems. See below for *Domestic Company Registered Agent Information or * Foreign Company Registered Agent Information for specific requirements on the process.
Include a $25.00 service fee for each company being served. Two copies of each service are required. Make checks payable to "Treasurer, State of NH". Payment must accompany the documents being served.
*Domestic Company Registered Agent Service Instructions
I. Once you determine the insurance company is a domestic company, find the registered agent information for the company using the New Hampshire Secretary of State Corporate Division link below:
II. Type in the company name to obtain the registered agent name, then click on the entity name or business ID number.
III. If the registered agent information is not listed, contact the Insurance Department for further instructions.
IV. Serve domestic companies directly by serving the registered agent.
*Foreign Company Registered Agent Service Instructions
Once you determine the insurance company is a foreign company, send process to the New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner. The New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner is appointed to receive service on behalf of all foreign insurance companies licensed to do business in New Hampshire. Complete a company search using the company list link above. This list is updated quarterly and will provide the proper legal name of the company for service of process.
The documents served must provide the full and correct legal name of the insurance company (the correct legal name of the insurer is listed on the declarations page of the policy). Note: service cannot be accepted if the correct legal name of the insurance company is not used. For example, ABC Insurance Corporation and ABC Life Inc. may advertise under the name "ABC Insurance Group", but service must be made to "ABC Insurance Corporation and ABC Life Inc." and not to "ABC Insurance Group".
To serve a foreign insurance company, deliver two copies of the applicable documents (summons and petition by the sheriff of Merrimack County, New Hampshire) to the New Hampshire Insurance Department. The documents must list the full and correct legal name of the insurance company (the correct legal name of the insurer is listed on the declarations page of the policy). Deliver Service of Process to: New Hampshire Insurance Commissioner, 21 South Fruit Street, Suite 14, Concord, NH 03301.
Service will be rejected for any of the following reasons:
- If service is attempted on an individual or an insurance agency, we will not accept service.
- If the name of the company on the summons is not the full and correct legal name of the company.
- If the service fee is not included.
Contact the Department if you have additional questions on service of process. Web Page Symbol
RSA 405:10 – Foreign Insurance Companies
RSA 406-B:4 – Unauthorized Insurance
RSA 400-A:29 – Fee Schedule
Companies can change registered agent information by using the UCAA Form available through the National Association of Insurance Commissioners.