Mobile home insurance policies — sometimes referred to as manufactured home insurance — offer two main types of insurance coverage: physical damage coverage for the mobile home and your belongings, and personal liability coverage.
Mark Friedlander, director of corporate communications at the Insurance Information Institute (Triple-I), explains that these coverage options are generally available for the following types of mobile homes: mobile homes located in a park or on private property, commercial mobile homes, seasonally used mobile homes, and rental mobile homes.
If you have a mobile home in any of these locations, here’s what you need to know about getting home insurance.
Mobile home insurance isn’t required by law, but mortgage lenders may require it.
Mobile home insurance is usually more expensive than standard home insurance because mobile homes are more susceptible to damage from fire, wind, and theft.
A modular home isn’t the same thing as a manufactured or mobile home and generally requires different coverage.
Manufactured vs. mobile home insurance
The primary difference between manufactured and mobile homes is the date they were built. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development designates mobile homes as those built before June 15, 1976. Any homes built after that date are considered manufactured homes.
Both manufactured and mobile homes are typically constructed in a factory. They’re often built on metal frames rather than a basement or crawl space.
You might pay more to insure a mobile home than a manufactured home, since mobile homes are older. The age of your home is one of several factors that can affect your home insurance costs.
Why do you need mobile home insurance?
Mobile home insurance financially protects both the structure of your mobile home and your personal property. This coverage isn’t required by law, but if you have a mortgage on the mobile home, your lender will likely require you to have insurance.
“Just like any other property insurance policy, mobile home insurance should be purchased to financially protect you and your family from catastrophic losses,” Friedlander says.
Not having mobile home insurance can leave you on the hook for an expensive bill if your home is damaged or completely destroyed by fire, a severe weather event, or another peril.
Standard mobile home insurance policies don’t protect your mobile home while in transit. You may be able to purchase temporary coverage to insure the home and your personal belongings when moving it.
What mobile home insurance covers
Mobile home coverage typically provides protection against physical damage, personal liability, and loss of your property’s use. Here’s a deeper look at the coverages included in most mobile home policies.
What mobile home insurance doesn’t cover
Just like homeowners insurance, mobile home insurance doesn’t cover everything that could happen to your home.
Mobile home insurance generally excludes:
Flood damage: You typically need to buy separate flood insurance to help protect against flood damage. You can purchase a policy from some private insurers or through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). You should consider this coverage if you live in an area prone to flooding.[?]
Earthquake damage: You can usually buy earthquake coverage as an add-on benefit to your mobile home insurance policy. If you live somewhere prone to earthquakes, this type of coverage can potentially save you a lot of money. Like flood insurance, standard home insurance policies usually exclude earthquake coverage due to the expensive damage earthquakes can cause.
Damage from negligence or wear and tear: Mobile home insurance is designed to protect against accidental damage, so it excludes issues that relate to how someone maintains their mobile home. It won’t cover rust, mold, wet or dry rot, vermin, rodents, water damage from sewers, drain back-ups, or other damage that occurs from negligence, poor maintenance, or wear and tear.
Damage done while moving: Mobile home insurance policies don’t cover the home while it’s in transit. You’ll likely need a temporary policy or special endorsement for coverage during moves.
How much does mobile home insurance cost?
The cost of your mobile home insurance can range widely based on the insurer, your location, and more.
Some other factors that can influence how much you’ll spend on mobile home insurance include:
The age of the mobile home
The home’s condition
Security and safety features of the home
The home’s value
Coverage limits
Claims history of both the policyholder and the property
Deductibles
The value of your personal property
Whether you own or rent the lot your mobile home is on
Mobile home insurance discounts
Most insurance companies offer discounts that can help you reduce the cost of your coverage. They may offer these when you first take out the policy or at renewal.
Here’s a look at some discounts you might be able to get on your mobile home insurance policy:
New-home discount: Some insurers offer premium discounts for newly bought properties.
Tie-down/skirted discount: These discounts reduce your premium if you have your mobile home tied down and fully skirted.
Claim-free discount: If you made no insurance claims in the last policy period, you may be eligible for a discount at renewal.
Original owner discount: You may qualify for this discount if you’re the first and original owner of your property.
Multi-line discount: Insurers offer this discount to customers who have multiple policies with them. You can qualify by using the same insurance company for your mobile home insurance and car insurance, for example.
Retiree/senior discount: If you’re retired or age 55 or older, insurers may offer you a discount on your premium.
Security discount: Having protective devices in your home, like a security system or cameras, could also qualify you for a discount.
Where to buy mobile home insurance
Many different insurance companies offer mobile home insurance, including large companies like Allstate, GEICO, State Farm, and Progressive. Here are some of the best mobile home insurance companies to consider for your policy.
Allstate
American Family
American Modern Insurance Group
Farmers
How to get cheaper mobile home insurance
Leveraging discounts is one way to reduce your mobile home insurance premiums, but you have other options, too. Here are some strategies that may help you secure a lower premium:[?]
Compare several insurance companies. Once you know how much coverage you need, get quotes from multiple insurers and compare each company based on its rates and discounts. Using a reliable quote-comparison site can help streamline this process.
Choose a higher deductible. If you opt for a higher deductible, your premium will decline (and vice versa). Just make sure you have enough in savings to cover that deductible if you need to file a claim.
Make your home safer. Installing security devices or weather-resistant features can put your home at lower risk for theft and damage. This could also qualify you for lower premiums.
Boost your credit. Many states allow insurers to consider your credit history when pricing their policies, and they give lower rates to people with better credit.
You can also work with an independent insurance agent or broker to find the perfect policy for you. They can help you compare companies and premiums and ensure you get the best deal and the right coverage.
How to file a mobile home insurance claim
If a covered event damages your mobile home, you‘ll want to file a claim as soon as possible. The faster you file, the quicker you’ll get the funds needed to repair your property.
To file a claim, you’ll need to:
Call the police or fire department (if necessary). If someone vandalizes your home, it’s burglarized, or on fire, call the police and fire department. You’ll need to file an official report and submit this to your insurer.
Take photos and videos of the damage. Your insurer will want documentation of any damage done to the property.
Contact your insurance company. You’ll likely need to fill out a form to report the claim and give your insurer a detailed account of what happened. Be sure to have your policy number on hand when you make this call.
Meet the adjuster. Your insurance company will send out an adjuster to assess the damage and determine how much your policy will cover.
Once that’s all done, your insurance company will process your claim and send you a check for the amount covered. You can then use the funds to repair any damage done to your property or belongings. How long this process takes depends on your insurer and where you’re located. In Texas, for example, insurance companies must accept or reject your claim within 15 business days. Once they’ve accepted it, they have five business days to pay out.[?]
Keep in mind that filing a claim against your home insurance policy may increase your premiums come renewal time, though it depends on the nature and extent of the claim. It may also mean forgoing any claim-free discounts your insurer offers.
Mobile home insurance FAQs
If you still have questions about securing the best mobile home insurance policy, the information below may help.
Is mobile home insurance required?
Not legally. If you have a mortgage, your lender will likely require mobile home insurance. But federal and state laws don’t require it.
What makes a mobile home uninsurable?
No single factor makes a mobile home uninsurable. But if your mobile home was built before 1976, you may have a harder time getting coverage because mobile homes of that age weren’t built in line with Department of Housing and Urban Development safety standards. Some insurers may also decline to insure mobile homes that aren’t at least in fair condition.
Can you get flood insurance on your manufactured or mobile home?
Yes. You can get flood insurance on mobile and manufactured homes. In fact, your mortgage lender may require you to if you live in an area at high risk of flooding.
Can you get earthquake insurance on your manufactured or mobile home?
Yes. You can get earthquake insurance on a mobile home, and you may want to if you’re in an area where earthquakes occur frequently. You can also consider an open-peril policy.
How much mobile home insurance coverage do you need?
It depends. The amount of mobile home insurance you need varies on the value of your home and belongings, as well as your risk tolerance regarding paying out of pocket to replace belongings or repair your home if damage does occur.
Is it difficult to get manufactured home insurance?
Securing manufactured home insurance is fairly simple. Many large insurance companies offer this form of insurance, like Allstate, American Family, Farmers, GEICO, and Progressive.
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