Mobile Home Insurance: Do You Need It and What It Covers
Mobile Home Insurance: Do You Need It and What It Covers
Mobile home insurance, also known as manufactured home insurance, is much like a standard homeowners insurance policy in the sense that it provides financial protection in the event that your home is damaged. While it's not required by law, mortgage companies and mobile home communities may require that homeowners purchase coverage.
The exact coverage that a mobile home insurance policy provides depends on which policy you purchase, but policies typically protect your home and personal belongings, and offer liability coverage. Policies vary in price even among the best mobile home insurance companies, so comparing multiple quotes is often the best way to find cheap mobile home insurance.
How to find a cheap mobile home insurance quote
Find Cheap Mobile Home Insurance Quotes in Your Area
Searching for mobile home insurance quotes can be challenging, as a lot of well-known insurance companies don't provide quotes online. For instance, State Farm and Allstate, two of the nation's largest homeowners insurance companies, require homeowners to speak to a representative to get a mobile home insurance quote.
If you're interested in collecting quotes online, consider Geico mobile home insurance and Progressive mobile home insurance, both of which offer policies through Assurant.
The cost of mobile home insurance largely depends on the insured home's area, age and coverage limits. However, the best way to find cheap mobile home insurance is by comparing quotes. If you're having trouble finding mobile home insurance quotes online, consider reaching out to an independent agent in your area. As a reference, below we provide sample annual mobile home insurance premiums based on varying coverage limits for a property in Texas.
Cost of mobile home insurance by dwelling coverage
Dwelling coverage limit | Annual cost |
|---|---|
| $50,000 | $1,200 |
| $60,000 | $1,284 |
| $70,000 | $1,330 |
| $80,000 | $1,371 |
| $90,000 | $1,407 |
Do you need mobile home insurance?
Mobile home insurance isn't required by law, but mortgage companies and mobile home parks may require proof of insurance before working with you.
Therefore, anyone who intends to get a mortgage or place their home in a mobile home park should check requirements and at least look into mobile home insurance.
Considering that a new manufactured home in the U.S. costs an average of $92,600, we recommend purchasing mobile home insurance to protect your home and belongings. While policies can be costly, forgoing coverage means putting yourself at risk of a large financial loss.
What about modular home insurance?
While manufactured homes and modular homes are both built in factories, they have very little in common beyond that. Mobile home insurance and modular home insurance policies apply to two different types of homes — meaning if you have one, then you don't need the other.
To help you determine whether you'll need to purchase manufactured home insurance or modular home insurance, below we provide a list of the common features of the two types of homes.
Common characteristics of manufactured homes | Common characteristics of modular homes |
|---|---|
| Delivered to the property in one piece. | Often delivered to the property in multiple pieces. |
| Typically built on a metal frame. | Typically built on a more traditional foundation with a crawl space or basement. |
| Can sit on non-permanent foundations. | Need to sit on more permanent foundations. |
| Often look boxy, like trailers. | Looks like a traditional home. |
If you're still having trouble figuring out which type of home you have, look for a certification label, also referred to as a Housing and Urban Development (HUD) tag. The HUD tag is a small metal plate that is attached to the outside of a manufactured home. Alternatively, ask your prospective insurance company to help you determine which type of home you have.
What does mobile home insurance cover?
Mobile home insurance includes all of the coverage afforded by a typical homeowners insurance policy, including protections for your dwelling and property.
Mobile home insurance coverage is highly similar to a standard homeowners insurance policy. Manufactured home insurance provides coverage for the policyholder's home and belongings, and it includes liability protection.
Mobile home insurance companies allow policyholders to customize their policies through endorsements, which supplement a standard policy. Endorsements provide coverage that doesn't come standard with a homeowners insurance policy, such as debris removal and water damage from sewers.
Manufactured homes are prone to damage by fire. Check whether your policy covers this peril. Policyholders can also set unique coverage limits. Here are the main coverages offered by homeowners insurance for mobile homes.
Dwelling coverage: This coverage helps pay to rebuild or repair the physical structure of your home if it's damaged by a covered peril. For example, if a fire causes a wall in your mobile home to collapse, it would fall under dwelling coverage. Other structures that are covered under dwelling coverage include your roof and a deck that is attached to your mobile home.
Personal property: Mobile home insurance provides protection for your personal belongings, whether they are damaged or stolen. For instance, if a burglar breaks into your mobile home and steals your laptop, you would be covered. Keep in mind that you would have to pay a deductible to make a claim.
Liability protection: This coverage protects you if someone is injured on your property. For example, if your neighbor is struck by a falling tree branch on your property, you could be held liable. With this coverage, your insurance company would cover legal defense fees and can pay damages if you're found to be liable. Your insurance company would only offer financial protection up to your coverage limit.
Other structures: Mobile home insurance policies often include coverage for permanent structures that aren't permanently attached to your home, like a garage or a tool shed.
Additional living expense: If you're unable to live in your home due to a covered loss, this coverage provides you with compensation for additional expenses while living elsewhere. For instance, if there's a fire in your mobile home, your insurance company would pay for the cost of a hotel, up to your coverage limit.
Insurance for older mobile homes
Unfortunately, getting insurance for older mobile homes can often be difficult and costly because mobile homes built before 1976 had unregulated building standards. HUD developed the Manufactured Home Construction and Safety Standards (MHCSS) in 1976. Homes built after June 15, 1976, are called manufactured homes, and those built before that date are referred to as mobile homes.
Nevertheless, homeowners looking to get insurance for older mobile homes should contact an independent agent. While getting quotes for mobile homes online is difficult, it becomes increasingly difficult for older mobile homes. An independent agent can likely get you a quote for a mobile home insurance company in your area. You may have to purchase coverage through a regional insurance company rather than a national one.
Best mobile home insurance companies
Find Cheap Mobile Home Insurance Quotes in Your Area
There are a few top-rated mobile home insurance companies that stand out due to their comprehensive coverage options. The best mobile home insurance companies are:
Assurant Mobile Home Insurance: Assurant is one of the top-rated mobile home insurance companies because it serves as a one-stop shop for policyholders. Assurant provides policyholders with coverage for perils that aren't typical in other mobile home insurance policies, such as floods and earthquakes.
While these coverages can be added through other mobile home insurance companies, they come standard with Assurant mobile home insurance — which is both unusual and useful.
Foremost Mobile Home Insurance: For more than 65 years, Foremost has been insuring mobile homes. But what makes it one of the best mobile home insurance companies is its breadth of options. Policyholders can sign up for a standard mobile home insurance policy, but they can also add a ton of endorsements.
One of its best endorsements is optional replacement cost. The endorsement allows policyholders to replace damaged items with new ones without a deduction for depreciation, up to 20% of the amount of insurance on the home. While this option is typical for a standard homeowners policy, it's not often seen in mobile home insurance.
Frequently asked questions
Are manufactured home insurance and mobile home insurance the same?
Manufactured home insurance is the same as mobile home insurance. The difference between the two types is that manufactured homes were constructed after June 15, 1976, when the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) implemented more rigid standards. It can be harder to get insurance for mobile homes built before 1976, so you might need to look for a more specialized insurer.
Is mobile home insurance required?
Mobile home insurance is not required by law. However, if you have a mortgage or live in a mobile home community, you may be required to purchase a policy.
Can you get a mobile home insurance quote online?
You can get a mobile home insurance quote online, but not from every company. Assurant, which sells policies through Geico and Progressive, offers quotes online. Some large insurers, such as State Farm and Allstate, require you to call for a quote.
What's the difference between modular and mobile homes?
Modular homes are assembled in multiple pieces and more closely resemble traditional homes. Mobile or manufactured homes are assembled in one piece and are often built on a metal frame. Owners of modular homes should get standard home insurance policies instead of mobile home policies.
Methodology
We collected sample quotes from Assurant, through Geico, for a mobile home in Texas. Your rates will likely differ. Coverage limits used for quotes are listed below:
Coverage | Limits |
|---|---|
| Dwelling coverage | Value of the home |
| Adjacent structure | $3,500 |
| Personal property | $20,000 |
| Personal liability | $50,000 |
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