Mobile Home Insurance: Cost, Coverage and Best Companies
Mobile home insurance covers your mobile or manufactured home, your stuff and guests who are injured on your property.
Mobile home insurance can cost several hundred to several thousand dollars per year, depending on where you live. If you have a mortgage or live in a mobile home park, you might be required to have a policy.
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What is mobile home insurance?
Mobile or manufactured home insurance covers your home’s structure, your belongings and liability if someone is hurt on your property. Also called an HO-7 policy, it works similarly to homeowners insurance but is designed specifically for factory-built homes, including mobile and manufactured homes.
How much is mobile home insurance?
Mobile home insurance rates can range from under $1,000 per year to nearly $2,500.
Quotes depend on lots of factors, including where you live, the features of your home, the company you choose and how much coverage you need.
For example, a $63,000 mobile home in Indianapolis costs an average of $969 per year to insure. But the same mobile home in Austin costs $1,607 per year to insure.
That's because mobile homes are cheaper to insure in areas where damage is less common. Because Austin gets more severe weather than Indianapolis, mobile homes are more likely to be damaged, so insurance rates are higher.
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Cost of mobile home insurance by company
Company | Annual rate | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Assurant | $969 | |
| American Modern | $1,025 | |
| Foremost | NR | $1,607 |
Average annual costs for a 10-year-old single-wide mobile home located in a park.
How to save on mobile home insurance
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What does mobile home insurance cover?
Mobile home insurance covers damage to your home and your personal property from events like fires, wind and water.
Mobile home insurance coverage is similar to a regular homeowners insurance policy. Many common events are covered, but not everything.
For example, if a storm damages your roof and water leaks inside, both the roof and the water damage are covered. But mobile home insurance doesn't cover flood or earthquake damage.
Mobile home insurance policies have several parts that protect your home in different ways.
Dwelling coverage helps pay to repair or rebuild your mobile home if it's damaged. Dwelling coverage includes the structure of your mobile home, such as the walls, roof and floor, and anything attached, like stairs or a porch. There are two types of dwelling insurance companies typically offer for mobile homes: actual cash value and replacement cost coverage.
- A policy with actual cash value (ACV) coverage pays to fix or replace your mobile home based on its current value, which includes wear and tear due to age. So you may not get enough money from the insurance company to fully fix or replace your home after damage. This is especially true for older mobile homes.
- A policy with replacement cost coverage pays to fully repair or replace your home, regardless of its current condition. This coverage typically costs more, but you get a lot more protection.
Other structures coverage, also called adjacent structure coverage, is for buildings or structures not attached to your home, like fences, sheds and garages. Things like fire, windstorms, vandalism and theft are covered, just like with the mobile home itself.
Personal property coverage protects the belongings you keep inside your mobile home. This includes your furniture, clothing, electronics and household tools. If you have expensive things like fine jewelry or collectibles, you should insure them separately with an add-on to make sure you have enough coverage.
Liability and medical payments coverage pay the medical bills if someone is hurt at your mobile home. Medical payments coverage pays even if the injury isn't your fault, and liability coverage kicks in if you're found responsible. Liability also pays for damage you cause to someone's belongings.
Additional living expense, also called loss of use coverage, pays for you to live somewhere else if your mobile home is damaged and it's unsafe to live there. It could pay for a rental home or apartment, for example. It can also pay for things like food and laundry.
You can usually get more coverage with add-ons, also called endorsements or floaters. Common add-ons include coverage for expensive jewelry and identity theft.
What type of policy covers mobile homes?
Mobile homes are usually covered by a home insurance policy called an HO-7. This type of policy is similar to a standard homeowners insurance policy (HO-3) but is designed specifically for factory-built homes like mobile and manufactured homes.
Most mobile home insurance policies protect the structure of your home against risks specifically listed in your policy, such as fire, windstorm, hail, lightning or vandalism. This is called a "named-peril policy." Some companies offer broader coverage that protects against all risks except those specifically excluded, known as an "open peril policy."
Best mobile home insurance companies
Allstate, Assurant and Foremost are the best mobile home insurance companies.
But mobile home quotes can be hard to get online. It's a good idea to contact a local insurance agent to get a quote. An independent agent can also get quotes from several companies to help you find the best coverage and the best price.
Why it's great
Allstate is great if you prefer to work with a major insurance company. Allstate is one of the few major insurance companies that underwrites its own mobile and manufactured home insurance, so you won't be passed off to a partner company. In addition, it offers lots of coverage add-ons to help personalize your policy.
Why it's great
Assurant is great if you want to get a mobile home insurance quote online. Several major insurance companies — including Geico, Progressive and Liberty Mutual — use Assurant for their mobile home coverage.
Why it's great
Foremost has a ton of options for extra coverage, like replacement cost, coverage for trees and shrubs and home business coverage. It also insures older mobile homes. Since older homes are at a higher risk for damage, getting quotes can be tough.
Other companies that offer mobile home insurance
*These companies offer mobile home insurance through a partner, such as Assurant, American Modern or Foremost.
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Do you need mobile home insurance?
If you have a mortgage or loan on your mobile home, you have to have insurance.
Mobile home parks might also require a policy with a certain amount of liability coverage.
There's no law that says you have to have mobile home insurance if your mortgage is paid off and if your park doesn't require it. But getting a mobile home policy is usually a good idea. A new mobile home costs roughly $123,000 in the U.S. That's a big investment, and insurance helps you rebuild if it's damaged.
Mobile vs. manufactured vs. modular homes
Mobile and manufactured homes are essentially the same thing. "Mobile home" refers to a home built before June 15, 1976. After that date, the same type of home was called a "manufactured home."
Mobile and manufactured homes are completely built in factories and then shipped to a building site. They don't usually have permanent foundations. Because they're shipped whole, they only come in a few standard shapes and sizes. Usually, they're rectangular.
Modular homes are different. These homes are built in pieces, which are then shipped to building sites. Because they aren't shipped whole, they can be any size or shape. They also usually have a permanent foundation, like a slab or a basement. Once a modular home is built, it's hard to tell the difference between it and a home that was built completely on the building site.
Mobile or manufactured homes | Modular homes |
|---|---|
| Delivered to the property in one piece | Delivered to the property in multiple pieces |
| Typically built on a metal frame | Built on a slab, crawl space or basement |
| Usually boxy and rectangular | Can be any size or shape |
If you're not sure what kind of home you have, look for a small metal plate with a label number. This is the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) tag, and it's usually on the outside of your home. Homes with this tag are mobile or manufactured homes.
Do I need different insurance coverage for my mobile home?
Your mobile home may need more specialized coverage if it was built before 1976 or you use it as a vacation or rental home.
Insurance for older mobile homes
If your mobile home was built before June 15, 1976, it may not meet modern safety requirements. That's because there weren't any federal construction standards for mobile homes prior to 1976.
The lack of safety requirements makes these homes a greater risk for fire and wind damage or structural issues. For that reason, some insurance companies won’t insure homes built before 1976. Others may charge higher rates or limit coverage.
If you have an older mobile home, you may need to work with a specialty insurance company, like American Modern or Foremost. You should consider working with an independent insurance agent who can recommend companies that cover older homes in your area.
Insurance for seasonal or vacation mobile homes
If you only live in your mobile home part of the year, you may need a seasonal policy. Homes that are empty for long periods are riskier for insurance companies to protect because they're more likely to experience theft, vandalism or unnoticed damage from water leaks.
If you live in your mobile home part-time, you may need a company that specializes in seasonal, vacation or vacant mobile homes. For example, American Modern's basic policy covers vacant mobile homes.
Insurance for rental mobile homes
If you rent out your mobile home, a standard insurance policy likely won’t provide enough protection. You're typically better off buying landlord insurance, which will cover damage to your home along with loss of rental income if something happens to it.
You should consider insurance companies that sell both mobile home and landlord insurance, such as Allstate and Foremost.
Trip collision coverage for mobile homes
If you’re moving your mobile home to a new location, you may need trip collision coverage. This coverage pays for damage to your home caused by an accident while it's being towed.
Many companies offer this as an add-on to your standard mobile home insurance policy, including Allstate, Foremost and Progressive.
Frequently asked questions
How much is mobile home insurance?
Mobile home insurance costs vary from a few hundred dollars a year to several thousand. It depends on where you live, your home itself and how much coverage you need.
Why is it harder to insure a manufactured home?
Mobile and manufactured homes are more likely to be damaged than traditional homes. For example, mobile homes often aren't attached to a permanent foundation, which makes it more likely that strong winds can blow them over. Not all insurance companies will write policies for mobile homes because of the higher risk of damage.
What makes a mobile home uninsurable?
There isn't a single definition of what makes a mobile home uninsurable. But there are things that can make it harder to find insurance. If your mobile home was built before 1976, if it has outdated wiring or plumbing or if you have filed more than one claim in the past, you might have trouble finding a policy. Working with a local agent can help.
Methodology
ValuePenguin collected sample quotes from American Modern, Assurant and Foremost through Progressive, for a 2016 mobile home in Austin, Indianapolis and Mesa. The home was 16 feet wide and 60 feet long, located in a mobile home park. It was also used as a primary residence. The quotes used these coverage limits:
Coverage | Limit |
|---|---|
| Dwelling coverage | $51,000 to $63,000 |
| Personal liability | $100,000 |
| Medical payments | $1,000 |
| Deductible | $1,000 |
Rates should be used for comparative purposes only. Your rates will be based on your unique situation.
About the Author
Senior Writer
Lindsay Bishop is a Senior Writer at ValuePenguin, where she educates readers about home, auto, renters, flood and motorcycle insurance.
Lindsay began her career in the insurance and financial industry in 2010. She was a licensed auto, home, life and health insurance agent and held Series 6 and 63 financial licenses.
After a hiatus from the financial sector, Lindsay returned to the industry as a content writer for ValuePenguin in 2021. She enjoys having the opportunity to help readers make smart decisions about their insurance so they can be prepared for anything life throws their way.
When Lindsay isn't writing about insurance, you can find her spending time with family, enjoying the outdoors on Sunday long runs or riding her Peloton.
How insurance helped Lindsay
As a homeowner for 15 years located in South Carolina, Lindsay has plenty of experience navigating the coastal insurance market and managing the claims process. That includes successfully negotiating a full roof replacement claim.
Expertise
- Home insurance
- Car insurance
- Flood insurance
- Renters insurance
- Motorcycle insurance
Referenced by
- CNBC
- Yahoo Finance
- Miami Herald
Education
- BS/BA Economics, University of Nevada Las Vegas
Editorial Note: The content of this article is based on the author's opinions and recommendations alone. It has not been previewed, commissioned or otherwise endorsed by any of our network partners.
