Mobile homes are a popular housing option in the U.S. In fact, 22 million people in the U.S. live in mobile or manufactured homes, and a whopping 62% anticipate living there for more than ten years.
It makes sense. With housing costs on the rise in America, people are turning to other options for housing, and mobile and manufactured homes are affordable, practical options.
But can you get home insurance for manufactured homes, and is it worth it? We’ll dive into that and more, below.
Not to be confused with RV or trailer insurance, mobile home insurance is coverage for a more permanent residence and the coverage operates much like regular home insurance. In fact, mobile home insurance is more often called modular or manufactured homeowners insurance.
Offering you specialized coverage for your modular or manufactured home, this type of insurance will make sure you’re financially covered if anything should happen to your dwelling.
While there’s no legal requirement to get this kind of homeowner’s insurance for mobile homes, your mortgage company or mobile home community may require you to have coverage.
We’re going to dive into insurance for manufactured homes and modular homes so you can understand what is covered if you know you need it, and get an idea if you should have it if you don’t.
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There are two types of homes that fall under the vague umbrella of “mobile home”: modular homes and manufactured homes.
A modular home is constructed in a factory, trucked to a site, and assembled on a foundation. Modular homes are subject to local building codes.
A manufactured home is built on a wheeled steel frame in a factory and trucked to a site where it can be tied down or put on a foundation but it is subject only to HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) building standards.
Interestingly, however, according to HUD, only factory-built homes made before June 15, 1976, are considered mobile homes. After that, these factory-constructed homes are considered manufactured homes.
Regardless, all of these structures can benefit from homeowner’s insurance for mobile homes.
As mentioned, homeowner’s insurance for mobile homes covers most of the things covered by standard home insurance. You can customize your plan and add endorsements to make your policy fit your needs.
Here are the most common coverages offered under mobile home insurance.
Personal liability coverage can pay for lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. If your assets exceed the amount of coverage offered under your standard mobile home insurance quote, consider additional coverage so you don’t have to pay out-of-pocket in the event of an accident or incident.
Mobile home renters insurance is very similar to HO3 insurance for traditional homes.
If you’re living in your mobile or manufactured home for any amount of time, it’s important to have this coverage. It might be tempting to skip it, but for the peace of mind and financial protection alone, mobile home renters insurance is worth it.
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Usually, flooding and earthquakes are excluded from coverage, although you can purchase additional coverage for these. You’re also not going to be covered if the damage stemmed from neglect or general wear and tear wet or dry rot or damage from rodents and insects.
Maintaining your mobile or manufactured home is key to keeping your insurance intact and avoiding the risk of a denied claim, should anything happen.
Savings on your insurance can be gained by the installation of security devices, age of mobile home discounts, or bundling with your car insurance.
Simple! Just ask your insurance provider about discounts that could apply to you.
Whether you live in your mobile or manufactured home year round or just seasonally, it’s important to have mobile home renters insurance in place. Mobile and manufactured homes can be an affordable housing option, but not if disaster strikes and you’re on the hook for a hefty repair bill to pay out of pocket.
Start out by comparing mobile home insurance quotes online; it’s more affordable than you might think, and the protection is often worth the monthly premiums.
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Clothing and furniture, home & electronic appliances as well as shed or other unattached structures, medical costs and legal fees for lawsuits will be covered under mobile home insurance policy.
Mobile homes are specially built homes that can be moved from one place to another. Such type of a customary home is likely to suffer from vagaries of nature as well as unforeseen accidents. Mobile home insurance protects your property investment and thus, can give you real peace of mind.
It is always desirable to buy sufficient coverage so as to get protected against expenses that are likely to incur towards damages caused to mobile home and possessions inside it.
Your mobile home community can generally provide insurance about local conditions that might require extra coverages, but you should look into getting it if the area in which you live is prone to certain natural disasters like floods or earthquake.
If you are renting, the landlord should have coverage on the structure but you should insure the contents which are yours. If you have a mortgage, the financing agent will require it. Some mobile home communities may also have requirements about insurance as well.
Mobile, manufactured and modular homes are different from each other in terms of construction. Here’s how they differ:
(i) Mobile homes – Structure rests on blocks, no foundation wall.
(ii) Manufactured homes – Built with cheaper materials and less energy efficient.
(iii) Modular homes – Built with top quality material, highly energy efficient.
Hollay Ghadery Hollay Ghadery is a writer and editor who is passionate about financial literacy as a means to personal fulfillment. Hollay has over 18 years of experience creating content about a range of topics related to personal finance, including insurance, investing, banking, and credit cards. When Hollay isn't writing, she's spending time with her four children, two dogs, and three goats.
