Mobile & Manufactured Home Insurance discounts and questions
Insures a factory-built home on a permanent chassis, whether it sits on leased space in a park or on land you own, against fire, wind, theft and liability. The policy form, and whether it pays replacement cost or actual cash value, depends mostly on the home's age and how it is anchored.
Discounts carriers commonly offer
- Anchoring and tie-downs
- A home anchored to the ground or a permanent foundation to the manufacturer's specification, verified by an inspection.
- Newer home
- Homes built recently, or fitted with a newer roof and updated wiring, are rated better than older ones.
- Multi-policy
- Auto or umbrella with the same carrier.
- Age-restricted community
- Some carriers rate homes in age-restricted communities in Arizona and Nevada more favourably.
- Claim-free and paid in full
- No claims over the carrier's look-back and paying the year up front.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between replacement cost and actual cash value on a manufactured home?
Replacement cost pays what a comparable new home costs, delivered and set, up to the limit. Actual cash value pays that amount less depreciation, and manufactured homes depreciate quickly in their first years, so on a total loss the payment can be a fraction of a new unit's price. Carriers offer replacement cost on newer homes and often only actual cash value once a home passes a certain age; when only actual cash value is available, the right move is to set the limit at the home's market value, not its replacement cost, so you are not paying premium for a limit that will not be paid.
The park requires me to carry insurance. What are they asking for?
Usually a liability limit written in the lease and proof that the home is insured, with the park listed as an additional interest so it is told if the policy cancels. A lender on the home will want to be listed as lienholder as well. The policy handles both with a few lines on the declarations page.
Does a homeowners policy work on a manufactured home?
Rarely. A standard home policy is built for a site-built house, and most carriers require a manufactured home to be written on a manufactured home form even when it sits on a permanent foundation on owned land. A home that has been retitled as real property and permanently affixed can sometimes be written on a home policy; it depends on the carrier and the foundation.
What happens if the home is a total loss in a park?
The policy pays the dwelling limit less deductible on the form's basis, plus debris removal to clear the lot, which the park will require. Loss of use carries living costs; if the coverage pays replacement cost, the carrier's payment includes delivery and setup of a comparable home. Space rent continues in the meantime, which is why the loss of use limit matters.
Is wildfire covered?
Fire is a covered peril on every form, including wildfire. What changes near the wildland edge in Idaho, Utah and northern Arizona is availability: some carriers decline new business in high-hazard areas, and a home with a metal roof, cleared defensible space and enclosed eaves is easier to place. The analysis checks which carriers write the address.
Does the policy cover my home while it is being moved?
Not unless transit coverage is added for the move. The standard form insures the home at the address on the declarations page and treats it as an uninsured object once it is on the road. Movers carry their own liability, but it is limited and covers their negligence, not everything that can go wrong.