Mobile home insurance at a glance
- If you own a mobile or manufactured home in Florida, you're not required by law to have mobile home insurance. However, if you financed it or live in a mobile home park, you're probably going to need a policy.
- Mobile home insurance covers the structure of your unit, as well as your belongings, liability and more.
In this article
What companies provide mobile home insurance in Florida?
American Traditions is the biggest provider of mobile and manufactured home insurance in Florida, with 23% of the mobile home insurance market share in the state. American Traditions and Citizens and Foremost are the second- and third-largest, respectively.
| Company name | Market share | 2022 NAIC Complaint Index (lower is better) |
|---|---|---|
| American Traditions | 23% | 6.6 |
| Citizens | 19% | 4.3 |
| Foremost | 18% | 0.5 |
| Safe Harbor | 6% | 3.1 |
| Tower Hill | 5% | 0.6 |
| Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation, QUASR Third Quarter Report 2022. Complaint Index from NAIC. | ||
Mobile homes and manufactured homes may seem similar, but there's a significant difference. The term "manufactured home" refers to a mobile home built after June 15, 1976. This is when the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development started regulating the construction standards for them.
Due to the lack of regulation in mobile homes built before 1976, some insurance companies will not underwrite coverage for them. While there are providers who will cover older mobile homes, the rates are often higher than what you would pay to cover a manufactured home. If you're looking for older mobile home insurance, Citizens and Foremost are good choices.
What are Florida's mobile home insurance requirements?
Florida state law does not require you to carry mobile home insurance, but if you purchased your mobile home through a lender, it will probably require a policy. A lot of mobile home communities require you to carry mobile home insurance as well, whether you own the home or not.
Flooding is a common occurrence in Florida. Unfortunately, flood damage is excluded from all mobile home insurance policies. If you financed your home and live in a federally designated high-risk flood zone, your lender will probably require you to purchase a separate flood insurance policy to protect its investment. Even if you don't have a mortgage, flood insurance is a good investment if you live in a high-risk area.
If you live in a high-risk wind zone in Florida, you may find wind damage excluded from your policy. There are providers that offer mobile home insurance with wind damage coverage, but it is often expensive. Below is a table showing the annual rates for mobile home insurance with and without wind coverage.
| Company | Annual rate with wind insurance | Annual rate without wind insurance |
|---|---|---|
| American Traditions | $1,149 | $489 |
| Citizens | $1,355 | $283 |
| Foremost | $1,650 | $344 |
| Safe Harbor | $1,407 | $277 |
| Tower Hill | $1,333 | $450 |
If you live in a coastal area of Florida, or a part of the state where wind pools are a high risk, your provider may exclude windstorm damage from your policy. In that case, it's recommended that you purchase windstorm insurance as a separate policy.
How does mobile home insurance in Florida work?
A mobile home insurance policy, also known as an HO-7 policy, provides coverage for:
- The structure of the mobile home, including roof, windows and attached structures
- Other structures, such as a shed or detached carport
- Your personal property
- Loss of use, if you need to relocate while repairs are done
- Personal liability
- Medical payments
If your mobile home doesn't qualify for a full HO-7 policy, you may be able to get reduced coverage in the form of a dwelling policy. This only covers the structure and attached structure of your home.
Mobile home insurance coverage options
When getting a mobile home insurance quote, one of the first things you'll want to figure out is your dwelling coverage. A basic mobile home insurance policy usually covers your home at its actual cash value. This is the value of your home minus depreciation. Many providers offer an upgrade to replacement cost coverage. It's more expensive, but will cover full replacement of the mobile home itself with one of equal kind and quality.
Replacement cost policies only apply to the dwelling itself. If you have a replacement cost policy, your personal property will only be covered at actual cash value. Some mobile home insurance companies, however, do offer upgrades to replacement cost for personal property.
Another choice you're going to want to make is whether you want open-peril or named-peril coverage. Open-peril policies cover damage caused by any cause not excluded by name in writing. Named-peril policies only cover damage caused by perils listed in your mobile home insurance policy.
While a named-peril policy may seem limited, the list of perils it provides coverage for is extensive. This type of policy often includes coverage against fire, theft, vandalism and many other common perils. Named-peril policies are usually less expensive than open-peril policies as well.
When figuring out your personal property coverage, the best way to make sure you get the correct amount of coverage is to compile a home inventory list. The list should include the name and description of the item, serial or ID numbers when available and the cost of the item. It can be a chore to put together the list the first time, but it's simple to update after that. An inventory list can even speed up a payout after filing a claim.
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