What is mobile home insurance?

Owning a mobile home is a major investment, and that investment should be protected when possible. One way Massachusetts residents can protect these types of homes is by purchasing mobile home insurance.

Mobile home insurance is specialized homeowners insurance for manufactured homes. Policies take into account the construction and valuations of these homes.

What Massachusetts residents is manufactured home insurance right for?

Most Massachusetts residents who own a mobile or manufactured home should have manufactured home insurance. This tends to be the most appropriate type of insurance for these residences.

What coverages are available through manufactured home insurance policies?

The exact coverages that a manufactured home insurance policy provides are dictated by the terms and conditions of the policy. Most policies offer a variety of protections as either standard or optional features:

• Dwelling Coverage, which may cover the mobile home itself against damage and destruction
• Personal Property Coverage, which may cover belongings kept in or near a mobile home
• Loss of Use Coverage, which may cover alternative lodging if a mobile home is substantially damaged
• Personal Liability Coverage, which may cover common liability lawsuits filed against the policyholder

Policies can offer still other coverages. An insurance agent who specializes in manufactured home policies can help residents explore all of their coverage options.

Does manufactured home insurance cover floods?

Manufactured home policies generally exclude floods from their protections. Homes that are in high-risk flood areas normally have to purchase separate flood insurance, which is often available at a subsidized rate through the National Flood Insurance Program.

An insurance agent who’s familiar with manufactured home policies can also assist with flood insurance if the coverage is needed.

The same is generally true for earthquakes, although there isn’t a national program for earthquake policies and these are less frequently purchased in Massachusetts.

What are HO-7 homeowners insurance policies?

Mobile home owners might notice HO-7 on their insurance forms, or hear an insurance agent make reference to this code. 

Most homeowners insurance policies have codes that are used. The system is “HO + number,” and policies with identical codes generally provide similar protections.

HO-7 is the code that’s used for most mobile home policies. Other codes include HO-1, HO-2, HO-5 (single-family houses) and HO-8 (older houses).

How much are premiums for mobile home policies?

Premiums for mobile home policies vary, depending on a mobile home’s location, size, construction, age and many other factors. These policies tend to be much less than policies that are written for single-family houses, however, because mobile homes usually have lower estimated values.

One way to save on a mobile home policy by bundling the policy with other ones. Most insurance companies offer significant multi-policy discounts for customers who purchased two or more policies. A common policy to bundle with is auto insurance, although there are other policy types that can be used.

Residents can also ensure they’re getting the protection they need at a competitive rate by comparing policies with an independent insurance agent. Whereas captive agents are frequently connected with a specific insurance company, independent agents are not. Independent agents can thus help owners compare mobile home policies from several different insurers.

How can residents get mobile home insurance?

For help insuring a mobile home that’s located in Massachusetts, contact the independent insurance agents at Flavin & Flavin Insurance. Our agents are well-versed in all types of homeowners insurance, including mobile home insurance, and we’ll work closely with you to find a policy that provides robust protection at an affordable rate.