Florida mobile home insurance

What’s considered a mobile home in Florida

A mobile home is built in a factory and then moved to a home site (typically a mobile home park) where other mobile homes are situated — hence its “mobile” label. It is designed to move —  at least in the initial stages — although doing so can be a slow and laborious process. Mobile homes are typically smaller and built on a steel chassis with wheels.

A mobile home could also be referred to as a manufactured home, although they are not technically the same thing. The main difference between manufactured and mobile homes is the date of construction. Mobile homes were constructed on or before June 15, 1976. Manufactured homes are the modern version of the mobile home, built to the standards set by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Florida statutes define a mobile home as a structure at least eight feet wide that comprises transportable sections on a chassis. The structure must be designed to be a dwelling that hooks up to utilities like electricity, plumbing, heating and cooling. In addition to being manufactured before June 15, 1976, the mobile home must have been assembled at the building site (not transported fully built).

Is mobile home insurance required in Florida?

Florida state law doesn’t require you to carry mobile home insurance, but if you’re financing your mobile or manufactured home, the lienholder likely requires coverage. Even if you decide to drop insurance once you’ve paid off the home, it may still be a very good idea to have home insurance while you’re making monthly payments on the home.

Before you decide whether to get home insurance or forgo it altogether, you may want to read up on your mobile home community’s regulations since some require residents to have manufactured homeowners insurance.

What does mobile home insurance cover in Florida?

A mobile home policy, although designating a different structure, is similar to a homeowners insurance policy. In general, Florida manufactured home policies provide coverage for perils like wind, theft, fire, explosions and snow. Like home insurance, flood coverage is not included. Mobile homeowners who want peace of mind during hurricane season would need to purchase a separate flood insurance policy.

Insurance for mobile homes in Florida typically includes:

• Dwelling: This coverage is for the physical structure of your mobile home.
• Detached structures: This includes insurance for detached structures such as awnings, fences or carports.
• Personal property: This covers your contents and belongings against loss or damage due to covered perils.
• Liability: This pays for damages that you cause to the property of others, as well as legal and judgment expenses from lawsuits if someone is injured at your home.
• Medical expense payments: This coverage pays for medical bills if a visitor is injured while at your property, regardless of whether you are found at fault or not.
• Loss of use (also called additional living expenses coverage): This helps reimburse living expenses while your mobile home is uninhabitable due to a covered loss. It includes reasonable costs such as a hotel stay or apartment rental and meals until you can move back into your manufactured home.
• Sinkhole loss: Some manufactured home policies include sinkhole insurance automatically, or you may be able to add it by endorsement. The coverage would pay for damages caused to a manufactured home’s structure due to a confirmed sinkhole.

Where to find mobile home insurance in Florida

Not all insurance providers offer manufactured home coverage in the Sunshine State. These are some of the companies writing new policies in Florida currently:

• American Traditions
• Citizens
• Florida Heritage Insurance
• Foremost Insurance
• Kin
• Safe Harbor
• Tower Hill

Things to consider about mobile home insurance in Florida

Before you buy a mobile home insurance policy in FL, it may help to consider what coverage you need to ensure you get the right policy at a price that won’t break your budget.

Age of the mobile or manufactured home

Finding cheap coverage for your Florida mobile home, especially those built before June 1976, can be tricky. If you have an older home, you may want to prioritize insurance shopping by requesting quotes from several carriers.

Location

You may pay less for coverage if there are favorable conditions where your mobile home is situated. For instance, having a skirted or enclosed foundation for a base or tie-downs that meet state or local requirements can help you save on your insurance premium. You might also check with insurance providers to see if you’ll get a cheaper rate for living in an approved mobile home park.

Hurricanes and tropical storms

Insurance companies that operate in the state aren’t required to include flooding coverage in standard mobile home insurance policies. Unfortunately, due to Florida’s extensive coastline, Floridians are at a heightened risk for flooding caused by hurricanes and tropical storms.

To protect your mobile home or manufactured home from flood damage, you will need to buy flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) or a private home insurance carrier. Keep in mind that if you finance your home, your lender may require you to purchase flood insurance. These policies often have a separate deductible for hurricane damage, usually as a flat fee or percentage of your home’s value.

Windstorms

Insurance companies in Florida are required to cover windstorm damage caused by hurricanes and tropical storms through standard home insurance policies, even though they don’t cover flooding.

You may want to read through your policy to learn about specific coverage for named storms since you might have to pay a separate wind deductible that’s higher than your standard deductible. That said, you have the option to refuse coverage if you agree to pay the full costs of wind damage out-of-pocket.

Frequently asked questions