Manufactured home insurance is a specialized cousin of the homeowners policy, written for factory-built homes on owned or rented lots. The Insurance Information Institute describes the product plainly: mobile home policies provide two basic kinds of insurance, coverage for physical damage and personal liability coverage. The structure, your belongings and your legal exposure are all in one contract, but the details differ from a site-built policy in ways worth knowing before you sign.
What the two coverages actually include
Physical damage coverage, per the III, reimburses losses from fire, hail, wind, theft, vandalism and falling objects, and it reaches attached structures such as patios, decks and garages as well as the home and possessions inside. Personal liability coverage pays and defends when someone outside your household is injured or their property is damaged and you are responsible. What neither covers is flood: the III is explicit that flooding is not covered, so a separate NFIP or private flood policy carries that risk, a live question for homes in parks laid out on low ground.
Where manufactured policies differ from site-built ones
Two differences matter most. First, settlement basis: many manufactured home policies default to actual cash value, which deducts depreciation, and depreciation bites factory-built homes hard; a replacement cost policy costs more but pays what a new comparable unit costs, and consumer guides consistently recommend choosing it where offered. Second, availability: the III notes not all insurers offer mobile home coverage in all states, so the shopping pool is smaller and specialist writers matter. Limited peril policies also exist, covering only named causes at low cost; read what they omit before treating them as equivalent.
The transit gap and park requirements
Moving the home is the coverage hole people find late. The III warns that a regular policy generally does not apply while a mobile home is in transit; some insurers sell temporary transit coverage or an endorsement for physical damage during the move, and the mover's own liability coverage is worth verifying in writing beforehand. If you rent a lot in a community, the park may require liability coverage as a tenancy condition, and a lender financing the home will require the policy itself, holding proof on file just as mortgage lenders do for site-built houses. Match the dwelling limit to today's replacement price for your unit and tie-down configuration, not its original invoice.
Questions people ask about manufactured home insurance
What does manufactured home insurance cover?
Per the III, two basic coverages: physical damage from perils like fire, hail, wind, theft and falling objects, covering the home, belongings and attached structures, plus personal liability protection.
Does it cover floods?
No. The III states plainly that flooding is not covered. A separate NFIP or private flood policy is the fix, and it matters for homes sited on low ground in parks.
Is the home covered while being moved?
Generally not under the regular policy. The III notes some insurers offer temporary transit coverage or an endorsement for physical damage during a move; arrange it before the home rolls.
Actual cash value or replacement cost?
Replacement cost where offered. Actual cash value deducts depreciation, which accumulates quickly on manufactured homes, so ACV settlements can fall far short of what replacing the unit costs.