Mobile Home Insurance in Texas
Texas mobile home insurance, also known as manufactured home insurance, is an insurance policy that protects mobile homes and mobile trailer homes against covered losses. Mobile home insurance is like homeowners insurance. The major difference between them is that homeowners insurance protects traditional homes as well as modular homes while mobile home insurance provides financial protection for mobiles homes and mobile trailer homes. Mobile/manufactured homes are prefabricated homes that are constructed completely in factories on a movable chassis and can be transported to a permanent site. Due to the fact that most of the occupants of mobile homes are homeowners, mobile home insurance can also be described as homeowners insurance for mobile homes. Some people also use mobile homes as rentals; they also need mobile home insurance because conventional homeowners insurance does not cover mobile homes.
Mobile home insurance provides the following coverages:
Dwelling coverage - Mobile home insurance covers the mobile home itself and all other structures attached to it if your covered perils hit them. Under this coverage, home insurance repairs or restores the covered mobile home to its original state before the peril hit it
Personal belongings coverage - Mobile home insurance provides coverage for the personal belongings of the owner/occupant of a mobile home and people who are legally connected to them (spouse and children)
Personal liability coverage - If a stranger or visitor gets injured in your mobile home and blames it on your negligence, your mobile home insurance covers the medical bills for the treatment. If the accident leads to a lawsuit, the policy also covers this claim
Additional living expenses - Should a mobile home be damaged to the extent that the owner cannot live in it, mobile home insurance covers the cost of getting temporary accommodation during repairs
Standard mobile home insurance in Texas does not protect mobile homes or mobile trailer homes while they are being moved from the factories where they are built to another site. This means that standard mobile or manufactured home insurance covers homes built on a moving chassis when they are already stationed. However, home insurance for mobile homes can be customized to provide some coverage for them when they are being moved.
Although Texas does not mandate owners of mobile homes to have mobile home insurance, mortgage lenders and mobile home communities and parks may require mobile homeowners to obtain the policy. Whether mortgage lenders and mobile home communities and parks require it or not, having mobile home insurance is the largest investment to protect your mobile homes from insurable risks. Insuring a mobile home is a wise investment in Texas.
What is the Purpose of Mobile Home Insurance in Texas?
The purpose of mobile home insurance in Texas is to protect mobile (manufactured) homes and mobile trailer homes in Texas. There are different housing types depending on how and where they are built:
Standard-built home
Modular home
Manufactured home
Mobile home
| Standard Built | Modular | Manufactured | Mobile | ||
| Description | Standard-built homes are built on sites as a whole on permanent foundations. | Modular homes are built in sections off-site in factories and are transported in sections to the site where the different sections are assembled to become a complete home. Modular homes are different from manufactured homes because they are built in sections. | Manufactured homes are complete homes that are built on a movable chassis in factories off-site. These homes are transported as a whole to where they are going to be stationed. According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), homes built in a factory on a movable chassis from June 15, 1976, till now are manufactured homes. | Mobile homes are complete homes that are built on a movable chassis in a factory and transported to a site where they are stationed. According to the HUD, complete homes built on a movable chassis before June 15, 1976, are regarded as mobile homes. | |
| Mobility | Standard built homes cannot be moved from one place to another because they are built on permanent foundations. | Modular homes cannot be moved as a whole once they are assembled because they are installed on a permanent foundation. With this, modular homes are like standard built homes. | Manufactured homes can still be moved from one location to another without being disassembled. | Mobile homes can be transported as a whole to another location. | |
| Construction and safety standards | Traditional homes built on site must adhere to the state, local and municipality’s building codes. | Modular homes must meet the state, local and municipality’s building safety standard. | Manufactured homes adhere to the federal building code set by the HUD. The standard became effective on June 15, 1976. | Mobile homes do not meet the building standard set by the HUD as contained in the National Manufactured Housing Construction and Safety Standards Act. | |
| Insurance coverage needed | A standard-built home generally requires homeowner insurance. | A modular home also requires modular home insurance which is like a standard homeowner insurance policy. | Manufactured homes need mobile home insurance to cover them. | Mobile homes need mobile home insurance to cover them. | |
Mobile homes, just like conventional homes, are prone to unforeseen circumstances that may cost the owners their savings in the event of insurable perils. Some of the unforeseen perils that can make the owners of mobile homes spend out of their pockets are:
Damage to the mobile home and some other structures attached to it
Theft of owner’s personal belongings
Bodily injury as a result of an accident
A lawsuit filed by persons injured on the property
What is Mobile Home Insurance Good for?
As a result of being built on a movable chassis and not on permanent foundations, mobile homes and mobile trailer homes are vulnerable to certain risks. Home insurance is good for protecting them from these risks since most of them are insurable. Not just the physical structure of mobile homes, mobile home insurance provides coverage for personal property and personal liability in terms of medical expenses and legal fees. Mobile home insurance is also good for securing financial protection against some extra living expenses as a result of not being able to use your mobile home for some time because it is damaged.
Is Mobile Home Insurance Required in Texas?
No, mobile home insurance is not required by law in Texas. However, mortgage lenders and mobile home parks or communities may require owners of mobile homes and trailer homes to obtain the policy so as to be considered for mortgage.
How Does Mobile Home Insurance Work in Texas?
Mobile home insurance in Texas works the same way conventional homeowners insurance works:
A mobile homeowner or an intending mobile homeowner chooses a mobile home insurance policy for their already purchased or proposed mobile home
The insured pays premiums for the policy either monthly or yearly, depending on the insurance agreement
The insurer pays for damages to the mobile home in the event of a covered peril. The insured will, however, have to file a claim before the insurer steps in to either fix or replace what is damaged
What Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover in Texas?
Mobile home insurance in Texas covers the following:
The mobile home itself and any structure attached to it
Personal properties of the mobile homeowner and those of their family members
Personal liability claims such as lawsuits and medical bills incurred due to injuries sustained by other people on the property
Additional living expenses should the insured mobile home become uninhabitable, and the owner and their household need temporary living space
You can also customize your mobile home insurance policy to cover some other perils such as floods and other weather-related disasters. Some property insurance companies in Texas also offer some special customization to mobile home insurance to provide coverage for mobile homes while they are in transit.
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover - FAQ
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Leveling?
The event leading up to the need for leveling of mobile homes in Texas determines whether mobile home insurance will cover it. If covered perils such as explosions, volcanic eruptions, or big objects falling on your mobile home result in a need for leveling, mobile home insurance will cover it. However, the policy does not cover leveling if a flood, earthquake, or cracking and shrinking of the ground is the reason for having to level your mobile home.
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Water Damage?
Whether mobile home insurance covers water damage in Texas depends on what causes it. If an accidental pipe burst is the cause of water damage, your mobile home insurance policy may cover your losses, excluding the cost of fixing the pipe that bursts. However, if this pipe burst occurs due to a lack of proper maintenance, your mobile home insurance may not cover it. Furthermore, any water damage caused by flooding is not covered by mobile home insurance. To cover flooding related damages, you need flood insurance. You can get flood insurance in Texas through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Mold?
If the cause of mold is covered by your mobile home insurance in Texas, the policy covers any damage done to your mobile home by the mold. If what causes the mold is flood-related, your mobile insurance will not cover it because mobile home insurance does not cover flood damage. Furthermore, mobile home insurance does not cover mold caused by mobile homeowner's negligence. If your insurer discovers that the mold for which you file a claim is due to a lack of adequate maintenance, they will not pay for any damage caused by that mold.
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Roof Damage?
Yes, mobile home insurance in Texas covers roof damage, provided the damage is not due to wear and tear. If an accident, such as hailstones damages the roof of your mobile home, your mobile home insurance will pay for such damages.
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Hail Damage?
Yes, mobile home insurance in Texas covers hail damage because hail is one of the perils that mobile home insurance covers if your mobile home is not on the Gulf Coast. If a hailstorm damages the roof and the siding of your mobile home causes leaks into your mobile home, your mobile home policy will cover the cost of repairs.
Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover Vandalism?
Yes, mobile home insurance in Texas covers vandalism. Your mobile home insurer will pay you to fix or replace whatever is damaged or stolen in the event of vandalism.
What is not Covered by Mobile Home Insurance in Texas?
Mobile home insurance in Texas does not cover losses or damages caused by windstorms (for mobile homes located on the Gulf Coast) and floods. If you need coverage for wind-related losses and damages, get it from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association (TWIA). To be covered from flood-related losses and damages, you need flood insurance. In addition to damages or losses caused by flooding and windstorms, mobile home insurance does not cover damages that happen when the mobile home is vacant and damages that have to do with:
Earthquake
Termites
Wear and tear
Who Needs Mobile Home Insurance in Texas?
Four categories of people need mobile home insurance in Texas. These are:
Mobile homeowners who have already positioned or who will station their mobile homes on their private property
Mobile homeowners who want to station their mobile homes in mobile home communities and parks where having mobile home insurance is required
Prospective mobile homeowners who want to get their homes through mortgages
Landlords who use mobile homes as rental homes
You need mobile home insurance in Texas because:
Texas records an average of 132 occurrences of tornadoes each year. This makes mobile homes and other residential properties susceptible to damage and loss
Hurricanes and storms are recurrent and affect residential properties in the state
The property crime rate in Texas is about 2,400 per 100,000 residents, with burglary and theft accounting for about 2,200 instances of the crimes. In total, Texans across the state experience about 660,000 property crimes each year. Damages and losses suffered due to these crimes can have a heavy financial implication on mobile homeowners and mobile home landlords who do not have mobile home insurance policies.
Speak with a Texas-licensed property insurance agent, who can assess your needs and recommend the coverage to fit it.
Who Can Get Mobile Home Insurance in Texas?
Any owner of a mobile home or a prospective owner of a mobile home who is a legal resident of Texas can get mobile home insurance in Texas.
Who Qualifies for Mobile Home Insurance?
To qualify for mobile home insurance in Texas, you must be:
A mobile homeowner or a prospective mobile homeowner
A landlord who has mobile homes and uses them as rental homes
A legal resident of Texas
Therefore, a legal resident of Texas who has a mobile home or intends to buy a mobile home for personal use or to be used as a rental qualifies to buy mobile home insurance in Texas.
Who Should Get Mobile Home Insurance?
Every mobile homeowner or prospective mobile homeowner in Texas should get mobile home insurance to cover their investment. Whether your mobile home is on the Gulf Coast or not, you should consider getting mobile home insurance to cover the risks associated with unforeseen perils and avoid paying out of your pocket for resulting damages or losses. Whether your personal possessions in your mobile home are cheap or costly, you need mobile home insurance.
When Do you not Need Mobile Home Insurance?
You do not need mobile insurance in Texas if you have sold your mobile home. You may also think that you do not have to purchase mobile home insurance in Texas because:
The mobile home community or park where you want to put up your mobile home does not mandate that you have the policy
You do not need to use a mortgage to buy your mobile home
Except for if you no longer have a mobile home, you always need insurance for your mobile home and the insurance coverage you need is mobile home insurance.
