I always found humor in the name we give to habitational structures assembled in one location and then moved to another, where the home would find its permanent spot either in a park or on private land. Once the wheels are removed and the home is set on blocks and jacks, the electrical, gas, and plumbing contractors come in and do their magic to connect the water, sewer, and power. There is nothing mobile about the home once it’s hooked up to all the utilities and the space below has been skirted. It’s not like I can back a truck up to it and haul it to the mountains to go camping.

The new name we use in the insurance industry to refer to these engineering marvels is manufactured home. You’ve seen them on the freeway pulled behind a semi with a pilot car in front and one behind with a ‘long load’ banner draped across the leading edge. If it’s a double or triple-wide, then one or both sides are covered with plastic to protect the interior while in transit. I’ve witnessed the moment when an operator maneuvered the sections with a heavy-duty remote-control tractor into its lot space, then join the two halves together. It’s an event that seems to gather the entire neighborhood to watch the spectacle.

Once the manufactured home sections are in place, the real work begins to join the pieces together permanently on the inside, tape the seams, texture and paint, and install all the appliances and fixtures. Carpet and vinyl come next. At this point, the process resembles the construction of just about any other stick-built home. Depending on the owner’s plans and allowance made by the park, contractors will install ramps, stairs, decks, carports, tool sheds, and possibly a garage, which also might come in on the back of a truck.

Gone are the days of metal siding, thin wall paneling, little insulation, and aluminum wiring. Manufactured homes now have 2x4 framing and sheetrock, real asphalt shingle roofs, and forced-air heating and cooling.

How does the insurance differ for manufactured homes?

A standard homeowner policy has several parts. One covers the structure and out-buildings for damage by fire, wind, tornado, etc. A separate limit covers all the unattached items inside, such as beds, televisions, and toothbrushes for all the same perils that might damage the home. There are exceptions and exclusions, such as flood, earthquake, and sewer backup, but these coverages may be purchased separately or added onto the policy. All these are subject to a deductible that can be expressed in the form of a fixed dollar amount or a percentage of the overall home’s value.

Next, there is the question of liability. If the homeowner, or a household member, is found to be negligent in an act that causes injury or damage to others, the homeowner policy can extend coverage for legal representation and payment of damages. Like property coverages, there are exceptions and exclusions, such as intentional or criminal acts.

There are other miscellaneous coverages that I won’t go into here, but the point I want to make it that there is little difference between a regular homeowner policy and a manufactured home policy. The major distinction is how the land underneath the home is treated. Since most manufactured homes are located in a park, the policyholder owns the home, but not the land. They pay lot rent to the park owner along with shared utilities. That changes the language of the policy as far as the liability portion of the contract is concerned. If someone is injured within the boundaries of the actual lot, then the contracts might hold the policyholder responsible. If an injury occurs near the home but technically in the common areas of the park, then the landlord might be responsible.

Do manufactured homes depreciate?

Since manufactured homes are often registered just like automobiles with serial numbers and year, make, and model, they are subject to depreciation, much more than a regular home on an owned foundation. The manufactured home policy will recognize that and not insert inflation guard factors in the policy that automatically raise the insurance values each year as in regular homeowner policies. It’s up to the agent and policyholder to review the contract periodically to determine the correct replacement value depending on the location and cost of materials.

Can you still insure the old-style trailer?

In most cases, yes. The coverage may be fairly limited depending on the year, materials, and wiring, but most owners of manufactured homes built before the 1980s are mostly interested in securing the liability coverage to keep the park happy and to insure the valuables inside the home.

What if I set a manufactured home on a foundation?

If you buy a parcel of land and pour a foundation, just like you were building a traditional home, but set a manufactured home on it, then we can sometimes get an exception from the company and insure the structure with a regular homeowner insurance policy.

Call us now at 503-489-3143 if you have any questions about how best to insure your trailer, mobile home, or manufactured home, whether in a park or on private property. You may also complete a no-obligation quote request form, and we will respond as quickly as we can. Just be sure to click the drop-down box that asks what type of policy you want to insure to ‘Manufactured.’ We have several options to choose from.