Best Mobile Home Insurance in Texas

Shopping for mobile home insurance in Texas can be challenging, but it’s important to get it right. No one wants to overpay for insurance, but not having enough insurance can cost you big after a disaster. Here’s a look at the best insurance companies in Texas for mobile and manufactured homes, as well as key shopping tips to get the coverage you need.

Best insurance companies for mobile homes in Texas

The following companies are best for mobile home insurance in Texas:

• Allstate
• American Modern
• Assurant
• Foremost
• State Farm

Although insurance for mobile homes is similar to insurance for site-built homes, it is a different product and not as widely available.

Some insurance companies consider mobile homes too risky to insure. Others only insure mobile homes built after June 1976, which are required to meet federal construction standards and are technically known as manufactured homes.

Although it may take time to shop for mobile home insurance of any age, it’s still best to compare quotes from multiple companies to find the best rate.

State Farm: Best for manufactured homes

State Farm’s manufactured home insurance program extends many of the insurance giant’s discounts and benefits to customers who own mobile homes built after 1976.

Bundling your manufactured home and car insurance with a State Farm earns a generous multipolicy discount.

State Farm also offers discounts to those with newer model-year homes and/or homes with approved safety and security features.

Allstate: Best discounts and policy features

Allstate’s mobile home insurance products, which are available for old and new mobile homes, include a few unique discounts and coverage options.

In addition to normal discounts for bundling and having security devices in your home, Allstate offers you a discount for being the original owner of your mobile home. You can also receive a discount just for being retired and at least 55 years old.

Like most companies, Allstate offers optional add-ons for identity-theft protection and to cover damage from water backups. One of its more unique optional coverages is a green-improvement endorsement, which pays the extra costs of replacing an appliance damaged by a covered peril with a new one that is more energy efficient.

How much is mobile home insurance in Texas?

The average cost of insurance for mobile and manufactured homes in Texas ranges from $300 a year to $1,500 a year.

The actual price you pay depends on a variety of factors, including:

• The age and manufacturer of your mobile home
• Your home’s size, wind rating and other specifications
• Whether your home is located in a community or on private land
• Your neighborhood’s exposure to risks such as extreme weather and crime
• Any safety or security features you may have
• Your credit and insurance history
• The amount of coverage you choose
• Any discounts you may be eligible to receive

How much mobile home insurance do I need in Texas?

Since mobile home insurance is not required by state law in Texas, the exact amount you need depends largely on your lender and mobile home community.

It’s generally best to ask your lender and community about their insurance requirements before you purchase your mobile home. This allows you to get quotes and see how much it may cost to insure the home, or if it even qualifies for coverage, ahead of time.

Insurance requirements from lenders

If you purchase your mobile home with a loan issued by a bank or other federally regulated lender, you typically need to insure your home at its replacement value. Replacement value is the estimated cost of replacing your mobile home with a comparable new one after a total loss.

For other types of loans, you may be able to insure your home at a lower amount. These options include a stated value, which is an amount you choose, and an agreed value, which is an amount you and the insurance company agree upon.

Insuring your home at an amount that is lower than its replacement value lowers your premiums, but doing so can also leave you with less money to rebuild after a disaster. Weigh your options carefully.

Mobile home community insurance requirements

Regardless of your mortgage status, your community may also have insurance requirements for residents.

Community associations are primarily interested in making sure you have enough insurance to repair your home after a disaster and cover potential liability claims against you.

What does mobile home insurance cover in Texas?

Texas mobile home policies generally cover the following:

• Your dwelling, or home
• And other structures on your property
• Your personal property, or belongings
• Loss of use
• Personal liability
• Guest medical payments

Coverage for your home and other structures

When you shop for mobile home insurance, insurance companies usually work with you to find an appropriate dwelling limit for your policy. Most companies use software to estimate your home’s value, based on its make, model year and specifications.

Coverage for other structures on your property extends to detached garages, sheds, fences and other structures not attached to your home. The software that insurance companies use to estimate your home’s value also helps estimate the value of your detached structures.

Some companies fold the coverage for other structures on your property into your overall dwelling coverage, while others offer separate coverage for each.

As you compare mobile home insurance quotes, you should also account for price differences that may stem from whether they cover your property on a named- or open-peril basis.

• Named-peril insurance protects against any cause specifically listed in your policy.
• Open-peril insurance protects against any risk not specifically excluded.

Since open-peril insurance generally covers more potential risks, it also costs more than named-peril insurance.

Personal property insurance for mobile home owners

Most mobile home insurers automatically set your personal property limit at 50% of your dwelling limit, but it usually does not cost too much to increase this if you need more.

The best way to know how much personal property coverage you need is to create an itemized list of your possessions and add up their combined value.

Most companies cover your belongings at actual cash value, which is their value after depreciation. However, some companies offer upgrades to replacement cost coverage, which replaces damaged or stolen items with comparable new ones.

Bear in mind that mobile home insurers typically cap the amount of coverage they provide for jewelry at about $1,500 and place similar sublimits on other valuables. If you have valuable items, consider adding a scheduled personal property endorsement to your policy to give them extra protection.

Loss of use coverage for mobile homes

Loss of use covers temporary living expenses, including rent, if a covered peril leaves your home uninhabitable during repairs.

At minimum, your loss of use limit should be enough to cover a six months’ rent in your area.

Personal liability and guest medical coverage

The personal liability coverage in mobile home insurance covers injuries or damage you may accidentally cause.

It’s generally best to choose a liability limit that matches your net worth or at least $100,000.

Guest medical expense coverage pays for the medical treatment of a guest who gets injured while visiting your home, regardless of fault. The default limits available in a typical mobile home insurance policy are usually enough.

What does Texas mobile home insurance not cover?

Standard mobile home policies in Texas do not cover flooding, and wind and hail are typically also excluded in the state’s coastal areas.

Flood insurance for mobile homes

If you have a mortgage for a mobile home in a high-risk flood zone, your lender is likely to require you to purchase flood insurance, in addition to standard mobile home insurance.

Flood insurance is also available on an optional basis if you don’t have a mortgage and/or your home is in a low- or moderate-risk area.

The average cost of flood insurance in Texas is $704 a year, or $59 a month, for policies obtained through the National Flood Insurance Program.

Windstorm insurance for mobile homes

In 14 Texas counties along the Gulf of Mexico and portions of Harris County near the coast, standard mobile home insurance does not cover wind or hail. In these areas, you have to purchase standalone windstorm insurance for protection from these risks.

If private insurance companies are unwilling to offer windstorm insurance for your mobile home, you may be eligible to purchase it from the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association.

Other common mobile home insurance exclusions

Earth movements, including earthquakes, sinkholes and landslides are typically also excluded by standard mobile home insurance. However, separate insurance is available for each of these perils.

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