Cheapest Mobile Home Insurance in Florida (2024)
- Expertise: Auto insurance, home insurance and renters insurance
- Education: Sonoma State University (BA in English)
Aaron Besson has worked at LendingTree for more than seven years and has been a staff writer for the last five years. He specializes in producing research-backed content about auto, home and renters insurance. Aaron enjoys the deep dig into insurance data to get the right answers to hard questions. His work has been cited by CBS, iHeart Radio, the Sacramento Bee and Yahoo.
American Traditions has the cheapest rates for mobile home insurance with windstorm coverage in Florida, at $1,210 a year. Tower Hill is the next most affordable at $1,424 a year.
Which are the cheapest mobile home insurance companies in Florida?
Finding the cheapest mobile or manufactured home insurance in Florida depends on whether you want windstorm coverage.
The cheapest Florida mobile home insurance company for a policy with wind coverage is American Traditions, at an average annual rate of $1,210.
If you’re looking for a policy without wind coverage, Safe Harbor is your best option, at $286 a year.
Cheapest mobile home insurers in Florida
| Company name | Average yearly cost w/o windstorm coverage | Average yearly cost with windstorm coverage | Market share |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Traditions | $487 | $1,210 | 36% |
| Tower Hill | $461 | $1,424 | 13% |
| Citizens | $315 | $1,542 | 32% |
| Safe Harbor | $286 | $1,575 | 8% |
| Foremost | $370 | $1,862 | 24% |
Source: Florida Office of Insurance Regulation
When looking at a new mobile home insurance company, you’ll want to find one that offers the best coverage for your situation at the least cost. Each of these companies have different pros and cons to consider.
American Traditions
American Traditions currently has the largest market share of mobile home insurance in Florida. It also has the cheapest average rate, at $1,210 a year (about $101 a month) for coverage including wind damage.
Pros
Cheap annual rates
Tailored coverage options
Cons
Can be difficult to reach customer service by phone
Additional criteria required to cover mobile homes built before 1982
Tower Hill
Tower Hill has the second-lowest mobile home insurance including wind damage coverage available in Florida, with an average of $1,424 a year.
They have notable add-on coverage options as well, including flood, food spoilage and coverage against mold damage.
Pros
Low rates
Extensive coverage
Cons
Downgraded financial strength by A.M. Best
High customer complaint rating
Citizens
Launched in 2002, Citizens has an average annual rate of $1,542 for mobile home insurance coverage including wind damage.
Citizens is set up to provide coverage to homeowners unable to find insurance coverage elsewhere on the private market. Its coverage options are somewhat limited, so it’s sometimes considered a last resort.
Pros
Can usually offer coverage if unavailable elsewhere
May offer more affordable rates than private companies
Cons
Limited coverage
High customer complaint rating
Safe Harbor
Florida-based Safe Harbor offers home insurance products specifically for people who live along the coast. Their average annual rate for mobile home insurance is $1,575.
Pros
Various coverage options
Easy claims process
Cons
Very little comparison rating information
Foremost
Known for offering the first mobile home insurance in the country, Foremost offers a strong mobile home insurance package, as well as extensive add-ons, such as debris removal and trip coverage while moving your home.
However, Foremost’s average rate for mobile home insurance is the highest of the companies we surveyed, at $1,862 a year.
Pros
Strong reputation
Excellent coverage
Comprehensive add-on options
Cons
Expensive rates
Additional living expenses not part of standard policy; only as add-ons
What does mobile home insurance cover?
Mobile home insurance, otherwise known as an HO-7 policy, covers the structure of your home, and your belongings, as well as offering liability coverage and more.
- Dwelling coverage: This coverage type handles the structure of your manufactured home, including external structures such as a shed or staircase.
- Personal property: Your belongings are included under this coverage, including clothes, furniture and electronics.
- Liability: This covers repair or replacement of personal property of others damaged in your mobile home, as well as medical and legal fees for injury to others you’re responsible for.
- Medical payments: Covers medical expenses for someone hurt on your property, regardless of who’s responsible.
- Loss of use (LOU): If you need to temporarily relocate while your home is repaired, many policies also cover the additional costs of the relocation, known as “loss of use.”
What mobile home insurance do I need in Florida?
Florida state law doesn’t force you to have mobile home insurance, but if you’re financing your home or living in a mobile home community, you’ll probably be required to carry it.
Here are factors that will affect what kind of mobile home insurance you may need.
Age
When looking for a mobile home policy, the first thing you’ll want to take into account is the age of your home.
Prefabricated homes didn’t have any government regulatory standards until June 1976.
Prefab homes built after this date do follow regulations, and are referred to as “manufactured homes.” Prefab homes built before this date are called “mobile homes.”
Because of the lack of regulatory standards, some insurance companies will not cover mobile homes built before 1976, or will charge high premiums if they do.
Replacement cost
The dwelling coverage limit you need should be the same as the replacement cost of your home.
Most mobile home insurance policies provide dwelling coverage at its “actual cash value,” which is the value of your home after accounting for depreciation.
Many providers give you the option to get dwelling coverage at the full replacement cost of your home. This option is more expensive than actual cash value, but it will cover the entire replacement.
Personal property
Personal property is covered at actual cash value, but many companies offer a replacement cost upgrade option.
You can figure out how much personal property coverage you need by creating a home inventory list. The list should include the name and description of the item, serial or ID numbers when available and the item’s cost.
Making a list might be a bit time-consuming, but it’s easy to update afterwards, and could speed up claim resolution.
Flooding and wind
Flooding is a frequent risk in Florida, but flood coverage is not part of a standard mobile home insurance policy.
If you financed your home and live in a federal high-risk flood zone, your lender will probably require you to carry flood insurance. Most mobile home insurers in Florida offer a flood insurance add-on option.
If you live along the Florida coast or a part of the state at high risk for wind, windstorm damage may be excluded from your policy.
We highly recommend buying a separate windstorm insurance policy if this is the case, because of the huge costs such damage can cause.