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Proper mobile home insurance, known as an HO-7 policy, is essential to protect your mobile home’s structure and the belongings and people within it.
As with any insurance policy, it’s critical to understand what is covered and when. For instance, your mobile home insurance may cover roof leaks, but only under specific circumstances. Note: mobile homes and manufactured homes are the same type of factory-built housing, but any factory-built home constructed before June 15, 1976, is legally a “mobile home.”
Here’s a closer look at how insurance typically covers mobile home roof damage.
Key Points
• Mobile home insurance may cover roof leaks caused by sudden, accidental, or unexpected covered events such as high winds, storms, hail, and ice or snow damage.
• Falling trees resulting from covered weather events like wind or ice storms are typically covered, including both tree removal costs and resulting structural damage.
• Coverage is excluded for leaks caused by worn materials, lack of maintenance, faulty DIY repairs, or roofs that were improperly installed from the beginning.
• Dwelling coverage pays for structural damage from leaks, while personal property coverage helps repair or replace belongings like furniture, clothing, and electronics damaged during a covered leak.
• After a covered leak, insurers require immediate action to stop further damage, and time-stamped photos and videos should be taken to document the claim.
When Does Mobile Home Insurance Cover a Roof Leak?
As a rule of thumb, your mobile home insurance may protect against leaks that were caused by a “covered” event. These are typically outlined in your insurance policy and tend to be events that are sudden, accidental, or unexpected.
Wind, Storms, and Hail Damage
HO-7 roof leak coverage likely covers you in the event of damage to your roof caused by weather events, including high winds, storms, and hail.
Punctures From Fallen Trees or Branches
If a tree falls on your home as a result of a covered event, such as a wind or ice storm, your insurance should cover the cost of removing the tree and damage to your home. However, if you have allowed a tree to become hazardous—for instance, perhaps you didn’t take down a dead tree or you didn’t have rotten limbs removed—and it falls on your home, damage likely won’t be covered.
Weight of Snow and Ice
Generally speaking, leaks and damage caused by ice and snow should also be covered by your policy. For example, if a large snowstorm drops several feet of snow on your home, causing a portion of the roof to collapse, your insurance should pay for the repair.
Be aware that not all damage from snow and ice may be covered. For instance, ice dams that prevent water runoff may form on your roof, causing leaks. While structural damage caused by the leak may be covered, damage to personal property caused by the leak may not be.
Recommended: Does homeowners insurance cover roof leaks?
When Is a Roof Leak Not Covered?
There are other situations in which mobile home water damage likely won’t be covered by your HO-7 policy, especially when the leak isn’t caused by a sudden or unpreventable event.
Gradual Wear and Tear
Every home experiences normal wear and tear, whether through use, as materials age, or climatic factors take their toll. Insurance policies do not cover leaks caused by old or worn out materials.
Neglect and Lack of Maintenance
It is up to homeowners to make sure that their roofs are properly maintained. This can include cleaning gutters and removing debris, trimming overhanging branches, and checking and resealing seams. Roofs that spring leaks due to lack of maintenance are not typically covered by insurance.
Improper Installation or DIY Repairs
It can be tempting to make fixes to your roof yourself, but be sure you know what you’re doing. Faulty DIY repairs that lead to leaks are not covered by insurance, nor is a roof that was installed improperly in the first place.
Does Insurance Cover the Resulting Water Damage?
Anyone who’s dealt with a leak knows that water damage tends to spread. Unfortunately, that can extend to the structure of a building as well as personal property. Water damage in both cases is likely covered as long as the event that caused it was covered as well. Again, these are sudden, unpreventable events, such as hailstorms, wind, or crushing amounts of snow.
Coverage for Personal Property
In the case of a covered event, personal property coverage may help your repair or replace objects that were damaged during a leak, such as furniture, clothing, or electronics.
Coverage for Structural Water Damage
Dwelling coverage may help you pay for structural damage after a leak to the roof, ceiling, or walls, for instance.
Types of Mobile Home Roofs and Insurance Risks
When it comes to the cost for mobile home roof repair insurance, the design of the roof and type of roofing materials on your home makes a big difference. In general, insurers prefer certain designs and durable materials that don’t present significant fire risk and help prevent leaks, potentially rewarding homeowners who use these materials with lower premiums.
Flat Metal Roofs vs. Pitched Shingle Roofs
Metal roofs are durable and resistant to fire, which can help lower premiums. That said, flat metal roofs tend to be more susceptible to leaking as the lack of pitch can cause water to pool. So, especially in older homes, insurers may see a flat roof as a higher risk.
Meanwhile, pitched shingle roofs shed water easily, helping prevent leaks, for which homeowners may receive a discount on their premiums.
Roof Sealants and Coating Requirements
Roof coatings and sealants help create a barrier that protects your mobile home from leaking. Applying them about every two to five years, depending on the product, is a critical step in roof maintenance. They protect your roof from the elements and extend its life. Insurers will want to see that your roof has been properly maintained in case there are any issues with leaks.
How to File a Roof Leak Claim for Your Mobile Home
You’ll need to file a claim before your insurance company will cover the cost of a leak. You’ll typically be able to file this claim online or by calling your insurance provider. There are also some critical steps you will need to take.
Stop the Leak and Mitigate Further Damage
Insurers require that you stop the leak and prevent as much further damage as possible. For example, you may need to buy a tarp to cover holes and prevent further damage from the elements. Keep receipts from any materials that you buy, as these may be reimbursable.
Document the Source of the Leak
Take time-stamped photos and videos of the source of the leak to document it as part of your claim. Make sure you capture the exact source of the leak as well as any damage caused by it.
Review Your Deductible Before Filing
Your insurance deductible is the amount you must pay before your insurer covers the rest. For instance, if you have a $1,000 deductible and a fallen branch from a wind storm causes $2,000 in damage, you would have to pay $1,000 before your insurance covers the difference. It’s worth understanding how much you may have to pay before filing a claim. It can help prevent you from filing claims that cost less than your deductible, saving you time and headache.
The Takeaway
Roof leaks in a mobile home can be costly and stressful, but whether insurance covers the damage often comes down to one key question: What caused the leak? In general, mobile home insurance may help pay for sudden and accidental damage caused by covered events like storms or falling debris. At the same time, leaks tied to wear and tear, age, or lack of maintenance are typically excluded. Understanding where your policy draws the line can help you avoid surprises and protect your home before small roofing issues turn into major repairs.
If you’re a new homebuyer, SoFi Protect can help you look into your insurance options. SoFi and Lemonade offer homeowners insurance that requires no brokers and no paperwork. Secure the coverage that works best for you and your home.
SoFi brings you real rates, with no bait and switch.
FAQ
Will my insurance pay to replace an old mobile home roof?
Your insurance will typically only pay for the replacement of a roof if damage to it is sudden or accidental. If it’s simply wearing out, replacement won’t be covered.
Does mobile home insurance cover mold from a roof leak?
Your homeowner’s insurance may cover mold from a roof leak if the leak is caused by a covered event, such as a storm or falling tree.
What is a roof resurfacing exclusion in mobile home insurance?
Your insurance policy may include an exclusion that prevents it from paying for cosmetic damage to your roof.
Can my insurance drop me if my mobile home roof is too old?
It is possible that your insurance could drop you or refuse to renew a policy if it deems your roof too old and in poor condition.
Does mobile home insurance cover ceiling damage from a leak?
Mobile home insurance may cover ceiling damage from a leak if that leak is caused by a covered event.
Photo credit: iStock/Marje
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