Living in a Tiny Home Insured, Is it Possible?

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Imagine living with no mortgage and being debt free.  The ability to drive anywhere you wish and take your home with you.  Saving on property taxes and home maintenance costs while living minimally and reducing your carbon footprint.  These and other various reasons are why multitudes of people are choosing to live the tiny life.

But what happens when you choose to buy a tiny home and live the tiny lifestyle?  How can you protect your home, its contents, and those who use it?  When purchasing a traditional home we are generally required to purchase insurance by most lenders.  But what about the tiny home?  Because the movement is so new, is insurance readily available as when buying other homes?

Until lately, no insurance company would touch a tiny home.  This wasn’t because they didn’t like tiny homes, they were just unsure how to go about in insuring one.  Some companies would insure a tiny home if it was registered as a recreational vehicle, but not all.  As the tiny home movement has grown, more and more insurance companies are jumping on board. I would advise, however, talking with your agent and other companies, to see if they do in fact cover tiny homes before you buy.

Let’s look at your options.

I Have a Tiny House On Wheels (THOW) That Was Built by a Certified Builder.

THOW’s are considered a residence and a recreational vehicle which can be tricky to insure, but definitely not impossible.  

  • Your tiny home should be built by a Recreational Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA) certified builder, display the RVIA seal, and have a VIN number attached.  
  • Most insurers have a full timer’s package that is similar to your homeowner’s policy and considers your tiny home a residence, not an RV.  
  • If you plan on towing your tiny home and it’s attached to a tow package, your insurance package will no longer cover your house.  Have your insurance agent add a trip endorsement that will cover comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage.

I Have a Tiny House with a Fixed Foundation That Was Built by a Certified Builder.

Tiny homes built on a foundation are much easier to insure as long as they were built by a certified builder.

  • You can purchase a typical home insurance policy that will cover the structure of your home, liability in case someone gets hurt, and the contents of your home.
  • Your homeowner’s policy will not cover theft of the house, or any damage to the home when it is being transported to its destination.

I Have a Tiny House That Was Built by a Non-Certified Builder or Myself.

Did you build your tiny home yourself, or had it built by a non-certified builder?  There are many insurance companies that will not offer tiny house insurance to protect your home.  But hold on…

Document the entire build with as many pictures you can take.  This will help if the insurance company requires on-site inspections or electrical inspections.

If you have trouble finding a provider that offers tiny house insurance look for those who offer insurance packages for manufactured homes.

You may have luck trying to get a regular home insurance policy.  However, if your tiny home is not built to code or doesn’t comply with local zoning regulations, you may not qualify.

Don’t Lose Faith, It Will Get Easier.

Sure finding insurance for your tiny home may seem daunting at first but it has come a long way.  As local and state authorities figure out more on how to regulate tiny home building and zoning regulations, acquiring insurance will get easier and easier.  The simple thing to remember is finding insurance for your tiny home is highly attainable you just need to find the right provider for your specific needs. 

Until then…Live Tiny!

F.A.Q. - What is a Tiny Home?

There is no set definition as to what constitutes a tiny house. However, a residential structure under 500 square feet is generally considered a tiny home.

More F.A.Q.s

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