Does my mobile home insurance cover earthquakes?
No. The California Department of Insurance earthquake guide (revised April 25, 2024; checked November 9, 2026) says homeowners, renters, and condo policies do not cover damage from natural disasters such as earthquakes. The CEA mobilehome page says the same for a mobilehome policy in most cases. The main exception is fire. California law requires a homeowners or renters policy to cover fire damage caused by or following an earthquake, whether or not you carry earthquake insurance. Our mobile and manufactured home insurance page lists this as an exclusion. This guide covers the separate earthquake policy that fills that gap.
Your residential insurer has to offer you earthquake coverage. The CDI says the company must offer it in writing every other year, with the limits, the deductible, and the premium. You have 30 days from the date the offer is mailed to accept it. If you do not reply, you have turned it down. The CEA says you can add coverage at any time, without waiting for renewal.
Who can buy a CEA mobilehome earthquake policy?
The CEA does not sell to the public directly. Per the CDI, you must have a residential property policy in place, and you buy the CEA policy from the same insurance company that writes that residential policy. The CEA calls that the companion policy: it is the policy that provides fire coverage for the home, issued by the same participating insurer that services the CEA policy (CEA homeowners choice form BEQ-3C, 01-2026 edition). That form defines the dwelling as "the residential structure or mobile home" at the address on the declarations. The mobile home is written on the CEA homeowners form, not on a renters or condo form.
So the first question is not the earthquake price. It is whether the company that writes your mobile home policy participates in the CEA. If it does not, the CDI notes that a few companies sell stand-alone earthquake policies that are not CEA policies. Those have their own terms. Insurance City reviews which path fits the policy you already carry. Coverage is subject to underwriting.
What does the CEA mobilehome coverage include?
| Piece | What it does | Mobile home detail and source |
|---|---|---|
| Dwelling (Coverage A) | Earthquake damage to the mobile home and structures attached to it, like a garage | Deductible of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% of the dwelling limit; over a $1,000,000 dwelling limit, 15% to 25% only (CEA mobilehome page) |
| Extensions to dwelling (Coverage B) | Piers, bulkheads, and retaining walls integral to the home's stability, plus utility connections and the walkway needed to get in | Land under or around the piers is not covered here (CEA 2026 form) |
| Personal property | Furniture, clothing, and other belongings damaged in the earthquake | Optional; the dwelling coverage can be bought alone or with other coverages (CEA mobilehome page) |
| Loss of use | Extra cost to live elsewhere while the home is repaired, or while a civil authority keeps you out | No deductible (CEA mobilehome page) |
| Building code upgrade | Plumbing, electrical, and heating work needed to pass inspection when you rebuild | $10,000 limit included; the CDI says a higher limit, up to $30,000, can be bought |
| Emergency repairs | Boarding up and other necessary work to stop more damage | First $1,500 of this limit has no deductible; the total limit is 5% of the limit for that property (CEA 2026 form) |
| Land | Restore or stabilize land that you own and that supports the home | $10,000 limit within the dwelling limit, only after a covered dwelling loss over the deductible (CEA 2026 form) |
Deductibles are a percentage of the limit, not a flat dollar amount. As an arithmetic example only, a 10% deductible on a $100,000 dwelling limit means the first $10,000 of covered dwelling damage is yours. On the homeowners choice form, the CDI says the CEA waives the personal property deductible when covered damage to the dwelling exceeds the dwelling deductible. Premiums depend on the home's age, the distance to a fault, the soil, the limits, and the deductible (CEA). For an estimate, use the CEA premium calculator at earthquakeauthority.com. This page does not quote a premium.
What about the piers, tie-downs, and an earthquake bracing system?
The CEA says mobile homes are vulnerable to shaking and often suffer major foundation damage in a large earthquake. Three parts of the 2026 form matter here.
- Piers. Coverage B includes bulkheads, piers, retaining walls, and masonry fences on the residence premises that are integral to the stability of the dwelling. The cost to repair, replace, or stabilize the land under or around them is not covered, except under the land sublimit.
- Tie-downs. The form does not name tie-downs or anchors. Ask the insurer in writing whether it treats them as part of the dwelling or as an extension, before you need to file a claim.
- Earth movement. Settling, sinking, or shifting of the ground is excluded unless an earthquake in the policy period caused it and the damage shows up within one year.
A bracing system can lower the premium. The CEA discount page (checked November 9, 2026) lists a 21% discount for a mobile home reinforced by an earthquake-resistant bracing system certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), or installed on an approved foundation system under Health and Safety Code §18551(a) or (b). To get it, send the insurer the final inspection report showing the permit was issued and the system meets one of those tests. HCD's permit application for the bracing system is form HCD MP 50 ERBS.
Does it matter if my home sits on a park space or on my own lot?
Yes, because of how the CEA form treats land.
| Question | Home on a rented park space | Home on land you own |
|---|---|---|
| Is the land part of the dwelling? | No. The form says the dwelling never includes land, even land needed for support. | No. Same rule. |
| Does the $10,000 land limit apply? | No. It applies only to land owned by you. | It can, after a covered dwelling loss over the deductible, if the land supports the home and stabilizing it is needed to live there. |
| Are piers and other extensions covered? | Extensions must be on the residence premises, which excludes land and extensions not owned by you. Confirm in writing which supports you own. | Covered when integral to the home's stability, on the residence premises. |
Bring your space rental agreement or your deed to the conversation, so the insurer can see what you own under and around the home.
What should I bring for a mobile home earthquake quote?
- The declarations page of your current mobile home policy, with the insurer's name and the dwelling limit.
- The year, size, and location of the home, and the park name or the parcel if you own the land.
- The support type: piers, tie-downs, or an approved foundation system.
- The HCD final inspection report for a bracing system, if you have one.
- The earthquake offer letter from your insurer, if it arrived in the last 30 days.
Insurance City is the online brand of Insurance City Agency, LLC for preferred home, auto and commercial insurance. Insurance City Agency, LLC · CA License #6003045 is at 956 W. Robinhood Dr, Stockton, CA 95207, Monday through Friday, 10:00 to 18:00, closed Saturday. Call (209) 670-1556, text, or ask Enza. For other homes, see our earthquake insurance page. Hablamos español: lee esta guía en español.
What do mobile home owners ask about earthquake insurance?
Does a mobile home insurance policy cover earthquake damage in California?
No. The California Department of Insurance says homeowners, renters, and condo policies do not cover earthquake damage, and the CEA says a mobilehome policy in most cases does not either. Fire that follows an earthquake is the main exception, because California law requires the residential policy to cover it.
Who can buy a CEA earthquake policy for a mobile home?
Only a Californian whose mobile home is insured by a CEA participating insurer. The CDI says you must have a residential property policy in place and buy the CEA policy from that same company. A few companies sell stand-alone earthquake policies that are not CEA policies.
What deductibles does CEA offer on a mobile home?
The CEA mobilehome page lists 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, or 25% of the dwelling limit. A mobile home with a dwelling limit over $1,000,000 can choose only 15%, 20%, or 25%. Loss of use has no deductible, and the first $1,500 of the emergency repairs limit has no deductible.
Does CEA earthquake insurance cover the piers or the land under my mobile home?
The 2026 CEA homeowners choice form covers piers that are integral to the stability of the dwelling as an extension to the dwelling, but not the cost to repair or stabilize the land under or around them. Land coverage is a $10,000 limit for land you own that supports the home, after a covered dwelling loss over the deductible. On a rented park space, ask the insurer in writing how the piers, tie-downs, and bracing are treated.
Is there a discount for an earthquake bracing system on a mobile home?
Yes. The CEA lists a 21% discount for a mobile home reinforced with an earthquake-resistant bracing system certified by the California Department of Housing and Community Development, or installed on an approved foundation system under Health and Safety Code §18551(a) or (b). You send the insurer the final inspection report.
Sources
- CEA, Mobilehome and Manufactured Home Earthquake Insurance Policies, checked November 9, 2026: deductibles, loss of use, the $10,000 building code upgrade limit, the $1,500 emergency repairs no-deductible limit, eligibility, retrofit discount
- CEA Basic Earthquake Policy, Homeowners Choice, BEQ-3C (01-2026 edition), checked November 9, 2026: dwelling, residence premises, companion policy, piers, land, emergency repairs, earth movement
- CEA premium discounts page, checked November 9, 2026: 21% mobilehome discount, HCD bracing system, Health and Safety Code §18551
- California Department of Insurance, Earthquake Insurance guide (revised April 25, 2024), checked November 9, 2026: exclusions, fire after an earthquake, the offer every other year, CEA purchase rules, stand-alone policies
- HCD MP 50 ERBS (Rev. 03/24), checked November 9, 2026: permit application for a mobile home earthquake-resistant bracing system
Related reading: Mobile and manufactured home insurance — Earthquake insurance — CEA earthquake insurance glossary — Earthquake add-on in San Joaquin County — Lee esta guía en español
Which other guides should I open next?
- Mobile and Manufactured Home Insurance
- Earthquake Insurance
- Glossary: CEA Earthquake Insurance
- See all articles →
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