Top 10 MHP Insurance Nightmares (and their solutions!)

Our guest mobile home park insurance expert, Kurt Kelley, President of Mobile Insurance, shares the top 10 insurance nightmares for mobile home parks and their solutions!

10. The lure of attractive nuisances that can lead to injury or death (unsecured pools, trampolines, equipment).

Solution: Require management to walk the park every day and enforce policy.

9. Failing to maintain the simple rule of “100% code, 100% of the time” for pools, equipment, fences, toxic material storage, and anything requiring a license or permit.

Solution: Resolve to get organized, inspect regularly, keep records, and actually do it.

8. Neglecting stair repairs, the stability of hand-safety railings, and battery replacement in smoke detectors.

Solution: Create a routine work-order schedule with mandatory follow up.

7. Managers who mix business with pleasure, are people-pleasers, feel intimidated by tenants, or are bullies.

Solution: Hire right and hire smart. But, if it’s too late, then rewrite job descriptions and insist on and provide management training.

6. Allowing dangerous dog-breeds on the property: those pre-disposed to aggressiveness as well as those intentionally trained for aggressiveness.

Solution: Just say no, and hold firm. Attack dogs are a huge liability to owners.

5. Failure to use performance agreements and written contracts with ALL contractors and vendors.

Solution: The days of the handshake agreement are long gone. If you don’t have a good contract template, consult an attorney.

4. Using uninsured contractors.

Solution: When they cause problems, you are left with the responsibility and the bills! Insist on bonded and insured.

3. Neglecting & deferring maintenance on your rental mobile homes.

Solution: Maintenance costs money, but liability costs far more. Make sure maintenance has work orders on the schedule each morning and managers regularly check the quality of work. Don’t neglect your money-making assets!

2. Failing to consistently and respectfully enforce all park rules, all the time and letting the park get overrun with clutter.

Solution: Clean up the park, put out notices to remove junk immediately, back it up with well-written, distributed, and enforced rules. It’s your asset.

1. Failure to make sure all public walkways and streets are from slip and fall hazards.

Solution: The #1 park liability! Obsessively keep these areas clear, always.

Have an insurance question for your mobile home park or need a quote? Kurt Kelley can be reached at 800-458-4320 or www.mobileagency.com.