Owners of manufactured homes are encouraged to attend a virtual meeting regarding ongoing insurance issues.

On Wednesday, Oct. 23, the Maryland Insurance Administration will hold a virtual hearing to gather public input on the lack of available insurance coverage for mobile homes in Worcester County and surrounding coastal areas. As part of the meeting, the administration is inviting insurance carriers to talk about the factors contributing to the issue and present possible solutions.

“We do have this on the radar,” Del. Wayne Hartman said in an interview this week.

In recent weeks, the Town of Ocean City and the Worcester County Commissioners have reached out to state representatives on behalf of local property owners struggling to secure insurance for their older manufactured homes. For some, the change has resulted in the loss of a home sale, as the buyer could not find a homeowners insurance policy required by the mortgage company. For others, it has resulted in dropped coverage.

From Ocean City’s Montego Bay community to Worcester County’s two campground subdivisions – White Horse Park and Assateague Pointe – officials say owners are struggling to find insurance. Hartman said the issue has since been presented to the Maryland Insurance Administration, which has agreed to hold a public hearing this month.

“We’ve started looking into the problem,” he said. “We had one constituent case where we worked with the Maryland Insurance Administration to get them help. We’re also working with the Town of Ocean City to make sure that homes classified as manufactured homes are actually that. Sometimes, they are stick-built and are classified as manufactured.”

Hartman said he has also been in contact with the Maryland Joint Insurance Association (MJIA), which he said offers coverage to property owners who are unable to obtain insurance elsewhere. He noted that the MJIA’s rules included a carveout for manufactured homes in Ocean City. However, the insurance association requires that the structures be built in compliance with the Southern Standard Building Code, which he said is no longer in use.

“If the property is in Ocean City, they will insure a manufactured home …,” he said. “What I’m asking the Maryland Insurance Administration to do is to amend MJIA’s policy to honor the Southern Building Code, as well as the International Building Code, which is the current code … They are telling me they can fix this administratively.”

In the meantime, the public is invited to attend Maryland Insurance Administration’s virtual hearing, which will be held Oct. 23 from 10-11:30 a.m.

To access the hearing, visit https://maryland-insurance.zoomgov.com/j/1611256331, or dial 646-828-7666 and enter the meeting identification number, 161 125 6331. Those wishing to comment during the meeting can register by emailing listening.sessions@maryland.gov. Written comments will also be accepted at the same email address through Nov. 6.

“They are doing this through Zoom,” Hartman said. “I asked them to come down and take public comments live … If this is not well attended – for some it can be challenging to use Zoom – they will honor my request to hold one in person.”