The Munich Re specialty property carrier. When a cabin, manufactured home, or personal-use structure falls outside what standard carriers will write — American Modern has the appetite and the forms to cover it.
American Modern Insurance Group (AMIG) was founded in 1949 in Amelia, Ohio, and has spent 75+ years building specialty insurance products for properties that standard carriers won't write. Today American Modern is part of Munich Re's Global Specialty Insurance division — backed by the world's largest reinsurer with a Forbes Global 500 presence. A+ AM Best financial strength. $2.2 billion in annual premium volume across 1.7 million policies. The company employs more than 150 in-house claims adjusters with specific expertise in specialty property claims.
American Modern's value proposition is their appetite. Where standard homeowners carriers require owner-occupied, year-round properties in good condition, American Modern writes what they can't: manufactured homes, cabins and seasonal dwellings, vacant properties, personal-use structures without plumbing (garages, hangars, workshops), rental properties, older homes, and properties in hard-to-insure locations. They write both admitted and non-admitted policies, which gives them more underwriting flexibility than standard admitted carriers can offer.
Janel Morris places clients with American Modern when the property falls outside what the standard market will write. The experience has been consistent with what American Modern promises: solutions for traditionally challenging properties. Their specialty forms are purpose-built for the risks they cover — not generic homeowners forms retrofitted for unusual properties. For clients who have been declined or non-renewed by standard carriers because of their property type, American Modern is often the first specialty market call.
What makes American Modern the right call for specialty and hard-to-place properties.
American Modern has nearly 50 years of manufactured home insurance experience — they were among the pioneers of this class. Their manufactured home product is purpose-built for the specific construction, valuation, and risk profile of manufactured housing, not a homeowners form with exclusions bolted on. For clients who own manufactured or mobile homes, American Modern's depth of experience in this class is unmatched in our portfolio.
Standard carriers are increasingly reluctant to write seasonal cabins — especially those with older systems, remote locations, or extended vacancy periods. American Modern writes cabins and vacation homes with the appetite and forms to match. For Minnesota clients with lake cabins or hunting properties that standard carriers won't write or have non-renewed, American Modern is a reliable specialty market.
This is a genuine specialty gap that standard carriers don't fill well. Garages, aircraft hangars, pole buildings, workshops, and other personal-use structures that aren't attached to a home often fall outside standard homeowners other-structures coverage — either because of size, location, or the absence of plumbing and utilities. American Modern has specific products for these structures, providing meaningful property coverage for high-value assets that standard carriers simply don't address.
Vacant properties, homes in foreclosure or estate transition, older homes with deferred maintenance, and properties in locations with elevated catastrophe exposure are all classes American Modern approaches with more appetite than standard carriers. For clients managing properties through a transition — inherited homes, investment properties between tenants, renovation projects — American Modern provides coverage options that keep clients protected during difficult-to-insure periods.
American Modern's 150+ in-house claims adjusters specialize in specialty property — they understand the valuation and repair complexity of manufactured homes, the unique claims profile of cabins, and the nuances of personal-use structure claims. That specialty claims expertise matters when a complex property sustains a loss. Munich Re's A+ financial backing means claims are paid without hesitation regardless of loss size.
No carrier is perfect. Here are the honest gaps to know before placing specialty property with American Modern.
American Modern's complaint index has run above average historically, reflecting the complexity of specialty property claims. Janel sets appropriate expectations with specialty clients that claims may take longer than standard market placements.
American Modern's pricing reflects the elevated risk of specialty properties. For properties that qualify for standard market coverage, American Modern is not a cost-competitive option. The value is access to coverage, not lower rates.
American Modern focuses on specialty residential property. They don't write standard homeowners, commercial lines, or workers comp. They handle the specialty property piece in a broader coverage program.
Here's who belongs with American Modern — specialty property clients the standard market won't serve.
"American Modern offers solutions for some more traditionally challenging properties to insure. When a client has a cabin, manufactured home, or personal-use structure that standard carriers won't write, American Modern is the call. Their specialty appetite solves problems that other carriers just decline."
— Janel Morris, Personal Lines Agent, Options Insurance
Already a American Modern client through Options Insurance? Here are the resources you need.
American Modern's claims line — 150+ in-house adjusters specializing in specialty property. Available online at amig.com/claims. Your Options Insurance agent can help coordinate the process for specialty property claims.
Policy questions, billing, and service. Janel manages American Modern relationships directly for all specialty property placements and can handle most service needs through the agent portal.
Manage your American Modern policy, make payments, file claims, and access policy documents. The policyholder portal handles the full range of self-service needs.
American Modern is part of Munich Re's Global Specialty Insurance division — the world's largest reinsurer. A+ AM Best financial strength means claims are paid without question regardless of loss complexity or size.
Janel is Options Insurance's lead agent for American Modern placements. She reaches for American Modern when a client has a specialty property — manufactured home, cabin, vacant dwelling, or personal-use structure — that falls outside what standard carriers will write. "American Modern offers solutions for some more traditionally challenging properties to insure."
Tell us a little about what you need. One of our agents will follow up — usually same business day.
No obligation. We'll assess your specialty property and find the right solution.
We'll assess your specialty property and confirm American Modern is the right fit — or identify the best alternative in our portfolio.
Start Your Free Quote →The opinions expressed on this page reflect the experience of Options Insurance agents based on policies placed and client feedback received over 15 years. Individual results may vary. Options Insurance is appointed with American Modern Insurance Group as an independent agent. This review is not sponsored, approved, or endorsed by American Modern or Munich Re. AM Best, J.D. Power, and NAIC data are sourced from publicly available reports and are cited for informational purposes. Ratings are subject to change. American Modern Insurance Group is a subsidiary of Munich Re, rated A+ (Superior) by AM Best. American Modern writes both admitted and non-admitted policies. Coverage availability and terms vary by property type and state. Comparison data is based on publicly available third-party research. Coverage availability and terms vary by state, risk profile, and underwriting criteria. This page does not constitute a coverage guarantee or binding commitment.