Temporary Housing on Your Own Property in Alabama

When a tornado, a hurricane, or a flood leaves your Alabama home unlivable, your homeowners policy may pay for somewhere to stay while it is repaired. For many families, the best place is still home: a furnished travel trailer set up on your own lot, close to school, work, your pets, and the crew rebuilding the house. 1st Choice Living has provided on-site temporary housing nationwide since 2004, and this page explains how it works in Alabama.

What Alabama homeowners are recovering from

On Saturday, March 15, 2025, severe storms crossed Central Alabama and the National Weather Service office in Birmingham confirmed 15 tornadoes across its area. Two were rated EF-3: one near Plantersville, through Dallas, Autauga, and Chilton Counties, where several homes and businesses were destroyed, and one near Horseshoe Bend in Tallapoosa County. An EF-2 tornado near Winterboro destroyed single-wide manufactured homes along its path.

That spring outbreak fits a long pattern. Alabama’s State Hazard Mitigation Plan explains that March and April have historically had the highest frequency of strong tornadoes, followed by November and December, that floods and high winds rank among the state’s top hazards, and that the coastal region faces the highest risk from hurricane winds.

How the Alabama Department of Insurance explains additional living expenses

The Alabama Department of Insurance (ALDOI) explains in its Natural Disasters Guide that additional living expenses, or loss of use, reimburse the cost of your additional living arrangements, and it lists a trailer alongside a hotel or an apartment. Key points from ALDOI:

• At least twelve months. ALDOI explains that an Alabama homeowners policy that provides additional living expense coverage must provide it for at least twelve months, and that it may also have a dollar limit. Depending on the damage, a particular claim may not be eligible for the full twelve months.
• It covers more than the room. ALDOI says the coverage includes meals and other miscellaneous items. Its basic coverages page adds that it can also apply when a government order keeps you out of your home.
• Keep every receipt. ALDOI says you will need all receipts for additional living expenses to be reimbursed.
• Flood policies are different. ALDOI’s guide says the National Flood Insurance Program does not cover additional living expenses.

This is general information, not legal or coverage advice. Your policy and your adjuster decide what is covered.

How a trailer on your lot works with your ALE

1st Choice Living bills your carrier directly under ALE, so on a covered claim you pay $0 out of pocket and there are no lodging receipts for you to submit. We track your placement against your ALE limit, so you and your adjuster can see where things stand while the rebuild moves forward. You have one named contact from the first call to pickup.

Our furnished travel trailers sleep 2 to 10. We deliver, level, and set up the unit on your property, whether that is a city lot or acreage. Utilities are connected by licensed, insured contractors. We document site conditions at setup and takedown, so everyone has a clear record.

Local rules in Alabama are set by your city or county

We did not find a statewide Alabama rule on living in a travel trailer on your own lot while you rebuild. It is handled by your city or county, and rules in town can be very different from rules in the country.

We check your local rules before delivery. If you want a head start, call your city or county permitting office and ask about temporary occupancy of a travel trailer during repairs: whether a temporary-use permit is needed, how long it lasts, and what water, sewer, and power connections the office requires.

Alabama recovery resources to know

The Alabama Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) explains that its Recovery Division manages FEMA’s Public Assistance and Hazard Mitigation programs after a presidential disaster declaration. Help for individual households comes through FEMA Individual Assistance, which you apply for at DisasterAssistance.gov or 1-800-621-3362 when a declaration includes it.

For insurance questions, ALDOI Consumer Services is at 334-241-4141 or toll-free at 1-800-433-3966.

For crews and agencies working in Alabama

The same furnished units house crews on job sites and support agencies coordinating displaced households. Adjusters get one named contact and a placement tracked against the policy limit.

Frequently asked questions