Home Insurance in Otter Tail County, Minnesota
The median home value in Otter Tail County is $273,000, 17% lower than the Minnesota median.
Older homes can cost more to insure or rebuild because of aging wiring, roofing and plumbing. The typical home in Otter Tail County was built around 1979. About 27% of homes were built before 1960, about 2 points below Minnesota's 29%.
Mobile and manufactured homes typically need a manufactured-home (HO-7) policy rather than a standard homeowners policy. The housing stock in Otter Tail County is 83% single-family homes, 8% apartments in buildings with 5+ units and 6% mobile or manufactured homes.
In Otter Tail County, about 53% of owner-occupied homes have a mortgage - lenders require hazard insurance on every mortgaged home.
The vacancy rate is 31%; vacant or unoccupied homes typically need a different coverage form than an owner-occupied policy. About 79% of occupied homes in Otter Tail County are owner-occupied.
Homes heated with propane can carry added fire risk. Fuel-tank leaks and spills are often excluded from standard homeowners policies. 32% of homes in Otter Tail County are primarily heated with natural gas.
FEMA's National Risk Index lists winter weather (Very High), strong wind (Relatively High) and tornado (Relatively Moderate) as the leading hazards for Otter Tail County.
Otter Tail County had 7 active National Flood Insurance Program policies as of September 2026. Standard homeowners insurance does not cover flood damage, so flood coverage needs a separate NFIP or private flood policy.
According to the NAIC homeowners insurance report (2023 data), a standard HO-3 homeowners policy in Minnesota carries a statewide average premium of $1,988 per year.
Key figures
| Median home value | $273,000 |
|---|---|
| Median year built | 1979 |
| Owner-occupied share | 79% |
| Share of owner-occupied homes with a mortgage | 53% |
| Top hazards (FEMA National Risk Index) | Winter Weather (Very High), Strong Wind (Relatively High), Tornado (Relatively Moderate) |
| Active NFIP flood policies (county) | 7 |
| Home insurance premium | $1,988 - statewide average (NAIC, 2023 data) |
Towns and cities
- Battle Lake
- Bluffton
- Clitherall
- Dalton
- Deer Creek
- Dent
- Elizabeth
- Erhard
- Fergus Falls
- Henning
- New York Mills
- Ottertail
- Parkers Prairie
- Pelican Rapids
- Perham
- Richville
- Underwood
- Urbank
- Vergas
- Vining
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau Gazetteer Files (2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates (2024)
- FEMA National Risk Index (December 2025)
- FEMA OpenFEMA NFIP Redacted Policies v3 (2026)
- NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owner-Occupied, and Homeowners Tenant and Condominium/Cooperative Unit Owners Insurance: Data for 2023 (published 2026) (2023)