Is Title Insurance Necessary?

When you have a mortgage, title insurance will be one of your closing charges. The premium is one-time, and the policy safeguards the lender. You can also protect yourself by purchasing owner's title insurance, although it is not necessary. Here's everything you need to know about title insurance, including what it covers, how much it costs, and if you should get the optional owner's policy.

 

What Is Title Insurance and How Does It Work?

Title insurance is a policy that protects a property from third-party claims that aren't discovered during the first title search and occur after the sale. A third party is someone who is not the owner of the property, such as a building business that was not paid for work done on the home by a prior owner. The term "title" refers to the legal ownership of a piece of real estate.

Even if you've owned the property for many years with no difficulties, a title dispute might develop at any time. What are the chances of this happening? When you make an offer to purchase a property, you should be aware that someone else may have ownership rights that you are unaware of. Even the present owner may be unaware that the property is subject to a claim by someone else. Even the individual who possesses those rights, in the event of an ignored heir, may be unaware of them.

Your mortgage lender will order a title search from a title firm before your home loan closes. The title firm looks for liens, easements, or encumbrances on your property in public records to see if there are any title flaws that might impair the lender's or buyer's property rights.

 

Title Insurance Types

Lender's title insurance (sometimes known as a loan policy) and owner's title insurance are the two forms of title insurance.

The financial interests of the corporation that issues the mortgage are protected by a lender's title insurance policy (just like mortgage insurance does). It ensures that the lender gets priority over all other liens on the property. Any time you take out a mortgage, whether you're purchasing a property or refinancing, you'll need to obtain lender's title insurance. According to Prairie Title in Oak Park, Illinois, if your loan is less than 10 years old, you may be eligible for a discount when refinancing.

The lender's title policy coverage must be at least as much as the mortgage principle, according to major mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, who regularly acquire house loans from lenders after closing. The lender's coverage decreases as you pay down your mortgage principal.

The homebuyer is protected by an owner's title insurance coverage. The coverage level for an owner's policy is normally equal to the purchase price, and it stays the same for as long as you or your heirs hold the property. This is an optional policy that only has to be purchased once.

 

Costs of Title Insurance

Title insurance is a one-time, one-time fee, not a recurring cost. An owner's policy is based on the purchase price of the house, whereas a lender's policy is based on the amount of the loan. According to the American Land Title Association (ALTA), a big national trade association of title professionals, these policies typically cost around 0.5 percent to 1.0 percent of the house's purchase price, or $1,500 to $3,000 on a $300,000 home.

In certain states, the cost of title insurance is the same regardless of which firm you select. In some cases, buying around might save you money.

You have the option of choosing which title insurance company to utilize as a homebuyer. You may receive recommendations from the seller or your real estate agent, but you should conduct your own research before acting on their advice.

Because your lender's financial interests in the property are aligned with yours, you can trust their advice. Some lenders, on the other hand, have a financial stake in the title businesses they refer borrowers to.

That doesn't mean you won't receive a good deal if you follow the lender's advice, but it does suggest you should shop around. According to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, looking around can save you up to $500.

You can use the advanced search tool to identify a title insurance firm by doing an online search of the ALTA Registry for companies in your state. One of the big title insurers, such as Fidelity, First American, Old Republic, or Stewart, is another option. Make sure the company's financial health and reputation are in good working order.

The owner's policy can be paid on behalf of the buyer by either the buyer or the seller. Who pays is frequently determined by local real estate tradition. Purchasing an owner's insurance at the same time as a lender's policy might result in a "simultaneous issuance charge," which lowers the cost of the owner's policy.

The rate calculators from Old Republic and Fidelity National can help you figure out how much title insurance will cost in your location. You may also use First American Title's fee calculator or Stewart's rate calculator to receive a quick quotation. At the same time, you might be able to acquire estimates for other closing services.