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What is Title Insurance?

Many times people will find that the process of purchasing a new home is one of the most complicated and stressful events that one will ever come across. Especially in today’s economy as it will be harder than ever to get the home of your dreams. With this complicated process many times people will overlook the purchase of title insurance. By purchasing title insurance you may end up saving a significant amount of money and also help prevent potential problems that may occur in the future.

With this type of insurance a homeowner can guarantee that no one else will try and claim their property. This also helps the borrower with these stressful times by making sure that no unexpected debts can occur on their new home. Even borrowers that have been in their home for several years may still come across difficulties that may cause their ownership to be in jeopardy.

When purchasing a new home you will find that there are many problems that can occur. You may buy a home from someone else who already has a loan of their own on the property, this loan will then be your debt if you end up buying the property. Often times we will find a couple that has been recently divorced and one of the spouses was not aware that the other had taken out a second loan on the property. This could cause a lost heir to come and stake a claim on the home to regain ownership. To protect yourself from all of these claims it is very wise to purchase title insurance on your home.

If you are faced with one of these problems and you have not obtained title insurance on your home, there’s a possibility you will be forced to pack your belongings and find a new home for you and your family. In some cases you may also still be legally required to continue paying the debt on the home that you no longer own. If you have already obtained this insurance your title company will help handle any payments or possible litigation in your case.

More often than not borrowers will only insure their homes for damages against flood or fire. If some other natural disaster has occurred that ends up completely destroying your home, you will still be the owner of the land. Title insurance will be able to protect the borrower if their home is destroyed in a natural disaster. This coverage will last you as long as you own the property and can help you obtain a peace of mind because you will not have to worry about any of these events taking place.

What is private mortgage insurance?

Private mortgage insurance is insurance that is usually required by the lender if the borrower is not able to put 20% down on a mortgage up front. Basically, this type of insurance protects the lender from losing money in the event of a default. If the property goes into foreclosure and the bank sells it at auction, it may not bring enough money to pay off the loan, which is why private mortgage insurance is usually required on behalf of the lender.

Typically, it costs about $55 a month to insure a $100,000 loan. Sometimes a bank will allow the borrower to discontinue payments once the loan to value (LTV) ratio reaches 80%, though usually the buyer pays until the LTV reaches 78%. Read more

What is mortgage insurance?

Mortgage insurance is a policy that is placed to protect title holders or the lender if the homeowner happens to pass away, starts missing payments, or just cannot meet the requirements of the mortgage contract. This insurance can also be referred to as; mortgage title insurance, mortgage life insurance, or even private mortgage insurance (PMI).

PMI may also be referred to as “lenders mortgage insurance” if the lender happens to pay off the premium and not the homeowner. Lenders will often do this in exchange for a higher fee structure and or interest rate on the mortgage. Since the lender paid the premium, the premium is passed along to the homeowners monthly mortgage payment. Read more