Definition of "How to get title insurance"

Kim Bergland real estate agent

Written by

Kim Berglandelite badge icon

Red Horse Real Estate

You’ve read all about how to stop a lien on your property, which convinced yourself that title insurance is a must. But now you’re wondering how to get title insurance. Where do you buy one? Is it something you must ask your real estate agent?

Well, you can, but he will probably answer what we’re about to answer, as real estate agents do not sell title insurance: whenever you enter the closing process and sign the purchase agreement, your escrow agent will launch the process of getting it (if you want to). The escrow agent or your attorney will choose which of the five major US title insurance companies will underwrite your policy.

How much will it cost to get title insurance? Differently from other types of insurance, with title insurance you typically pay a one-time fee of about $1,000 – but this amount can change from state-to-state. FYI, this fee is typically included in the closing costs, so that’s why the escrow agent is the one who asks you if it should be included. Another thing that will be asked to you is if you want both kinds of title insurance: the owner’s policy and the lender’s policy.

The Lender’s policy is typically required by most lenders in order to secure your mortgage. It’s a type of insurance for them to continue getting their loan amortization should a problem with your title arrive. And the owner’s policy is what most people are referring to when they talk about title insurance: in the event of a title problem, they cover the home buyer’s costs with the problem.

Fun fact: the normal would be, of course, that the home buyer pays for both kinds of title insurances, right? However, there are some states where it’s either negotiable who gets to pay, or the home seller is the one who pays for these insurance fees. The thinking behind it is that the home seller should be the one giving away a clean title, so he’s the one who should be responsible for covering everyone should a problem arise.

So, as you can see, it’s pretty simple to learn how to get title insurance. What’s very important is that you do get one. Just like that old phrase says: better be late than sorry!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Questions

Popular Insurance Glossary Terms

Documents completed by the agent to effect authorization to act on behalf of the company. ...

Same as term Credit Card Insurance: coverage under a homeowners insurance policy in the event that a credit card is fraudulently used or altered. Fraud includes theft and the unauthorized ...

Provision in an insurance policy that indicates what is denied coverage. For example, common exclusions are: hazards deemed so catastrophic in nature that they are uninsurable, such as war; ...

Insurance policy, particularly property and liability insurance, which the owner cannot assign to a third party. ...

Condition of real or personal property when it is damaged or destroyed to such an extent that it cannot be rebuilt or repaired to equal its condition prior to the loss. ...

An exception to section 101 (a) (1) OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE tax-exempt Status Of the DEATH BENEFIT in a life insurance policy where the transfer of the interest in the policy by the ...

a large number of homogeneous exposures (in order for the deviation of actual losses from expected losses to approach zero, and thecreditability of the prediction to approach one). loss ...

Organization that calculates rates and develops insurance policies for its property and casualty member companies. The suggested rates are used by smaller companies where the loss ...

Arrangement between the buyer and the seller in which there is a mutual agreement to buy or sell a security at a given price at a stipulated future date. These contracts are effected on a ...