Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
The concept behind a Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is pretty simple: it exists to make sure the lender doesn’t lose its money.
What it does is “buy” the possible defaults of a borrower to a lender. Meaning: if the borrower doesn’t pay the premium, the Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) enters in action and pays it on his/her behalf.
The PMI cost is usually included in the monthly mortgage payment in addition to the principal, homeowner’s insurance, property tax and interest, and just like them, it is a separate thing; it doesn’t build equity to your home.
Why do it?
Well, most of the time you don’t have an option; it is a requirement from the Lender that you get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) in order to be able to borrow the money. However, it truly can be good for both parties: the lender doesn’t lose money and the borrower can get a house even if he doesn’t have the whole 20% of the home’s value to use as down payment, since lenders sometimes waive the need of it because of the safety provided by the Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).
Real estate Tips:
One of the greatest insurances in the world is knowledge! Devour our Real Estate Terms and use our Real Estate Agent Directory to contact a local real estate agent when you're ready to go into the market for/with your house!
Popular Insurance Terms
Person who transfers rights under an insurance or mortgage contract. ...
services provided in an employee benefit plan such as a pension plan. An employer provides the clerical staff to operate the plan, in effect acting as custodian. The trustee provides ...
Types of contracts that insure building contractors for damage to property under construction. The completed value form requires a 100% coinsurance because insurance carried must equal the ...
Organization of trial attorneys who specialize in the representation of defendants who become subject to tort actions. Generally, these tort actions involve bodily injury or personal injury ...
Study of an organization's operations, and real and personal property to discover existing and potential hazard and the actions needed to render these hazards harmless. ...
Sums payable to the winning plaintiff by the losing defendant in a court of law; can take any or all of these forms: general, punitive, and special. ...
Coverage for bodily injury and property damage liability resulting from ownership, use, and/or maintenance of the insured business's premises, completed operations, and products. Covers ...
Employee benefit insurance plan whose objective is to provide the retired employee with life insurance. This group life insurance product is composed of two basic parts: annually renewable ...
Forced entry into premises. Coverage is provided under various property insurance contracts such as homeowners and special multiperil insurance (SMP). ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.