Should I Purchase Title Insurance When I Buy a House?

Should I Purchase Title Insurance When I Buy a House?

By | October 18, 2019

Should I Purchase Title Insurance When I Buy a House?

Buying a home can be a very exciting experience. After saving up your money and finding the perfect place, all you’ll want to do is move in and start making the place your own.

However, if there are discrepancies with the ownership of your home, there could be underlying issues you aren’t aware of. If you’re not truly the legitimate owner of your property, you might be in for some legal issues that put a damper on your latest home endeavor.

 

Taking Care of Title Insurance

Once you buy a home, the transaction heads into public archives. Other things that might be included in the information include property liens, zoning restrictions, and more. All of this collective information is part of the property title.

Even if you do not suspect that there are any ownership issues with your home, you can never be too sure. That’s where title insurance comes in.

When you purchase title insurance, a quality title company will begin to dig deep into the history of the home. This includes exposing any information that may cause problems in terms of homeownership.

 

What You Can Expect with Title Insurance

If you’ve chosen to purchase title insurance, you can expect to pay a one-time premium at the closing of the property. As long as you are in the home, this policy will be valid. In the case that there are any problems or losses after the closing, your policy will protect you.

 

What Are You Being Protected From?

The type of title insurance you have normally depends on the type of policy you have. There are two types of policies: A lender’s policy, and an owner’s policy.

A lender’s policy is in place if you have taken a loan out from a mortgage lender. If there are any issues with the home’s title, the policy will cover you up to the amount in your loan.

The lender’s policy stays in effect until the loan is fully paid off, or when the home is sold.

An owner’s policy, on the other hand, is equal to how much you paid for the home. This policy covers all kinds of problems including deed errors, property liens, record mistakes, and more. Most importantly, this will protect you if someone claims that they rightfully own your property.

In addition to all of this, both policies often have extended coverage for additional issues that may arise. This can include issues with zoning, structural damage, building permit violations, and more.

 

Do I Really Need Title Insurance?

The answer to this depends on a few things. For anyone who is buying an older home, there may be discrepancies that arise. This is due to a greater number of people having owned the property prior to you.

In addition, some homeowners may not want to purchase title insurance based on price. Policies often cost somewhere around $1,000, but this number can increase quickly depending on the cost of the home. Some policies can cost as much as several thousand dollars; however, the price might be worth it for the protection.

Aside from the money, homeowners can decide on title insurance based on how comfortable they feel with the information they’ve been given. Even if your insurance team has done their due diligence, title insurance can be an invaluable purchase if anything was overlooked.

If it helps, consider speaking with your realtor and insurer before making a final choice about investing in title insurance.

About David Sicherman

I have been involved in Real Estate since 2007. I am co-founder of EasyTitleSearch and other real estate services. I have successfully flipped over 100 properties and contracts across the country.
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