Title Insurance for Your Peace of Mind

Purchasing a home is probably the single biggest investment you will make in your lifetime. So before you close, you need to be sure that that no one else can claim the property.

A title insurance company does all the research to insure that a property has clear title. Making sure that a property is clear of all legal encumbrances is the job of a title company.

You pay the title company a single premium which includes the cost of verifying clear title and covers you in case some fault is later discovered in the title.

The title company searches the property's title history. Through its research, the title insurance company can usually identify any title problems and have these problems cleared-up prior to closing.

Real Estate law is extraordinarily complex. Title companies make sure that all the T's are crossed and all the I's are dotted so you don't end up with a clouded title and legal problems. Your owner's policy will describe the property and outline any recorded limitations on your ownership. It will also set forth the title company's responsibilities should any claim covered by the policy terms arise. Typically your title insurance will protect you in the following cases:

• Contested title — Someone, usually a previous owner or occupant, claims they still own the property or have not given up their claim. In this case, the title company will defend your title at no expense to you.
• Defective title — "Defective title" covers any number of problems with the title to your home. It can even include a "contested title". Defects are rare, but they can be very difficult, making the property inaccessible, unable to be built, or unsaleable. Any number of other complex problems define "Defective title." The title company will find these title problems, or if they miss them, protect you from financial loss - up to the amount of the policy.