Protecting Your Home with Title Insurance

Purchasing a home is likely the biggest investment you will ever make. Before closing on the house, you'll want to know that no individual or entity has a lien or claim to the property.

Determining that your rights and interests to the property are clear is the business 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 insurance company performs an extensive search on the title history of the property. The title insurance company can almost always 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 the limitations on your ownership. It will also set forth the title company's responsibilities should any claim covered by the policy terms arise. Title insurance usually covers:

• Contested title — This usually happens when someone who owned or even lived in the home before you claims to still hold an interest. In this case, the title insurance company will defend your title and will cost you nothing.
• Defective title — "Defective title" covers any number of problems with the title to your home. It can even include a "contested title". Other examples of title defects include problems with legal access to the property, easements that make the property less usable, unusable, or unsaleable. Many other complex problems define "Defective title" or "Clouded Title." The title company will uncover these problems, or if they miss them, protect you from financial loss - up to the amount of the policy.