What Is Title Insurance and Why Do I Need It?

Land endures. Because land endures over generations, many people develop different rights and claims to a particular property. Governmental agencies, public utilities, lenders, private contractors and sub-contractors also have rights to property. The rights of a current owner - which often involve family and heirs - may be obscure.

Before a real estate transaction closes, we perform an extensive title search and individual examination of all recorded documents; and we issue a Report. This allows any title problems to be cleared up prior to the closing.

Even after the most careful research, some title flaws may exist and may go undetected. Among the more common flaws are forgery, mistaken legal interpretations, invalid court proceedings, defective deeds, confusion due to similarity of names, previously unrecognized rights of spouses and undisclosed heirs. These problems may surface at any time in the future.

Title Insurance is the most effective, most accepted and least expensive way to protect your real estate investment. The investment of every owner and lender are routinely insured by standard Owner's and Lender's policies. Each policy we issue is our agreement to assume the responsibility for the defense of your title - under your policy's terms and to reimburse you for actual financial losses up to policy limits.

Premiums for title insurance are moderate and one-time-only fees. There are no renewal premiums and it never expires so long as you own the property.

Title Insurance protection is an important part of the bundle of services you receive from Equity Title.