What is Title Insurance?

Title Insurance is an insured statement of the condition of your "title" or your proof of ownership to a parcel of property. A title insurance policy describes your property in legal detail and states what limitations, if any, there are to your ownership interests. You don't want to unknowingly acquire ownership to property and then be subject to claims associated with the actions of previous owners and claimants. For example, past court actions and judgments, unpaid mortgages, unpaid taxes or municipal services and even use restrictions.  These title impediments can threaten and even invalidate your title to the property.

Among the many risks against which standard title insurance may protect you are:

Confusion from similarity of names, Forged documents, Signatures of minors or mentally incompetent persons, Mistakes in recording legal documents, Undisclosed or missing heirs, Fraud, Invalid divorces, Misrepresentation of marital status, Unpaid taxes, Clerical errors in public records, Wills not probated and more.

For more general information see our For Buyers & Sellers page.

For more information on our most extensive title coverage see our Enhanced Owner's Policies and Enhanced Lender's Policies. These policies, although requiring a higher premium, are stongly recommended and available to owners and lenders under our special program.