Title Insurance

Protection That Starts Before You Sign

Title insurance protects what is likely the largest purchase you will ever make. Here is what it covers, who it protects, and how it differs for buyers and lenders.

Get a Title Quote Read: why an owner's policy matters

Real estate closing table with keys and documents in a professional office

What Is Title Insurance?

When you buy a home, you receive a deed — but a deed is only a claim of ownership, and any claim can be challenged. Unpaid liens, clerical errors, forged signatures, missing heirs, and boundary disputes can all surface months or even years after you move in.

Title insurance protects you financially against those defects. Unlike other insurance, which covers things that may happen in the future, title insurance looks backward: it covers problems that already exist in the property's history, whether or not they were discovered before closing.

You pay a one-time premium at closing. There are no monthly premiums and no renewals — the policy protects you for as long as you or your heirs own the property.

Owner's vs. Lender's

Two Policies, Two Very Different Protections

Owner's Policy

The owner's policy protects you, the homebuyer, for as long as you or your heirs have an interest in the property. It is issued for the full purchase price and covers your equity if a covered title defect surfaces after closing.

It is optional in Michigan — but strongly recommended. You pay a one-time premium at closing, and the policy lasts as long as you own the home.

Protects your equity, not the bank's
One-time premium at closing
Coverage lasts as long as you own the home
Covers legal costs to defend your title

Lender's Policy

The lender's policy protects your mortgage lender, not you. It is issued for the loan amount and is required by most lenders before they will fund a mortgage.

Because the loan balance declines as you pay it down, the lender's coverage shrinks over time — and it disappears entirely when the mortgage is paid off. Your own equity is never covered by it.

Protects the lender's investment
Required by most mortgage lenders
Coverage equals the loan amount and declines with it
Ends when the mortgage is paid off

Both policies can be issued at the same closing, and combining them at the same time is typically far less expensive than adding an owner's policy later.

Before You Close

What the Title Search Uncovers

Before any policy is issued, we perform a thorough search of public records going back through the property's history. Here is what that search is designed to catch:

Outstanding mortgages, liens, or unpaid taxes
Judgments, bankruptcies, or unpaid child support
Errors or omissions in deeds, wills, and public records
Forgery, fraud, or improperly executed documents
Missing heirs or disputed ownership claims
Easements, restrictions, or boundary conflicts

Questions About Your Policy?

Ready to see your closing costs? Send us the details of your transaction and we'll prepare a written quote — free, with no obligation.

Get a Title Quote Explore the importance of an owner's policy