Homebuyers
Title Insurance for Homebuyers
A one-time purchase that protects your most valuable asset for as long as you own it.
When you buy a home, you receive a deed proving ownership — but that deed is only as good as the title history behind it. Title insurance protects you if any claim against your property surfaces after closing, including problems a thorough public records search might not have uncovered.
It's a one-time premium paid at settlement. Your coverage lasts for your entire ownership — no annual renewals. Federal Title offers both standard and enhanced owner's title insurance, and your attorney will walk you through the options at closing.
Standard Policy
Covers pre-existing title defects: forged deeds, undisclosed liens, missing heirs, fraud, and anything that should have been found before closing.
Sufficient for most transactions.
Enhanced (ALTA) Policy
Everything in Standard plus post-closing risks: adverse possession claims, encroachments, improvements built without permits, prescriptive easements, and more.
Approximately 20% more than Standard.
Do I Have to Buy Owner's Title Insurance?
Owner's title insurance is not required by law. However, virtually all real estate attorneys and lenders strongly recommend it. You are not legally required to purchase it, but you do have a choice of coverage type — Standard or Enhanced — right up until you sign at the closing table.
Your lender will require their own separate lender's policy to protect their interest. That lender's policy does not protect you — only an owner's policy does.
Industry fact: According to the American Land Title Association (ALTA), title problems arise in 1 out of every 4 real estate transactions. Title insurers paid over $460 million in claims in a single year. Your owner's policy covers both your losses and legal defense costs.
Get Your Title Insurance Quote
See exactly what owner's title insurance costs for your specific property.