Do you want to protect your most important asset — your home, office or ranch — from unforeseen circumstances? Title insurance covers many problems and can save you from unwanted legal troubles. Southern Abstract Company provides quality title insurance in Bartlesville, OK, for real estate owners and lenders throughout the state of Oklahoma. Contact the helpful team at Southern Abstract Company today to secure your property and your peace of mind.
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Title insurance is an insurance policy that protects real estate owners or lenders from losses due to title defects, liens or other hidden dilemmas such as forgery, unknown relatives of past owners, errors in documents filed by others, unreleased liens and more. A title insurance policy provides the insured with peace of mind. It takes the risk out of acquiring an interest in property whose legal history is unknown.
The interests of the owner and lender in a real estate transaction are substantially different. A title policy issued in favor of an owner, which insures marketable title, is known as an Owner’s Policy, and a title policy issued in favor of a lender, which insures the priority of the lender’s lien, is known as a Loan Policy. The lender’s policy is written in the amount of the loan. In the event of an adverse claim or a total failure of title, the lender would be covered up to the full amount of its investment—while the buyer would have no coverage at all. Owner’s title insurance will protect the owner if a claim is made against the title. Owner’s title insurance will also pay for any legal fees incurred in defending the claim. If only lender’s title insurance has been issued, the owner would not be covered for legal fees and might lose the property should a problem arise.
For most of us, a real estate purchase is the largest financial investment we ever make. More importantly, it’s where we raise our families, share time with friends, live our lives. And while ownership of our property may seem very straightforward, our rights to enjoy it aren’t always as clear. There are literally dozens of ways in which your title to—and your ownership of—the property can be jeopardized. The title insurance industry and the policies it provides exist to ensure that title issues don’t affect your ownership rights.
Title insurance isn’t like most of the things we buy. In fact, it’s not exactly a product, but more a process. Title insurance is different from other types of insurance in that it protects the insured from a loss that may occur from matters or faults from past incidents. Other types of insurance such as auto, life or health cover losses that may occur in the future. It’s different from other kinds of insurance, too, in that the premium you pay just once buys coverage that lasts the entire time you, or your heirs, own the property—whether it’s five years or 105!
These are just some of the hidden title risks that would not be disclosed by even the most meticulous search and exam, but are covered by an Owner’s policy of title insurance:
For more information on the closing process and title insurance, go to www.homeclosing101.org.
Each title is different, and the same is true for title insurance. Each policy clause is unique, and the dedicated team at Southern Abstract Company will be happy to work with you so that you can fully understand the value of your title insurance.
Don’t leave things up to chance, especially when it comes to significant investments like real estate. Contact us today to schedule an appointment to meet with the professional team at Southern Abstract Company. We are happy to help you protect your home and your family with valuable title insurance.
Special thanks to the American Land Title Association, Fidelity National Title Insurance Company and First American Title Insurance Company for their contribution to the above information.
Want to learn more about services from Southern Abstract Company? Check out our Services page to see the variety of products we offer to help you and your family for years to come.