Searching for the Right Mortgage Insurance
♫ Tuesday, January 5th, 2010Any time you wish to take out a mortgage on a home, whether you are purchasing or refinancing, any lending institution will require you to carry mortgage insurance as well. Mortgage insurance is a guarantee for the lender that, should something happen to you or your spouse, they will still receive their investment back. Most banks will try to get you to purchase this insurance directly through them. If you are interested in saving yourself several hundred dollars, then this is probably not your wisest option
Mortgage insurance works much in the same way that a life insurance policy does. The borrower is insured for the amount of the original loan, and in the event that the borrower passes away, the bank has the assurance that the amount of the loan is covered. If you purchase this insurance directly through the bank where you have your mortgage, the monies from the policy will go directly to pay off the balance of the loan. However, when you purchase your mortgage insurance policy through an insurance company you can name your beneficiary just as you can with life insurance, and you decide how the monies will be spent.
Purchasing your mortgage insurance through a private insurance company. With a reputable insurance company, you will never have to worry about a bank not renewing or outright canceling your mortgage insurance policy. Nor will you have to worry about your premiums increasing with time. With a private insurance company, the amount of your premiums on a twenty year policy will still be the same twenty years from now as they are today.
A bank, on the other hand, will often raise your premiums by as much as 40% over the life of the policy. In addition, the value of a bank’s policy will decrease in face value through the years, whereas a privately held policy will not. While keeping a mortgage insurance policy is required for purchasing or refinancing a home, it is important that you remain in control over your policy options.
Allowing a bank or other lending institution to make important decisions about your policy for you can be costly and detrimental to your insurability later on. Be sure to choose a reputable, private insurance agency that will personalize your policy to fit the needs of you and your family, keeping you in control of your benefits, and ultimately saving you time and money.
