While certain aspects or steps in buying a home can be processed almost immediately, buying a home comes with a lot of wait time for important paperwork. One of the things for which there is usually a wait time is title insurance.

That being said, you may be wondering how long it may take to get title insurance…

Well, it depends.

Here are the steps an insurer will take to determine your eligibility for title insurance that may impact how long it takes for you to get a policy.

The complexity of the title search and examination

Once you request a policy for title insurance, an officer will go through a title search process for the home you are trying to buy. During this process, they will go through public records to identify the following information:

1. Who are the rightful owners of the property at this time

2. Determine if there are any defects on the title

3. Determine if there are any clouds on the title, such as liens, levies, and encumbrances 

If there is anything that comes up during this search, the following point describes what will happen next.

The curing period

At this point, the officer will work to rectify any of the issues he or she may have found when it comes to the title of the home you are looking to buy. 

Taking the final decision about insurability 

Once the curing period is over, the officer will let you know about any issues they may have not been able to rectify. If you are willing to take the risk on those issues (meaning you can’t and won’t claim against these issues), they will then present you with a policy for title insurance. 

Most title insurance policies will cover any new claims against your title and any possible forgeries, errors, fraud, or mistakes that exist but weren’t discovered during the title search. In other words, this policy will protect you (and your lender) from the most unexpected issues.

So, to come back to your initial question, how long does all of this take? Well, it usually takes around two weeks. 

If you’re looking for title insurance, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us.