Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)

Definition of "Private mortgage insurance (PMI)"

Paul Van Zandt real estate agent

Written by

Paul Van Zandtelite badge icon

Realty Professionals of Texas

The concept behind a Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is pretty simple: it exists to make sure the lender doesn’t lose its money.

What it does is “buy” the possible defaults of a borrower to a lender. Meaning: if the borrower doesn’t pay the premium, the Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) enters in action and pays it on his/her behalf.

The PMI cost is usually included in the monthly mortgage payment in addition to the principal, homeowner’s insurance, property tax and interest, and just like them, it is a separate thing; it doesn’t build equity to your home.

Why do it?

Well, most of the time you don’t have an option; it is a requirement from the Lender that you get Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) in order to be able to borrow the money. However, it truly can be good for both parties: the lender doesn’t lose money and the borrower can get a house even if he doesn’t have the whole 20% of the home’s value to use as down payment, since lenders sometimes waive the need of it because of the safety provided by the Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI).

 

Real estate Tips:

One of the greatest insurances in the world is knowledge! Devour our Real Estate Terms and use our Real Estate Agent Directory to contact a local real estate agent when you're ready to go into the market for/with your house!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Insurance Terms

Same as term Dynamic: changing state of the economy associated with changes in human wants and desires such that losses or gains occur. Dynamic changes are not insurable. ...

Section of an insurance company that sells through brokers. Some brokerage departments are self-contained in that they have their own underwriting and marketing staffs. Brokerage ...

Same as term American Risk and Insurance Association: membership organization of companies,academics, and individuals in the insurance business whose interest is to further education and ...

Financial analysis method established by the national association of insurance commissioners (naic) to detect problems of property and casualty insurance companies and life and health ...

Factors taken into account concerning the instrument used in funding a pension plan. For example, an allocated funding instrument guarantees that benefits will be paid for all premium ...

Termination of life. A death certificate is required by a life insurance company for a beneficiary to receive the death payment. ...

Maximum amount of insurance coverage that an underwriter will write on a particular class of property or risk exposure. ...

new dividend option under which the policyowner allows the dividends from the participating policy to be applied for the purposes of accumulating cash values. ...

Physical handing of an insurance policy to the insured. Sales training emphasizes the importance of delivery of a policy by the agent. This develops a caring attitude on the part of the ...

Popular Insurance Questions