Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
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!
Popular Insurance Terms
One-year coverage that is renewable at the end of each year. Since the group plan is subject to experience rating, the premium rate upon renewal is based on such factors as the loss record ...
Bona fide organization that purchases insurance on a group basis on behalf of members. However, a group cannot be formed for the purpose of purchasing insurance since adverse selection ...
In many property insurance policies, a requirement that the insured carry insurance as a percentage of the total monetary value of the insured property. If this percentage is not carried, ...
Amount, not in excess of $10,000 per year, given to each of an unlimited number of donees free of federal estate tax and gift tax. Each individual can give up to $10,000 to any one donee, ...
Financial incentives credited to the policy to encourage the policyowner to keep the policy in force. The incentives may be utilized by: (1) applying them to the policy cash value after a ...
Canadian retirement plan much like U.S. individual retirement account (IRA). Here, an employee can contribute on a tax deductible basis C $3500 each year as a member of an employer pension ...
Transfer of highly individualized loss exposures that is not based on the usual pooling principles of insurance such as risk identification and classification selection. Rather than setting ...
Rules of conduct and commissions paid to agents. For example, under the rules of conduct agents may be required to submit all of their business to only that agency. The contract also lists ...
Provision for coverage for buildings and personal property within the simplified commercial lines portfolio policy (sclp). The buildings and personal property coverage may be classified in ...

Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.