Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI)
Definition of "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
Day-to-day care that a patient (generally older than 65) receives in a nursing facility or in his or her residence following an illness or injury, or in old age, such that the patient can ...
Modest amounts of coverage sold on a debit basis. The face amount is usually less than $1000. ...
Same as term Export-Import Bank: partnership between an agency of the U.S. government and the Foreign Credit Insurance Association (50 commercial insurance companies, both stock and ...
Regulations of the national association of insurance commissioners (naic) that dictate provisions that all individual health insurance policies must contain. All states now require these ...
Indemnification of a school for the loss of tuition, and room and board fees when it is forced to suspend classes because of the occurrence of a peril. ...
Department in an insurance company that prepares policies to be sent to the policyholder, sends the policies, and keeps records of the policies that were sent. ...
Person who has the responsibility for examining the risk to determine whether or not to insure it. ...
Particular type of inland marine insurance. ...
Same as term Binder: temporary insurance contract providing coverage until a permanent policy is issued. In property and casualty insurance, some agents have authority to bind the insurance ...
Have a question or comment?
We're here to help.