Title Insurance
Standard vs. Enhanced
Title Insurance
Understand what each owner's policy covers — then compare them side by side.
What is title insurance?
Title insurance is a protection — available to purchasers and lenders of real estate — that places the title insurance company in the position of defending, at its cost and its risk up to the policy amount, any covered claims against the property not excepted by the policy.
Unlike other types of insurance that protect against future possible occurrences, title insurance protects against past occurrences that could result in a claim at a future date. Coverage continues for as long as you have an interest in the covered property, giving you the peace of mind of knowing you are receiving good and marketable title to the real estate you are purchasing.
Compare Policies
Coverage at a glance
| Coverage | Enhanced | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| A third party claims an interest in the title | Covered | Covered |
| Improperly executed document | Covered | Covered |
| Pre-policy forgery, fraud or duress | Covered | Covered |
| Defective recording of documents | Covered | Covered |
| Undisclosed restrictive covenants | Covered | Covered |
| A lien on your title from a security deed, a judgment, tax or special assessment, or a homeowners' association charge | Covered | Covered |
| Unmarketable title | Covered | Covered |
| Mechanics' liens | Covered | Not covered |
| Forced removal of a structure because it encroaches onto another property or an easement, violates a zoning law, or violates a restriction in Schedule B | Covered | Not covered |
| Land cannot be used for a single-family dwelling because the use violates a restriction in Schedule B or a zoning ordinance | Covered | Not covered |
| Unrecorded easements | Covered | Not covered |
| Pays rent for substitute land or facilities | Covered | Not covered |
| Rights under unrecorded leases | Covered | Not covered |
| Plain-language policy you can understand the first time you read it | Covered | Not covered |
| Building permit violations | Covered | Not covered |
| Compliance with the Subdivision Map Act, if any | Covered | Not covered |
| Restrictive covenant violations | Covered | Not covered |
| Discriminatory covenants | Covered | Not covered |
| Covenant violation resulting in reversion | Covered | Not covered |
| Violations of building setbacks | Covered | Not covered |
| Enhanced marketability | Covered | Not covered |
| Enhanced vehicular and pedestrian access | Covered | Not covered |
| Map, if any, not consistent with the legal description | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy forgery | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy encroachment | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy damage from minerals or water extraction | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy living trust coverage for the trustee | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy living trust coverage for the beneficiary | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy automatic increase in value up to 150% | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy adverse possession | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy cloud on title | Covered | Not covered |
| Post-policy prescriptive easement | Covered | Not covered |
| Boundary walls and fence encroachment | Covered | Not covered |
| Insurance coverage forever | Covered | Not covered |
* Coverage subject to the terms, conditions and exclusions of the actual policy.
Not sure which policy is right for you?