“This post may contain affiliate links, if you click a link we may earn a commission if you purchase from that merchant.”
When it comes to buying your first house, you don’t need to be an insurance expert, but it might be confusing when you hear the terms “homeowners insurance” and “mortgage insurance” for the first time. It may be helpful to know the difference between homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance as you learn about your insurance needs at this significant new stage in your life. Although not every homeowner need mortgage insurance, homeowners insurance is almost always required to ensure that their new home is adequately safeguarded. Let us find the differences in Homeowners Insurance vs Mortgage Insurance.
Table of Contents
What Is Mortgage Insurance?
Mortgage insurance, commonly referred to as private mortgage insurance or PMI, is a type of insurance that some lenders may need to safeguard their interests in the event that you default on your loan. Mortgage insurance does not protect you as a homebuyer or cover the home. Instead, PMI protects the lender in case you are unable to make payments.
When Is Mortgage Insurance Required?
When you take out a mortgage loan and your down payment is less than 20% of the purchase price, you may be forced to obtain mortgage insurance. The need for mortgage insurance varies depending on the lender and loan package. Some lenders, depending on your circumstances, may allow you to avoid PMI even if you put down a lower down payment. Ask your lender if PMI is necessary, and if so, if there are any exceptions to the rule that you might be eligible for.
Is Mortgage Insurance Included in Your Mortgage?
Your mortgage loan does not contain mortgage insurance. It is a separate insurance coverage from your mortgage. Mortgage insurance is often paid in one of two ways: in a large sum upfront or over time with monthly payments. It’s not uncommon, though, for the cost of your PMI premium to be rolled into your monthly mortgage payment. You can make a single monthly payment to cover both your mortgage loan and your mortgage insurance in this manner.
Check the loan estimate you receive from a lender for details and ask questions if you want to know whether a lender requires mortgage insurance, how you pay it, and how much it will cost. You can also conduct your own research by going to a website like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s website. To further understand what PMI could be required and whether you’d pay premiums monthly, upfront, or both, seek for information that outlines the closing disclosures on your loan estimate.
The good news is that if you do require mortgage insurance, you may be able to get rid of it once you’ve paid down your loan enough to have more than 20% equity in your property. When you’re no longer obliged to have PMI, check with your lender to see when and how you can get out of PMI.
What Is Homeowners Insurance?
Homeowners insurance, commonly referred to as home insurance, is a type of coverage that all mortgage lenders require for all borrowers. Unlike the necessity to purchase PMI, the requirement to get homeowners insurance is unrelated to the amount of your down payment. It is proportional to the value of your home and property.
When Is Homeowners Insurance Required?
Anyone who takes out a mortgage loan to buy a house is usually required to have homeowner’s insurance. After you’ve paid off your mortgage, you’ll almost certainly want to keep your homeowners insurance policy. While your mortgage lender can no longer enforce you to have home insurance once you have paid off your loan, it is up to you to safeguard your investment.
Is Homeowners Insurance Included in Your Mortgage?
Because they pay a single monthly payment that includes both their homeowners insurance premium and their monthly mortgage payment, some homeowners may believe their house insurance is included in their mortgage. Homeowners insurance, on the other hand, is not included in your mortgage. It’s a separate insurance policy from your mortgage loan agreement. Your homeowners insurance premium goes to your homeowners insurance company, and your mortgage payment goes to your mortgage lender, even if your loan and insurance payments are combined into a single monthly payment.
Your mortgage lender may establish an escrow account where you can pay your homeowners insurance and property taxes. This ensures that you have adequate money to pay off both major expenses on time.
Typically, the bank collects that money as part of your monthly mortgage payment, deposits the cash in escrow, and then pays your homeowners insurance carrier on your behalf every six months or annually.
Do I Need Homeowners Insurance After My Mortgage Is Paid Off?
If you want to secure your house once your mortgage is paid off, you’ll need homeowners property and liability insurance. Property coverage for homeowners can assist protect against the potentially crippling costs of repairing or replacing your home following disasters such as fire, lightning, or windstorms. If a visitor falls and gets harmed at your house, homeowners liability insurance can help protect you.
Unlike PMI, homeowners insurance has nothing to do with your mortgage except that it is required by mortgage lenders to preserve their interest in the home.
After you’ve paid off your mortgage, there are three reasons why you’ll need homeowners insurance:
- Homeowners insurance covers the structure of your home
After a covered accident or occurrence, such as a break-in, a lightning storm, a house fire, a tornado, or a hurricane, your homeowners insurance can assist pay to restore or rebuild your home. Most policies also cover detached structures on the property, such as a storage shed, gazebo or guest house.
- Homeowners insurance protects your possessions
Remember that your home’s structure isn’t the only thing that needs to be protected. Furniture, clothing, sports equipment, and tools are among the items in your home that could be pricey to replace. Your home’s insurance may also cover items outside of your home, such as a newly purchased holiday gift stolen during a car break-in. It may also cover your yard’s plants and shrubs.
- Homeowners insurance can help cover your lodging, if your home becomes temporarily unlivable.
It’s a good idea to include additional living costs coverage in your home insurance policy. While your house is uninhabitable due to a covered occurrence, this coverage can help pay for an Airbnb, hotel, or other form of lodging. Meals may also be covered by ALE while your house is being renovated.
Final Thoughts- Homeowners Insurance vs Mortgage Insurance
As you can see, both mortgage and homeowners insurance are essential components of home ownership. If you experience serious damage or a full loss of your home and property, homeowners insurance spreads out your financial risk. It is an expense worth paying for because it covers the cost of repairing or rebuilding your home and property by paying you directly.
