Home sellers should be protected during their real estate transactions by the best title underwriters. Here are our top picks for 2022.

Table of Contents:

Top Title Underwriters for Home Sellers in 2022

List of Title Insurance Underwriters

First American Title

Old Republic National Title

Chicago Title

Fidelity National Title

Stewart Title Guaranty

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the best title insurance company?

Who are the big 4 title companies?

Who is the biggest title company?

Which title company should I choose?

Should I let lender choose title insurance?

What documents does a title company need?

What makes a great title company?

How many title companies are in the US?

How big is the title industry?

Is PMI and title insurance the same thing?

What does owner’s title insurance mean?

What is a title company?

Why does seller pay for Owner’s title insurance?

Top Title Underwriters for Home Sellers in 2022

A real estate transaction involves a number of professionals, from your mortgage agent to lawyers, maybe even a real estate agent. However, one thing is for certain; most transactions will require a title check or title insurance in some way.

Title firms provide a variety of services. Before a property changes hands, they check to determine whether anyone else has a legal claim on it. The title business also provides protection for the buyer and the lending institution if the title is clear. If there is a claim on the property after the closing, this insurance will safeguard both parties’ financial interests.

During the closing process, title firms also aid the buyer and seller. They keep escrow accounts, sometimes known as holding accounts, for the money needed to close on a house. Each of the services provided by title firms is charged for. The seller is usually responsible for the title search and title insurance premium. The buyer is responsible for their lender’s title insurance premium in most cases.

If you’re shopping around for your own title insurance or are curious about the one your lender works with, this is the list of the top title insurance underwriters across the country.

List of Title Insurance Underwriters

The Complaint Index of the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) compares the number of complaints received by a firm to the size of its client base. The top five property title insurance firms all obtained above-average ratings, indicating that they have less client complaints than the industry average.

A.M. Best or Demotech gave the majority of the firms an outstanding financial strength rating, indicating that they should be able to pay out claims even in bad economic circumstances. Here are the top 5 underwriters for home sellers in 2022.

First American Title

In addition to First American’s commercial and residential services, First American also provides 1031 tax-deferred exchange services, UCC insurance search and filing, professional real estate services, and title technology solutions. Under them, you may come across the following brands:

• First American Title Insurance Company (FATIC)
• First Canadian Title Insurance Company (FCTIC)
• First American Title Insurance Company of Louisiana (FATICL)
• Ohio Bar Title Insurance Company (OBTIC)
• First American Title Guaranty Company (FATGC)

Old Republic National Title

Old Republic Title is a 100-year-old firm that provides a variety of services to help Americans secure their property rights. They are an Old Republic International Corporation wholly-owned subsidiary. Underwriting brands that fall under their umbrella are:

• Old Republic National Title Insurance Company
• American Guaranty Title Insurance Company
• Mississippi Valley Title Insurance Company
• Attorneys’ Title Fund Service (The Fund)

Chicago Title

Title insurance, settlement services, and assessments are all available via the Chicago Title Insurance Company. As you probably guessed, they are headquartered in Chicago. This title insurance underwriting brand is under Fidelity’s National Title umbrella.

Fidelity National Title

As a national provider of title insurance, underwriting, escrow, and closing services, FNTIC serves a wide range of companies and consumers across the United States. With an extensive reach, they operate through a number of brands that include:

• Fidelity National Title Insurance Company (FNTIC)
• Chicago Title Insurance Company (CTIC)
• Alamo Title Insurance Company (ATIC)
• National Title Insurance of New York (NTINY)
• Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company (CLTIC)

Stewart Title Guaranty

Title and escrow services are provided by Stewart Title Guaranty Company to homebuyers and sellers as well as financial institutions and brokers. Headquartered in San Francisco, you can work with them under a number of brands that include:

• Stewart Title Guaranty Company
• Stewart Title Insurance Company of New York
• Stewart Title Limited (Europe)
• Stewart Title Guaranty de Mexico

When choosing a title insurance company, it is crucial to consider both the company’s reputation and its cost. All five of the largest title companies have received excellent customer service ratings from the NAIC.

To find a title insurance company that can provide you a discount, speak with your home solution concierge, mortgage agent, and closing attorney. They have experience working with title insurance companies and can give you recommendations.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the best title insurance company?

The best title company changes year over year according to who has the most market share. As long as you choose from one of the four largest title insurance companies, you have the best chance of protection and being paid out if something goes wrong with your real estate deal.

Nationally, the best title insurance company with a significant market share would be First American or Fidelity. If you want to work with an independent top title company, Westcor Land Title Insurance and WFG National Title Insurance are great options. The best title agency may change for you depending on where you live and what your needs are. It’s always best to interview at least 2-3 companies to ensure they have all the services you require before choosing a title company in USA.

Who are the big 4 title companies?

Because title companies accept the risks associated with real estate closings, they must be prepared to pay out if a transaction fails. Risk is minimized as much as possible by high-performing title insurance providers. When it comes to title claims, though, they’ll need broad shoulders and huge funds.

As a result, choosing title agencies that are underwritten by at least one of these national brands that are the largest title insurance companies 2022 is the wise and safest option:

1. First American Title Insurance Company
2. Fidelity National Title Insurance Company
3. Stewart Title Guaranty Company
4. Old Republic National Title Insurance Group

The underlying title search companies’ policies for about 90% of the covered real estate transactions in the United States are provided by these “Big 4” top title companies. This isn’t a criticism on smaller, more localized title insurance underwriters; but, having one of the major national title insurance companies is critical, especially on higher-end deals.

Who is the biggest title company?

With a 21% market share and more than $4 billion in premiums in 2020, First American Title is part of the top title insurance companies 2022, recognized as the largest from the list of title companies, with 41% more than the next-largest company.

Fidelity National Title Group, the parent business of Chicago Title, Fidelity National Title, and Commonwealth Land Title, accounts for 31% of the national title companies market, with over $6 billion in annual revenue.

Which title company should I choose?

A skilled market title company agent excels at two things: arranging the transaction in a timely manner and offering excellent customer service to the buyer and seller.

Lenders and real estate agents have been making significant investments in technology for some years. While title search companies and buyers both benefit from technological advances, the technology that underpins their experiences has gotten little attention up until recently. Title agents have become significantly more productive due to the use of modern-day cloud-based technology.

Those that have used cutting-edge technology are able to engage with their clients in a secure and straightforward manner, keep them updated on the progress of their closing in real-time, and avoid costly mishaps that occur all too frequently when internal processes are overly rigorous.

It’s not difficult to identify a title company underwriter who is not committed to providing you with the closing experience you deserve. Instead of being something to dread, a house closing should be something to look forward to.

If they refuse to make it simple to communicate securely, if they fail to provide clear instructions on the various steps of your closing process, or if they have a history of complaints from previous clients regarding the accuracy of their work, these are all red flags to look out for with big title companies.

Should I let lender choose title insurance?

You can definitely let your lender choose the best title company for your title insurance, and in fact, most people do. Your best chance of success is to defer to your team and simply stay in touch until the day of your closing. Those who prefer to be more involved in the process of choosing the best home title company can check out local reviews, have an interview process or ask family and friends about their experience.

What documents does a title company need?

At closing, the US title company will require a few documents from the seller in order to proceed with the transaction. These documents differ from the buyer and include:

• Warranty deed.
• Bill of sale.
• Affidavits and any miscellaneous documents that are required to clear the title.
• If applicable, power of attorney.

What makes a great title company?

Title insurance is sold and insured by a 2022 title company. To ensure that the property in issue has a clear title, a title company conducts an investigation before offering insurance.

Title insurance providers usually maintain escrow accounts that contain the monies necessary for the closure of the transaction. This ensures that the funds in escrow will be accessible when you close on your new house and that it will go to the appropriate individuals.

Homeowners, as well as mortgage lenders, are protected in the event of a title dispute. The title insurance underwriters will provide title insurance if it has determined that the property’s title is valid. Litigation, claims, and legal fees resulting from a dispute over property ownership are all covered by this insurance policy, which protects both the lender and the insured.

The two most frequent forms of title insurance are lender- and owner-owned. The lender’s title insurance will be your responsibility after the deal is closed if you’re the buyer in this case.

How many title companies are in the US?

There are over 4,500 title insurance companies in the U.S., according to ATLA’s membership (American Land Title Association). ATLA is a non-profit trade that represents their interests and offers special endorsements.

How big is the title industry?

2022 saw growth for the top title insurance companies across the nation. Their US market size in 2022 equated to 22 billion dollars.

Is PMI and title insurance the same thing?

Traditional banks and private lenders require homeowners with less than a 20% down payment to pay for private mortgage insurance. When a borrower fails to pay back a loan, the lender is protected by private mortgage insurance (PMI).

Down payment and credit score affect the cost of private mortgage insurance premiums. Depending on how much you borrowed, fees might range from 0.3 percent to 1.5 percent of that amount per year. The annual premium is paid in 12 equal monthly payments throughout the course of the year.

Although private mortgage insurance and title insurance are not the same things, they are connected. A title is written proof of who owns the property legally. Typically, title insurance is a one-time payment made at the end of escrow.

Title insurance, like PMI, protects the lender. Title insurance, unlike PMI, covers both the borrower and the lender. Both parties are covered by title insurance in the event of property loss due to liens, encumbrances, or flaws in the title.

Title insurance does not provide protection from the commencement of the coverage; instead, it protects against prior occurrences and problems with the property’s documents with previous owners.

What does owner’s title insurance mean?

Owner’s title insurance protects the homeowner if someone sues the property and alleges they have a claim against the home from before the homeowner purchased it.

What is a title company?

It is the job of a title company to transfer ownership of property from the current owner to the new owner. Checking for issues such as liens, previous mortgages, unpaid taxes, and fraudulent transfers, among others, is necessary for the market title agency to be successful in this endeavor.

Why does seller pay for Owner’s title insurance?

An owner’s title insurance policy protects the homebuyer against financial loss. In most cases, the coverage level for an owner’s policy is equal to the purchase price, and it remains the same for the whole time period in which you or your heirs own the property. This is a supplemental insurance coverage that can be acquired just once.

The owner’s policy might be paid on the buyer’s behalf by either the buyer or the seller, depending on the circumstances. Local real estate custom usually dictates who pays for what in real estate transactions. An owner’s insurance policy purchased at the same time as a lender’s policy may result in a “simultaneous issuance fee,” which reduces the cost of the owner’s policy.

Homesellers and buyers can benefit from Richr’s all-in-one solution that includes title settlement services for only $699 while providing other financial benefits. Sellers can list on MLS for free, and buyers can get 2% of their purchase price back in their pocket. The top title company underwriters at Richr can help you feel confident and secure with your next real estate transaction.