Estimate your title insurance premiums and closing fees.
Purchase
Refinance
Standard National Rate
Enhanced Coverage Rate
Metropolitan/City Rate
Owner's Title Policy:–
Lender's Title Policy:–
Endorsements (Est.):–
Settlement / Closing Fee:–
Total Estimated Title Fees:–
*This is an estimate based on common rate schedules. Actual equity title rates vary by state, county, and specific underwriter filings.
Understanding Equity Title Rates
When engaging in a real estate transaction, whether buying a new home or refinancing an existing mortgage, "Equity Title" refers to the specific costs associated with the title insurance and settlement services required to transfer clear ownership. Unlike mortgage interest rates which are determined by financial markets, title insurance rates are often regulated at the state level and filed by underwriters.
What is Title Insurance?
Title insurance protects property owners and lenders against financial loss due to defects in a property's title. These defects might include liens, encumbrances, or errors in public records. There are generally two types of policies:
Owner's Policy: Protects the buyer's equity in the property up to the purchase price. In many regions, the seller pays for this policy, but this is negotiable and varies by custom.
Lender's Policy: Protects the bank or lending institution for the amount of the loan. This is almost always required if you are taking out a mortgage.
How the Calculator Works
Our Equity Title Rate Calculator estimates premiums based on a tiered rate structure common in the industry. Title rates typically decrease as the liability amount (price or loan amount) increases.
For Purchases: The Owner's Policy is calculated based on the Sale Price. The Lender's Policy is often issued simultaneously, resulting in a significantly discounted "simultaneous issue" rate, provided the loan amount does not exceed the purchase price.
For Refinances: Since you already own the home, you typically do not need a new Owner's Policy. You will only purchase a Lender's Policy for the new loan amount. Refinance rates are often lower than original purchase rates because the title history was recently checked.
Key Factors Affecting Your Rate
Transaction Type: Purchase transactions involve higher total title costs because both Owner and Lender policies are usually issued. Refinances are cheaper as they primarily involve only the Lender's coverage.
Property Value / Loan Amount: Rates are calculated per $1,000 of liability. While the absolute cost goes up with higher values, the rate per thousand generally goes down in higher brackets.
Location (State/County): Title insurance is heavily regulated. Some states (like Texas or Florida) have "promulgated rates" set by the state, meaning every title company charges the exact same premium. In other states, rates can vary between companies.
Endorsements: These are specific additions to the policy coverage (e.g., environmental protection, planned unit development) which add small fees to the total.
Example Calculation
Consider a home purchase of $400,000 with a loan of $320,000.
1. Owner's Policy: Calculated on the $400,000 price. If the rate is $5.75/$1k for the first $100k and $5.00/$1k thereafter, the base premium would be roughly $2,075.
2. Lender's Policy: Since it is issued with the Owner's policy, a simultaneous issue fee (often flat, e.g., $150 or $250) applies instead of the full rate.
3. Closing Fees: The title company or escrow agent charges a fee to conduct the closing, often between $500 and $1,000 depending on complexity.
Using the calculator above helps you budget for these "closing costs" which are separate from your down payment and loan origination fees.
function toggleInputs() {
var type = document.getElementById('transactionType').value;
var priceInput = document.getElementById('salePrice');
// Although typically we need price for purchase, sometimes refi appraisals are used.
// We will keep both visible but strictly logic depends on type.
if (type === 'refinance') {
priceInput.placeholder = "Estimated Property Value";
} else {
priceInput.placeholder = "e.g. 450000";
}
}
function calculateEquityTitle() {
// 1. Get Inputs
var type = document.getElementById('transactionType').value;
var schedule = document.getElementById('propertyState').value;
var salePrice = parseFloat(document.getElementById('salePrice').value);
var loanAmount = parseFloat(document.getElementById('loanAmount').value);
// 2. Validate
if (isNaN(salePrice)) salePrice = 0;
if (isNaN(loanAmount)) loanAmount = 0;
// 3. Define Rate Logic (Simulated Tiered Structure)
// Base Rates per $1000
var tier1Rate = 5.75; // 0 – 100k
var tier2Rate = 5.00; // 100k – 500k
var tier3Rate = 4.00; // 500k – 1M
var tier4Rate = 2.75; // 1M+
// Adjust rates based on schedule selection
if (schedule === 'enhanced') {
tier1Rate *= 1.2;
tier2Rate *= 1.2;
tier3Rate *= 1.2;
tier4Rate *= 1.2;
} else if (schedule === 'metro') {
tier1Rate *= 1.1;
tier2Rate *= 1.1;
tier3Rate *= 1.1;
tier4Rate *= 1.1;
}
// Helper function to calculate tiered premium
function getTieredPremium(amount) {
var premium = 0;
var remaining = amount;
// Tier 1: First 100,000
var chunk1 = Math.min(remaining, 100000);
if (chunk1 > 0) {
premium += (chunk1 / 1000) * tier1Rate;
remaining -= chunk1;
}
// Tier 2: 100,001 to 500,000
var chunk2 = Math.min(remaining, 400000);
if (remaining > 0 && chunk2 > 0) {
premium += (chunk2 / 1000) * tier2Rate;
remaining -= chunk2;
}
// Tier 3: 500,001 to 1,000,000
var chunk3 = Math.min(remaining, 500000);
if (remaining > 0 && chunk3 > 0) {
premium += (chunk3 / 1000) * tier3Rate;
remaining -= chunk3;
}
// Tier 4: Over 1,000,000
if (remaining > 0) {
premium += (remaining / 1000) * tier4Rate;
}
// Minimum premium check
return Math.max(premium, 200);
}
var ownersPolicy = 0;
var lendersPolicy = 0;
var endorsements = 0;
var settlementFee = 0;
if (type === 'purchase') {
// Purchase Logic
if (salePrice > 0) {
ownersPolicy = getTieredPremium(salePrice);
}
// Simultaneous Issue Logic for Lender
// If loan exists, lender policy is usually a flat fee or small add-on
if (loanAmount > 0) {
// Standard Simultaneous Issue Fee
var simFee = 250;
// If Loan Amount > Sale Price (rare, but possible with certain loans/fees rolled in),
// add difference at tiered rate.
if (loanAmount > salePrice) {
var diff = loanAmount – salePrice;
// Calculate rate for the difference starting at the tier where price left off
// Simplified: just take rate of diff at generic tier 2 rate for estimation
simFee += (diff / 1000) * tier2Rate;
}
lendersPolicy = simFee;
}
// Settlement Fees
settlementFee = 450 + (salePrice * 0.001); // Base + small scaling
} else {
// Refinance Logic
ownersPolicy = 0; // Usually not re-purchased
if (loanAmount > 0) {
// Refinance Rate (Substitution Rate)
// Usually ~70% of standard basic rate
var basePremium = getTieredPremium(loanAmount);
lendersPolicy = basePremium * 0.70;
}
// Settlement Fees for Refi
settlementFee = 350 + (loanAmount * 0.0005);
}
// Endorsements (Estimated as % of premium or flat)
endorsements = (ownersPolicy + lendersPolicy) * 0.10;
if (endorsements < 50) endorsements = 50;
var totalFees = ownersPolicy + lendersPolicy + endorsements + settlementFee;
// 4. Output Results
function formatMoney(num) {
return "$" + num.toLocaleString(undefined, {minimumFractionDigits: 2, maximumFractionDigits: 2});
}
document.getElementById('resOwnerPolicy').innerText = formatMoney(ownersPolicy);
document.getElementById('resLenderPolicy').innerText = formatMoney(lendersPolicy);
document.getElementById('resEndorsements').innerText = formatMoney(endorsements);
document.getElementById('resSettlement').innerText = formatMoney(settlementFee);
document.getElementById('resTotal').innerText = formatMoney(totalFees);
// Show Results
document.getElementById('resultsArea').style.display = 'block';
}