What do title insurance policies typically protect against?

Title insurance policies primarily provide protection against defects in title. This encompasses risks such as outstanding liens, conflicting claims of ownership, errors in public records, and fraud. When a buyer purchases a property, they receive a title insurance policy, which assures them that their ownership is secure and protects them from financial loss related to any issues that might arise regarding the title's validity.

The policy typically covers legal costs to defend against any claims and will compensate for losses if a defect arises that the policy covers. Thus, if a title issue is discovered after the purchase, the title insurance protects the homeowner's financial investment in the property, ensuring peace of mind concerning legal ownership.

While environmental hazards, natural disasters, and market fluctuations can impact property values and ownership experiences, they are not within the scope of what title insurance is designed to cover. Environmental issues typically fall under separate insurance policies, natural disasters are covered by homeowner's insurance, and market fluctuations relate to economic conditions that affect real estate values, none of which would be addressed by a title insurance policy.