What Is Mortgage Insurance and How Does It Affect My Monthly Payment?
Conventional first-time homebuyers are required to pay mortgage insurance if their down payment is less than 20% of the property’s value. Mortgage insurance can be charged in the form of either a single up-front charge at the funding of your loan, or a monthly premium that you make with your monthly payment. The mortgage insurance covers risks to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac if you happen to default on your loan. With a few exceptions, mortgage insurance is cancelled once you reach 78% equity in your home. FHA first-time homebuyers always pay an up-front charge and an annual premium that you make with your mortgage payment. Total Mortgage Loan officers can help you figure out exactly how insurance affects your monthly payments.
Mortgage Insurance vs. Homeowners Insurance: What’s the Difference?
Though these types of insurance sound related (and are often confused), there is actually a pretty big difference between the two.
Homeowners pay mortgage insurance to cover risks to Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac in the event that you default on your loan. This is generally something that your lender will arrange so you won’t have to shop for it. This generally applies when you make a down payment of less than 20% on conventional loans.
Homeowners insurance, on the other hand, prevents you (the homeowner) from absorbing total financial risk in the case of losses or physical damage to your home. You may choose to get homeowners insurance from a number of different vendors and either pay them directly or through escrow.