Title Insurance Services

 “Second Generation” EAGLE Policies


First American Title Insurance Company’s “Second Generation” EAGLE Loan Policy – also known as the ALTA Expanded Residential Loan Policy adopted by the American Land Title Association in February 1997 – provides expanded coverage for the lenders on one-to-four family residences, including condominiums.


The EAGLE Loan Policy provides more coverage automatically than any previous loan policy. It affords all of the superb protection of a 1992 ALTA Loan Policy – plus 19 important new coverages and other valuable protections.


Many of the coverages, including post-policy coverages included in this version of the EAGLE Loan Policy were developed by First American “first” in our “First Generation” EAGLE Loan Policy. Some coverages have traditionally been offered only by endorsement, which had to be specifically requested. All of the excellent coverages of the EAGLE Loan Policy are in addition to the legal defense benefit always provided by title insurance to afford the lender added protection without reducing the policy amount.


In addition, the policy amount now increases automatically for you. First American recognizes that when a lender’s coverage is limited to the original loan amount, that amount is often inadequate to fully compensate for an actual loss. That is why our new EAGLE Protection Loan Policy automatically provides a policy limit of 125% of the stated insurance amount.


All this protection is available in this single package – the EAGLE Protection Loan Policy. You no longer need to request additional coverage by endorsement. Now, the most far-reaching, endorsement-inclusive policy in the industry provides the protection you’ve asked for…and much more.



Second Generation EAGLE Owner’s Policy – Your Best Protection


To insure the investment made in your home against title risks, you need an Owner’s Policy of Title Insurance.


First American Title Insurance Company’s EAGLE Policy also known as the ALTA/CLTA Homeowner’s Policy of Title Insurance provides expanded title coverage for owners of one-to-four family residences, including condominiums. The post-policy coverages automatically included in the EAGLE Policy offer the highest level of protection available to the nation’s growing family of homeowners.


What’s more, the EAGLE Policy never expires, even when the homeowner no longer holds title. At this time, no other policy offers a broader, more comprehensive, more reassuring range of coverages for the homeowner – that’s why the EAGLE Policy has become the industries standard of care.


Another extraordinary feature of the EAGLE policy is that coverage amounts increase annually under the EAGLE Policy.  First American will increase the amount of coverage under the EAGLE policy by 10% of the original amount in each of the first five years!  This helps homeowners cover increases in the value of their property by raising the limit of insurance protection.


An Owner’s Policy will insure against title defects such as:


  • Someone else owns an interest in your land due to:
    • Abstracting errors 
    • Lack of legal access
    • Errors in recording documents
    • Claims of unrecorded rights 
    • Forgery, fraud or impersonation
    • Restrictive covenants
  • Someone else has an easement on your land 

In addition, First American’s EAGLE Owner’s Policy provides the following exceptional coverages which title insurance companies have not historically provided:


  • Post-Policy Forgery
  • Building Permit and Zoning Violations
  • Restrictive Covenant Violations
  • Subdivision Map Act Coverage
  • Post-Policy Adverse Possession
  • Post-Policy Encroachment
  • Post-Policy Easement by Prescription
  • Subdivision Violations
  • Enhanced Access
  • Post-Policy Cloud on Title
  • Map Inconsistencies
  • Structure Damage from Mineral Extraction
  • Expanded Living Trust Coverage
  • Encroachment by Boundary Walls and Fences 

“This policy insures you forever, even after you no longer have your title.” All other policies terminate when the homeowner gives up title to a property and no longer has liability under title warranties made to a buyer or lender – but not the EAGLE Policy. It is paid for just once, but it lives forever!


Additional benefits of an Owner’s Policy:


  • Pay a single premium for the life of the policy
  • Insure your interest in your home against monetary loss or damage due to title defects as specified in the Owner’s Policy
  • Other defects, liens, or encumbrances
  • Your title is unmarketable - therefore another person can refuse to perform a contract to purchase, to lease, or make a mortgage loan·
  • Will help avoid delays in future sales of the home due to unmarketable title
  • Can be issued simultaneously with the Loan Policy at a significant cost savings


Escrow Services


First American provides both Real Estate and Mortgage escrow services, with more than 20 conveniently located offices statewide.  As facilitators of the escrow transaction, the escrow agent is an impartial third party whose authority is strictly limited to the instructions provided by the parties involved (Buyer/Seller/Lender). These instructions are contained within the purchase agreement and/or lenders instructions.

The following is a listing of some of the many services provided by our Escrow Department: 


  • Obtain payoff information for existing liens
  • Coordinate resolution of title defects, if any
  • Schedule closing, informing all parties of date, time and location
  • Review and comply with lender instructions, if applicable
  • Prepare settlement statements for both buyer and seller
  • Draft appropriate escrow documents
  • Conduct the closing and present documents for signature
  • Disburse funds
  • Assure all necessary documents are filed of record 


Equity Services


  • Limited Coverage Policies
  • Owners & Encumbrances Reports
  • Deed Reports
  • Flood Certifications
  • Title Clearance
  • Escrow Services
  • Document Recording 


Searching Services


First American provides a variety of search products to specifically meet the needs of the customer.  To provide these services we maintain a team of well trained and experienced abstracters/searchers throughout the state.  We offer centralized ordering to provide prompt delivery of our products and meet the customer’s expectations.  The following is a basic list of searching services available at First American:


Abstracting - Summary of the title's history for a particular parcel of real estate.


  • Abstracts of Title (Commercial & Residential) 
  • Registered Property Abstracts
  • Stub Abstracts
  • 40 Year Tract Searches
  • Refinance Tract Searches
  • Owner & Encumbrances reports


Tax Searches


  • Property Tax Information

Name Searches

 

  • Judgment Liens
  • State and Federal Tax Liens
  • Bankruptcies


Radius Searches


  • Provide a listing of property owners within a given radius
  • Include mailing information 


Searching products will be customized to meet the requirements of the customer.