We are frequently asked to explain differences in coverage between title insurance and other forms of title assurance, such as attorney opinion letters.

Title insurance is designed to provide the broadest available coverage: it is an opinion of title to land, backed by an insurance policy. If the opinion is questioned or proves incorrect, protection against loss, including legal expenses, is insured.

The attorney opinion letter is a legal opinion. If the opinion proves incorrect, ordinarily the recipient has recourse only if it was falsely or negligently given. Still other forms of title assurance, such as limited coverage policies or certified searches, provide limited information taken from public records. They do not warrant this information to be reliable or free from dispute, but if the information is incorrectly reported the recipient may be entitled to indemnity up to a specified amount.

The following true stories from First American claim files illustrate the broader coverage of title insurance.