What is Title Insurance?

Title insurance protects people from losses arising from a real estate purchase. Losses may be caused by things such as unknown liens, defects, or encumbrances on the property that existed before the purchase.

Examples include:

• outstanding property taxes not paid by the previous owner;
• fraud or forgery of a previous deed; and
• a spouse or unknown heir who makes a claim against the property.

Title insurance agents will identify defects in the title that need to be corrected before the owner of the land sells it to you. Agents will check for problems with your title by looking at public records, including deeds, mortgages, wills, divorce decrees, court judgments, tax records, liens, encumbrances, and maps. 

A title insurance policy also protects right of access to the property.

Source: Texas Department of Insuance

Use the link below to read more.

http://www.tdi.texas.gov/pubs/consumer/cb058.html#