Title insurance is a policy of insurance that provides coverage for the title related risks associated with real estate transactions. It is designed to cover the unpredictable or undetectable issues such as forgery, fraud, missing heirs, etc. that can affect rights of ownership. Because it is insurance, a title insurance policy moves the risk associated with title from the home buyer, the lending institution or the lawyer, to the title insurer.

If there is a problem with title that only becomes known after closing, the title insurer may rectify the problem or compensate the title insurance policyholder, provided the type of problem that surfaces is covered by the title insurance policy. For more information on title insurance, you can review the "Working With a Lawyer when you Buy a Home" brochure on the Ontario Bar Association's Web site at http://www.oba.org/en/pdf/lawyer1.pdf.

A title insurance policy will contain:

risks or losses the policy will cover; risks or losses the policy will not cover; and general terms governing the insurance coverage.*

* Some restrictions may apply. Please refer to the policy for full details, including actual terms and conditions.

Courtesy of http://www.titleplus.ca/RSREG/TitleInsurance.asp