Title is a collective term that encompasses your legal rights to own, possess, use, control or dispose of real property - land. Title takes into account all previous land ownership, uses and transfers of land use and ownership. In order to legally transfer real estate property, you must perform a title search to determine the title is clear or free of defects or inappropriate encumbrances.
What is title insurance?
Title insurance is a contractual obligation between you (and/or your lender) and the title insurance company, wherein the title insurer, in exchange for a premium payment, provides protection (effective as of the date the title insurer issues the policy) against future losses that might result from a variety of possible title defects or encumbrances.