Private mortgage insurance, or PMI, is a type of insurance that protects lenders from borrowers who default on their loans. It’s usually required if you make a down payment of less than 20% on your home. PMI can be expensive, so you might be wondering when you can finally drop it. The answer depends on a few factors, but we’ll explore them in this blog post. Read on to learn more about PMI and when you can get rid of it.
What is PMI Insurance?
Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is insurance that protects a lender in the event that a borrower defaults on their home loan. PMI is typically required when a borrower makes a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price of the home.
If you default on your home loan and your lender forecloses on your home, the lender will recoup some of their losses by selling your home. However, they may not be able to sell your home for enough to cover the entire balance of your loan. This is where PMI comes in.
PMI will pay the difference between what is owed on the loan and what the home sells for in a foreclosure sale. This allows the lender to recoup their losses and avoid having to take a loss on the loan.
PMI is typically paid as part of your monthly mortgage payment. You will continue to pay PMI until you have paid off enough of your loan so that you no longer owe more than 80% of the original purchase price of your home. At this point, you can request that your lender cancel PMI.
How Does PMI Insurance Work?
PMI insurance works by protecting lenders in the event that a borrower defaults on their mortgage. If the borrower is unable to repay the loan, the lender will be reimbursed by the insurer. PMI insurance is typically required when a borrower makes a down payment of less than 20% on their home. The premium for PMI insurance is typically added to the monthly mortgage payment.
When Can You Drop PMI Insurance?
Most mortgages require that borrowers pay for private mortgage insurance (PMI) if they are unable to make a down payment of 20% or more. However, once you have built up enough equity in your home, you may be able to cancel your PMI payments.
There are a few different ways to drop PMI insurance, but the most common is to simply reach a certain level of equity in your home. For conventional loans, this typically means having at least 20% equity in the home. Once you reach this point, you can contact your lender and request that they cancel your PMI payments.
There are a few other circumstances where you may be able to drop PMI insurance, even if you don’t have 20% equity in your home. For example, if your home has appreciated significantly in value, you may be eligible for a “lender buyout.” In this situation, the lender agrees to pay off the remaining balance of your loan (including the PMI insurance) in exchange for ownership of the property. This option is typically only available if you are facing foreclosure or are otherwise unable to keep up with your mortgage payments.
If you have an FHA loan, there is no set timeline for when you can drop PMI insurance. However, you may be eligible to do so once you have built up 22% equity in your home through regular monthly payments and/or appreciation.
How to Drop PMI Insurance
There are a number of ways to drop PMI insurance, and the method you choose will depend on your individual situation. If you have paid off enough of your mortgage so that your loan-to-value ratio is below 80%, you may be able to contact your lender and ask for a PMI cancellation. Some lenders will automatically cancel PMI when the loan-to-value ratio reaches 78%.
If you have an FHA loan, you can drop PMI insurance by refinancing into a conventional mortgage. With most conventional loans, PMI is automatically canceled when the loan-to-value ratio reaches 80%.
VA loans also offer an opportunity to get rid of PMI. For these loans, PMI is called a funding fee and is rolled into the overall cost of the loan. The good news is that the funding fee can be financed so that it doesn’t have to be paid upfront. And like with conventional loans, once the loan-to-value ratio reaches 80%, the funding fee can be dropped.
Pros and Cons of Dropping PMI Insurance
When you buy a home with less than 20% down, you are required to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI). This insurance protects the lender in case you default on your loan.
As you make payments on your loan and your home equity increases, you can ask your lender to drop the PMI. You will need to have at least 20% equity in your home to do this.
There are pros and cons to dropping PMI insurance. The biggest pro is that it will save you money each month. The biggest con is that if you default on your loan, the lender will not be protected.
Here are some things to consider when deciding whether or not to drop PMI insurance:
· How much equity do you have in your home? If you have less than 20% equity, you will not be able to drop PMI.
· How much can you afford to pay if you default on your loan? If you cannot afford the full amount of the loan, dropping PMI may not be a good idea.
· What is the value of your home? If your home has decreased in value, it may be difficult to sell if you need to do so. Dropping PMI could help increase the saleability of your home.
Conclusion
If you’re paying private mortgage insurance (PMI) on your home loan, you may be able to cancel it once you’ve built up enough equity in your home. Check with your lender to see if this is an option for you and make sure that you understand the terms of cancelling PMI before doing so. With a little patience and financial discipline, dropping PMI could save you hundreds of dollars each year.