Mortgage insurance vs. homeowners insurance

Buying a new home is an exciting step in many people’s lives, but shopping for insurance and managing all of the paperwork can be confusing if you’re not sure what everything means. Two kinds of financial protection that are often required by lenders are homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance, and both serve their own distinct purpose.

Mortgage and homeowners insurance are both part of the homebuying process, so it’s understandable how the two are often confused for one another. But mortgage insurance and homeowners insurance are actually two completely separate forms of financial protection that differ in terms of who is protected: Homeowners insurance protects the borrower, while mortgage insurance protects the lender.

Homeowners insurance covers your home, personal property, and legal expenses if your home is damaged, burglarized, or you’re held liable for an accident. Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is designed to protect your mortgage lender in the event that you fail to make your mortgage payments.

Homeowners insurance vs. mortgage insurance: What you need to know

Homeowners insurance and mortgage insurance actually don’t have much in common from a coverage standpoint, but there is a chance you could need both depending on your circumstances. The table below breaks down the main differences between the two.

Another important difference between the two is that you don’t have a say in who your mortgage insurance provider will be — that’s up to your lender. With homeowners insurance, the borrower shops around and buys the policy.

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What is homeowners insurance?

Homeowners insurance provides financial protection for your home, personal property, and your assets from expensive financial losses like a natural disaster or house fire.

Most lenders require homeowners insurance before letting you take out a mortgage, but unlike mortgage insurance, homeowners insurance is designed to protect you, not your lender.

Homeowners insurance is made up of six coverage provisions, and each offers its own distinct protection. Below are the coverages in a standard homeowners insurance policy.

• Dwelling coverage: Covers the structure of your home if it is damaged or destroyed by a covered loss

• Other structures coverage: Covers any structures that aren’t attached to your home, like a garage

• Personal property coverage: Protects your personal belongings if they are stolen or damaged both on or off your property

• Loss-of-use coverage: Pays for you to live elsewhere while your home is being repaired due to a covered loss

• Liability coverage: Pays for legal expenses and medical bills if you’re held liable for an injury or property damage

• Medical payments coverage: Pays for your guests medical expenses if they are hurt while in your home

Learn more about homeowners insurance

What is mortgage insurance?

Mortgage insurance protects your mortgage company if you fail to pay back your loan. If you have a conventional home loan and your down payment is less than 20% of the home’s purchase price, your lender will likely require private mortgage insurance to guarantee that it will be covered for the risk of lending you money.

Learn more about how mortgage insurance works