find a broker

Find a Broker

FR

LoginMy Account
Western Financial Group Western Financial Group
  • Personal

    Home Insurance

    Home Insurance

    Condo Insurance

    Renter's Insurance

    Seasonal Property Insurance

    Mobile Home Insurance

    Vehicle Insurance

     

    Car Insurance

    Motorcycle Insurance

    RV Insurance

    Boat Insurance

    ATV Insurance

    Snowmobile Insurance

    Vehicle Replacement Insurance

    Health & Life Insurance

    Life Insurance

    Disability Insurance

    Critical Illness Insurance

    Mortgage Life Insurance

    Financial Insurance

     

    TFSA

    GICs

    RESPs

    RRSPs

    Travel Insurance

     
  • Business

    Commercial Insurance

     

    Business Insurance

    Business Life Insurance

    General Liability Insurance

    Commercial Property Insurance

    D&O Liability Insurance

    Rental Property Insurance

    Legal Protection Insurance

    Errors & Omissions Insurance

    Cyber Liability Insurance

    TotalProtect Insurance

    Fleet Insurance

    Farm Insurance

    Product Liability Insurance

    Employee Benefits

    Employee Benefits

    TotalGuard Insurance

    Group Insurance 

     

    All Insurance Programs

    AMM Municipal Insurance Program

    CRA Insurance Program

    CVMA Insurance Program

    Crop Inputs Insurance Program

    Haven Municipal Insurance Program

    Hospitality Insurance Program

    Juno Restaurant Insurance

    BCRFA Restaurant Insurance

    Groupex Insurance Partnership

    CAM Movers Insurance

    Musical Instrument Insurance

    Independent Retail Insurance

    CAMA Insurance Program

    Biz Benefits Partnership

     

    Event Liability Insurance

     

    Charity Events or Fundraising Insurance

    Conferences and Conventions Insurance

    Corporate Events and Seminars Insurance

    Farmers’ Market Insurance

    Festival Insurance

    Hole-in-one Contest or Golf Tournaments Insurance

    Product Launches and Promotional Events Insurance

    Sporting Event Insurance

    Wedding Insurance

    Industries

    Cannabis

    Construction

    Contractors

    Daycares

    Greenhouses

    Hotels and Motels

    Manufacturing

    Municipalities

    Professional Services

    Property Management

    Retail

    Restaurants, Cafes, Delis, Fast Food

    Skilled Trades

    Technology

    Welders

  • Services

    MyWestern

    Payment Setup

    Registry Services

    Community Emergency Resources

    Personal Insurance Claims

    Commercial Insurance Claims

    Risk Management

  • About Us

    About Western

    Who We Are

    Executive Team

    Divisions

    Partners

    Western Coast Insurance

    Wyatt Dowling Insurance

    Sustainability

    Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

    Western News

    Blogs

    Careers

    Contact

    Communities Foundation

    Our Giving Programs

    About the Foundation

    Annual Giving Reports

    Annual National Walk

    Community Infrastructure Grants

    Foundation FAQs

    Sponsorship

    Western Communities Foundation

    Your donation will help improve local communities.

    Donate

1-866-860-1958

Get a Quote

Get a Quote

Main Menu

  • Personal
    • Home Insurance

      • Home Insurance

      • Condo Insurance

        Renter's Insurance

        Seasonal Property Insurance

        Mobile Home Insurance

    • Vehicle Insurance

       
      • Car Insurance

      • Motorcycle Insurance

        RV Insurance

        Boat Insurance

        ATV Insurance

        Snowmobile Insurance

        Vehicle Replacement Insurance

    • Health & Life Insurance

      • Life Insurance

        Disability Insurance

        Critical Illness Insurance

        Mortgage Life Insurance

    • Financial Insurance

       
      • TFSA

        GICs

        RESPs

        RRSPs

    • Travel Insurance

       
  • Business
    • Commercial Insurance

       
      • Business Insurance

      • Business Life Insurance

        General Liability Insurance

        Commercial Property Insurance

        D&O Liability Insurance

        Rental Property Insurance

        Legal Protection Insurance

        Errors & Omissions Insurance

        Cyber Liability Insurance

        TotalProtect Insurance

        Fleet Insurance

        Farm Insurance

        Product Liability Insurance

    • Employee Benefits

      • Employee Benefits

        TotalGuard Insurance

    • Group Insurance 

       
      • All Insurance Programs

        AMM Municipal Insurance Program

        CRA Insurance Program

        CVMA Insurance Program

        Crop Inputs Insurance Program

        Haven Municipal Insurance Program

        Hospitality Insurance Program

        Juno Restaurant Insurance

        BCRFA Restaurant Insurance

        Groupex Insurance Partnership

        CAM Movers Insurance

        Musical Instrument Insurance

        Independent Retail Insurance

        CAMA Insurance Program

        Biz Benefits Partnership

         
    • Event Liability Insurance

       
      • Charity Events or Fundraising Insurance

        Conferences and Conventions Insurance

        Corporate Events and Seminars Insurance

        Farmers’ Market Insurance

        Festival Insurance

        Hole-in-one Contest or Golf Tournaments Insurance

        Product Launches and Promotional Events Insurance

        Sporting Event Insurance

        Wedding Insurance

    • Industries

      • Cannabis

        Construction

        Contractors

        Daycares

        Greenhouses

        Hotels and Motels

        Manufacturing

        Municipalities

        Professional Services

        Property Management

        Retail

        Restaurants, Cafes, Delis, Fast Food

        Skilled Trades

        Technology

        Welders

  • Services
    • MyWestern

      Payment Setup

      Registry Services

      Community Emergency Resources

      Personal Insurance Claims

      Commercial Insurance Claims

      Risk Management

  • About Us
    • About Western

      • Who We Are

        Executive Team

        Divisions

        Partners

        Western Coast Insurance

        Wyatt Dowling Insurance

        Sustainability

        Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

        Western News

        Blogs

        Careers

        Contact

    • Communities Foundation

      • Our Giving Programs

        About the Foundation

        Annual Giving Reports

        Annual National Walk

        Community Infrastructure Grants

        Foundation FAQs

        Sponsorship

LoginMy Account

FR

1-866-860-1958

Get a Quote

Find a Broker

Does My House Need Title Insurance?

Does My House Need Title Insurance?

Title insurance isn’t legally required for your home in Canada, but it can protect you against another person claiming an interest in your property.

Title fraud typically involves a fraudster using forged documents or stolen personal information to transfer your home’s title to himself without your knowledge. The fraudster uses the fake title to secure a mortgage on your home and then disappears with the money.

This kind of insurance also helps protect you against what’s called unknown title defects that can prevent you from having clear ownership of your home.

Here are 7 questions answered about title insurance:

  1. What does ‘title’ mean?

When you buy a house, you receive the title, or legal ownership, to that property.

You obtain title to a property when the owner signs the deed (transfer document) over to you.

The title is filed in your province’s or territory’s land registration system and it shows who has “title” (legal ownership) of the property.

  1. What does title insurance cover?

Title insurance may provide protection from:

  • Unknown title defects that prevent you from having clear ownership
  • Existing liens against your property’s title, such as unpaid debts secured against the property by a previous owner, including: Utility bills, mortgages, property taxes, condominium charges
  • Encroachment issues such as a structure on your property that encroaches on your neighbour’s property
  • Errors in surveys and public records.
  • Title fraud or forgery
  • Other title-related issues that may affect your ability to sell, mortgage, or lease your property in the future

  1. What doesn’t title insurance include?

Title insurance typically doesn’t include:

  • Known title defects at the time of purchase.
  • Indigenous land claims
  • Environmental issues and hazards, such as soil contamination.
  • Issues that are only discovered when there’s a new survey or inspection of your property
  • Any additions or changes to your property that you have made
  • Anything that doesn’t already exist in the public record

  1. Is title insurance part of my home or condo insurance?

Title insurance is not a substitute for home insurance and it isn’t included in home insurance.

Home insurance doesn’t protect you against title fraud.

Home insurance protects you from what might happen, such as theft, fire, unexpected accidents or injuries, certain types of weather-related events.

Title insurance protects you from things that may have already happened but are unknown or hidden, such as encroachment issues, unpaid taxes, and title fraud.

Commercial title insurance helps protect your business or commercial real estate investment from known and unknown title issues, such as building permit and zoning issues, tax arrears, and fraud. It can give you protection if your interest in the title is challenged.

  1. Will my bank ask me to get title insurance?

When you are buying a home (or business), your mortgage lender may require you to purchase title insurance in order to get a mortgage to protect themselves.

  1. How much does title insurance cost?

It’s a one-time cost, and it’s usually several hundred dollars. It’s usually based on the value of your property and your provider.

Once you buy title insurance, it’s valid for as long as you own the property.

  1. Where do I get title insurance?

You can get it through an insurance broker or through your real estate lawyer/notary during the closing process.

Tips to protect yourself against title fraud

One of the best ways to protect yourself against title fraud to protect your personal information from identity thieves:

  • Do not give voluntarily give out personal information on the phone, through mail or online unless you have initiated the contact or you are certain of the people with whom you are dealing.
  • Find out how any personal information will be used and shared.
  • If something is out of whack with your billing cycles, follow up to make sure everything is okay and you are not a victim of fraud.

GET A QUOTE

Recent Blog Posts

Basic Boating Safety
What's Basic Boating Safety?

May 14, 2025


Common Home Insurance Claims Canada
What are Canada's Top Home Insurance Claims?

May 13, 2025


Mark Missal Farm Insurance
Western's Farm Insurance Has Roots in Our Communities

May 8, 2025


Western Financial Group

2025 Western Financial Group. All rights reserved.

Privacy / Legal | Accessibility Guidelines | Fair Treatment of Customers Policy | Terms of Use | Compensation Disclosure | Complaints Process | Media Relations | Mergers & Acquisition | Careers | Sitemap