Title Insurance
Quick Answers on Florida Title Insurance
- Florida title insurance rates are state-regulated. The same property costs the same premium at any title agent. Firm choice is about service quality, not price.
- The owner's policy is a one-time payment at closing. It protects you (and your heirs) for as long as you own the property.
- By local custom in Palm Beach and Broward counties, the seller pays for the owner's policy. Custom varies by county across Florida.
- Standard title searches miss code enforcement liens. A separate municipal lien search catches them. We coordinate both on every closing.
- Kelley, Grant & Tanis is a direct agent for The Fund and Westcor. No separate title company in the chain. No marked-up middleman fees.
- We close throughout South Florida: Palm Beach County, Broward County, and bordering municipalities.
Get a Free Title Insurance Quote
Send us your contract or pending closing details. We'll quote your title premium and full closing costs through The Fund or Westcor. Direct underwriting, no separate title company.
What is title insurance, and why does Florida require attention to it?
Title insurance is the only protection a property owner has against ownership defects that exist on the day of closing but aren't discovered until later. Unlike most insurance, which protects against future events, title insurance protects against past events that haven't surfaced yet: a forged signature in the chain of title decades ago, an heir who was never notified, a contractor's lien that was paid but never released of record.
Florida pays particular attention to title insurance for three reasons:
State-regulated rates. Florida is one of the few states where title insurance premiums are set by the state. Every title agent charges the same premium for the same coverage on the same property. Price isn't a differentiator. Service, expertise, and curative work are.
Active fraud landscape. Florida has been a national hotspot for property fraud schemes, including fake deed transfers and forged satisfactions of mortgage. Our piece on how title insurance protects you from Florida's property fraud cases covers the threat.
Complex local customs. Who pays varies by county. What's covered varies by policy form. What's caught in a search varies by which sources the title agent pulls from. Florida title insurance done right is local work, done by people who know the county.
Florida title insurance service areas
Kelley, Grant & Tanis provides title insurance and closing services throughout South Florida. We're agents for both The Fund and Westcor Land Title Insurance Company, which means we underwrite policies directly in-house.
| Area | Coverage details |
|---|---|
| West Palm Beach, FL | Downtown, El Cid, Flamingo Park, Northwood, Grandview Heights, SoSo, Flagler Drive corridor, Clematis Street area |
| Boca Raton, FL | Downtown Boca, Mizner Park area, Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, Boca West, Sanctuary, Boca Bath & Tennis |
| Delray Beach, FL | Atlantic Avenue corridor, Pineapple Grove, Tropic Isle, Seagate, Lake Ida area |
| Fort Lauderdale, FL | Downtown, Las Olas, Victoria Park, Rio Vista, Coral Ridge, Harbor Beach, waterfront and Intracoastal properties |
| Palm Beach County (county-wide) | Wellington, Jupiter, Lake Worth, Greenacres, Royal Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, and unincorporated PBC |
| Broward County (county-wide) | Hollywood, Pompano Beach, Coral Springs, Plantation, Davie, and surrounding municipalities |
What does title insurance actually cover?
| Risk | Standard Owner's Policy | Extended / Enhanced Coverage |
|---|---|---|
| Forged deeds in chain of title | Covered | Covered |
| Undisclosed heirs | Covered | Covered |
| Recording errors | Covered | Covered |
| Fraud at closing | Covered | Covered |
| Unpaid liens of record | Covered | Covered |
| Legal defense costs | Covered | Covered |
| Survey issues / encroachments | Generally excluded | Often covered |
| Post-policy forgery affecting your title | Generally excluded | Often covered |
| Building permit violations affecting use | Generally excluded | Some covered |
| Government zoning enforcement | Excluded | Excluded |
| Matters known to buyer at closing | Excluded | Excluded |
Full breakdown in what title insurance covers in Florida. Extended coverage costs slightly more and is appropriate for high-value, complex, or waterfront properties.
Direct attorney agency vs. typical title company
Many Florida closings run through a separate title company, with the closing attorney serving as a referrer or limited coordinator. Our model is different.
| Aspect | Typical Title Company Closing | Kelley, Grant & Tanis |
|---|---|---|
| Who issues the policy? | Separate title company | The firm directly (as agent for The Fund / Westcor) |
| Legal advice during closing? | Not permitted | Yes, included |
| Contract modifications? | Cannot draft | Drafted in-house |
| Curative title work? | Often referred out | Handled in-house |
| Title insurance premium | State-regulated (same) | State-regulated (same) |
| Total transaction fees | Title company fee + attorney fee + coordination | Single firm, transparent flat fee |
Closing in the next 60 days?
Send us your contract. We'll review the title commitment, run the municipal lien search, request HOA estoppels, and quote your full closing costs. Call (561) 672-1161 or submit through the contact form.
What goes into a complete Florida title examination?
A standard "title search" is actually multiple searches across multiple record systems. We coordinate all of them on every transaction.
- County Clerk records. Recorded chain of title, mortgages, satisfactions, deeds, easements, judgment liens.
- Property Appraiser records. Assessed value, homestead status, exemptions, ownership history.
- Tax Collector records. Unpaid property taxes, tax certificates, tax deed sales.
- Municipal lien search. Code enforcement fines, unpaid utilities, open building permits, special assessments. Critically, this is a separate workflow that catches what County Clerk searches miss.
- HOA/condo estoppels. Unpaid assessments, special assessments, transfer fees, approval requirements.
- State judgment dockets. Outstanding judgments against owners.
- UCC searches. Fixture filings for commercial property.
Full walkthrough in Florida's title search process and why it matters.
Because Florida regulates title insurance premiums, every title agent charges identical pricing for identical coverage. This means choosing a title agent on price alone is impossible. The differentiator is everything around the policy: how thorough the search is, whether the municipal lien search is included, how curative title issues get resolved, whether contract modifications can be drafted in-house, and how quickly you can reach the actual decision-maker.
An underwhelming title agent that issues policies at the regulated rate but punts curative issues to outside counsel ends up costing more in fees and delays than a slightly higher-touch firm that handles everything in one engagement. Quality is the only axis you can compete on in Florida title insurance.
How much does Florida title insurance cost?
Premiums are set by state regulation on a sliding scale. An owner's policy on a $500,000 Florida home runs approximately $2,600 to $2,900. Rates per dollar of coverage decrease as price increases, so a $1M property doesn't cost three times what a $300K property does. The premium is a one-time payment at closing with no renewals.
For specific pricing examples by purchase price bracket and the simultaneous-issue lender's policy discount, see our West Palm Beach title insurance page.
Why work with Kelley, Grant & Tanis, P.A.
Jerron Kelley leads the firm's title insurance and closing practice. The firm is a direct agent for The Fund (Attorneys' Title Fund Services) and Westcor Land Title Insurance Company. That means policies are underwritten in-house. There's no separate title company in the transaction, no handoff between the closing attorney and the title insurer, and no marked-up middleman fee.
All firm attorneys are members in good standing of the Florida Bar. Full attorney bios are on our attorneys page.
The firm has two offices in South Florida:
- West Palm Beach Office: 1645 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, Suite #1200-3, West Palm Beach, FL 33401
- Boca Raton Office: 370 Camino Gardens Blvd., Suite #301, Boca Raton, FL 33432
Title work integrates with the firm's real estate, association law, estate planning, and probate practices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays for title insurance in Florida?
It varies by county. In Palm Beach and Broward counties, the seller pays for the owner's policy by local custom. In Miami-Dade, the buyer typically pays. In Sarasota, Manatee, and a number of other Florida counties, custom is split. The contract can override custom, but the default is what controls in the absence of explicit negotiation. Full detail in our breakdown on who pays for title insurance in Florida.
Are title insurance rates negotiable in Florida?
No. Florida regulates title insurance premiums by statute. Every title agent charges the same premium for the same coverage on the same property. The premium is set by the state regardless of which agent you use.
Do I need both an owner's policy and a lender's policy?
If you're financing the purchase, you'll need a lender's policy (the lender requires it as a loan condition). The owner's policy is optional but almost always worth purchasing. It protects your equity in the property, runs for as long as you own the home, and benefits significantly from the simultaneous-issue discount when ordered with the lender's policy.
What is The Fund and Westcor?
The Fund (Attorneys' Title Fund Services) is Florida's largest attorney-owned title insurance underwriter. Westcor Land Title Insurance Company is a national title insurance underwriter. Kelley, Grant & Tanis is a direct agent for both, meaning we issue policies directly without going through a separate title company.
What's a municipal lien search and is it included?
A municipal lien search reviews city-level records for code enforcement fines, unpaid utility accounts, open building permits, and special assessments. These items don't appear in standard title searches but travel with the property. We coordinate municipal lien searches on every Palm Beach County and Broward County closing.
Can I get title insurance on a property I already own?
Yes. Standalone owner's policies are available on properties without a current sale transaction. This sometimes makes sense after a deed transfer between family members, after a divorce, or when an old policy from a prior owner doesn't cover the current ownership. Premium is the same regulated rate as it would be in a sale.
How long is title insurance valid?
An owner's policy is valid for as long as you (or your heirs) own the property. It does not expire and does not require renewal. A lender's policy is valid until the loan is paid off.
Do you handle closings outside Palm Beach and Broward counties?
The firm primarily serves South Florida. For closings outside our core service area, we evaluate on a case-by-case basis and will refer to qualified counsel in the property's county when we're not the right fit.
Get a Free Title Insurance Quote
Send us your contract or pending closing. We'll quote your title premium and full closing costs, run the municipal lien search, and handle the closing through The Fund or Westcor.
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