October 3, 2024
In This Issue:
- U.S. Secret Service: Update on Criminals Impersonating Title Companies, Property Owners as Part of Seller Impersonation Fraud Schemes
- TDI's Basic Manual and Statistical Plan Updates: Where to Find New Forms, Rules and Redlines of Changes
- TLTA's Basic Manual Update Series - Countdown to November 1, Installment 9: New Coverages - New Forms
- TDI Adopts Updates to Its Contested Case Process
- Title Resources Group Acquires Doma
- ICYMI: Navigating Fannie Mae Guidelines For Attorney Opinion Letters vs. Title Insurance
U.S. Secret Service: Update on Criminals Impersonating Title Companies, Property Owners as Part of Seller Impersonation Fraud Schemes
U.S.S.S. | Sept. 29, 2024
This is an update to a warning issued Spring 2022. The U.S. Secret Service has become aware an increase of instances where criminals are impersonating title companies to steal real estate transactions.
Read More »
TDI's Basic Manual and Statistical Plan Updates: Where to Find New Forms, Rules and Redlines of Changes
TLTA | Oct. 3, 2024
The Texas Department of Insurance has adopted changes to the Basic Manual of Rules, Rates, and Forms for the Writing of Title Insurance in the State of Texas, which will be effective Nov. 1. TDI also adopted changes to the Statistical Plan, which will be effective Jan. 1, 2025.
Find all the adopted changes in TDI's final adoption order exhibits
Review all adopted changes in the final adoption order exhibits »
Want to compare the new changes with current rules and forms?
In order to view all the changes adopted in redline version, you’ll need to look in two places. Please review both pdf links below to ensure that you're aware of all of the changes.
1) Substantive Changes – Published May 2024
2) Minor Corrections - Published September 2024
Key things to know about the changes referenced above
- Changes to the Basic Manual are effective November 1, 2024.
- Changes to the Statistical Plan are effective January 1, 2025.
- The adopted changes are substantively the same as the proposed changes published May 31. Only minor typographical corrections were made in the final adopted version.
TLTA tools and resources to guide you through these changes
Review the first 9 installments of TLTA's Basic Manual update series »
Register for TLTA's on-demand webinar explaining the changes adopted today »
Background on TLTA proposals and the process by which TDI adopted their changes »
Recognition of the many people who helped make these changes possible
A huge shoutout and hearty thank you to the team at Texas Department of Insurance, our
Regulatory Committee chaired by the stalwart Roland Love as well as the previous chair Peter Graff who led the launch of this process, TLTA Vice President of Government Affairs and Counsel Aaron Day, and the entire team of industry professionals who helped get this years-long project across the goal line. Great work, all!
Questions or comments?
If you have questions, please send them to
Aaron Day or call Aaron at 512.810.8800, thank you.
TLTA's Basic Manual Update Series - Countdown to November 1, Installment 9: New Coverages - New Forms
TLTA | Oct. 3, 2024
On Sept. 25, 2024, TDI adopted changes to the Basic Manual of Rules, Rates, and Forms for the Writing of Title Insurance in the State of Texas.
To ensure TLTA members are prepared for these upcoming Basic Manual changes, we launched a Dateline series, Basic Manual Update - Countdown to Nov. 1, to provide detailed overviews of the modifications that will be implemented in the Basic Manual starting Nov. 1.
This multi-part series covers revised rules and forms, helping you understand and implement changes by the November 1 effective date to ensure you and your business are in compliance with state regulations. We are grateful to TLTA Regulatory Committee Chair Roland Love for producing this series, as well as the webinar that you will find below.
Learn more about TLTA's role in the development of the new rules.
Read installment 9 of this series below:
Installment 9
New Coverages - New Forms
by Roland Love, TLTA Regulatory Committee Chair
On Nov. 1, the Texas title industry and consumers will have access to three new coverages and forms for severable improvements and energy facilities. Think carbon adsorption plants, natural gas electric generating plants, solar arrays and transmission facilities, wind power generation, and other similar and related facilities. These high-risk, high-value projects require extensive and experienced title examination and underwriting. If your title agency receives a request to insure one of these facilities, early contact should be made with both the title plant and the underwriter.
Read Installment 9 »
Read earlier installments in this series »
Looking for additional resources on Basic Manual changes to be implemented Nov. 1? Check out our on-demand webinar.
Watch our latest on-demand webinar,
2024 Basic Manual Changes, for a detailed overview of the upcoming rule and form changes presented by TLTA's Regulatory Committee Chair Roland Love.
TDI Adopts Updates to Its Contested Case Process
TLTA | Sept. 25, 2024
TDI has adopted amendments that update and simplify its contested case process.
Read TDI's Notice of These Adopted Changes »
Review TDI's Adoption Order »
When TDI was considering this now adopted proposal, TLTA submitted comments, which you
can review here.
Title Resources Group Acquires Doma
Housingwire | Sept. 27, 2024
Title Resources Group has closed its acquisition of Doma Holdings, the parent company of Doma Title. The sale was first announced in late March 2024.
Read More »
ICYMI: Navigating Fannie Mae Guidelines For Attorney Opinion Letters vs. Title Insurance
National Mortgage Professional | Sept. 06, 2024
Lately, there's been a buzz around the new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac selling guidelines that allow an attorney opinion letter (AOL) to replace title insurance (a Loan Policy), sparking debates over the benefits and coverage of each option.
One cannot make a direct comparison between the two because they are two different products, and the format or content of an AOL may widely differ from one to the other. However, the two products are intended to have the same bottom line of protecting the residential mortgage lender from a defective title.
Read More »
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