What title insurance costs in Pennsylvania (and why every quote matches)
August 18, 2026 · 5 min read
Pennsylvania is a filed-rate state. That means the title insurance premium on your Philadelphia purchase or refinance is calculated from a rate schedule filed with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department, and every licensed agency has to use it. Shopping for a cheaper premium will not get you far. Shopping for a title agency that catches problems early, orders the right searches and closes on time absolutely will.
The basic rate is driven by the policy amount
For a purchase, the owner's policy is written for the sale price and the lender's policy for the loan amount. The premium climbs in tiers as the policy amount rises, so a $250,000 rowhome in Point Breeze and a $650,000 property in Center City are not simply proportional to one another.
When an owner's policy and a lender's policy are issued at the same closing, the lender's policy is generally issued as a simultaneous issue for a small additional charge rather than a second full premium.
The reissue rate can cut the premium significantly
If the property was insured by a prior title policy within the last ten years, Pennsylvania allows a reissue rate. This matters most on refinances, where the borrower is buying a new lender's policy on a property they already own.
The discount is not automatic. Someone has to ask for the prior policy, confirm the date and apply the credit. Bring your prior owner's policy or your settlement package to the table and ask directly whether the reissue rate applies.
What is not premium: settlement and search charges
The premium is only one line on the closing disclosure. Philadelphia closings typically also involve a settlement or closing fee, municipal lien and water certifications, a judgment and name search, recording charges paid to the Philadelphia Department of Records, and the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia realty transfer taxes.
These are the numbers that vary between providers, and they are the numbers worth asking about line by line before you sign.
- Owner's title policy premium (filed rate)
- Simultaneous-issue lender's policy
- Endorsements the lender requires
- Settlement / closing fee
- Municipal lien letter and water certification
- Deed and mortgage recording fees
- Realty transfer tax (state and city)
Endorsements
Lenders often require endorsements covering matters like environmental protection liens, condominium or PUD status, variable rate mortgages or survey issues. Each carries its own filed charge. On a straightforward Philadelphia rowhome purchase the endorsement total is usually small; on a commercial or multi-unit deal it can be a meaningful line item.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I negotiate the title insurance premium in Pennsylvania?
- No. Premiums are calculated from rates filed with the Pennsylvania Insurance Department and apply equally to every licensed agency. What you can compare are settlement fees, search charges and service.
- Who pays for title insurance in Philadelphia?
- By local custom the buyer usually pays for the owner's and lender's policies, but it is negotiable and should be stated in the agreement of sale.
- How do I know if I qualify for the reissue rate?
- If the property carried a title insurance policy within the prior ten years, the reissue rate generally applies. Give us the prior policy or the date of your previous closing and we will confirm it.
- Is an owner's policy required?
- The lender's policy is required by your lender. The owner's policy is optional but it is the only policy that protects your equity, and it is a one-time premium that lasts as long as you own the property.