What is PMI? - Best Mortgage, Inc.

Private Mortgage Insurance helps you get the loan

Private Mortgage Insurance, also known as PMI, is a supplemental insurance policy you may be required to obtain in order to get a mortgage loan. PMI is provided by private (non-government) companies and is usually required when your loan-to-value ratio — the amount of your mortgage loan divided by the value of your home — is greater than 80 percent.

PMI isn't a bad thing — it allows you to make a lower down payment and still qualify for a mortgage loan. In fact without PMI, many of us would not be able to purchase our first home.

How is PMI calculated?

Your PMI premium is fixed based on plan type (loan-to-value ratio, loan type, loan term, etc.) and is not related to your particular credit history or other individual characteristics. PMI typically amounts to about one-half of one percent of your mortgage amount annually, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, and the premium payment is usually rolled into your monthly mortgage payment. On a $200,000 mortgage, you may be paying $1,000 per year for PMI.

Kansas License Information Best Mortgage, Inc. is a mortgage business registered with the Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner in accordance with the laws of the state of Kansas. This registration does not represent an endorsement or recommendation of the registrant's products or services by the Office of the State Bank Commissioner. As a consumer, you may submit a complaint or inquiry about this mortgage business by delivering a written statement to the Office of the State Bank Commissioner, 700 Jackson, Suite 300, Topeka, Kansas 66603. Kansas License No. 1996-0220.