A title policy in Texas costs a one-time premium set by the state, running about $1,016 on a $300,000 home under the rates effective July 1, 2025. The premium is tied to the sale price for an owner’s policy or the loan amount for a lender’s policy, and it’s the same at every title company in the state.
What the Premium Costs at Common Price Points
The Texas Department of Insurance (TDI) lowered basic title insurance premiums as of July 1, 2025. A few reference points on the current schedule:1Texas Department of Insurance. Commissioner’s Order No. 2025-9125
- $100,000 property: $644
- $200,000 property: $848
- $300,000 property: $1,016
- $400,000 property: $1,166
- $500,000 property: $1,316
The premium doesn’t scale evenly. Going from $100,000 to $200,000 adds about $204, but going from $400,000 to $500,000 adds only $150. TDI publishes a full schedule with premiums calculated in $500 increments for values that fall between the round numbers above.
Why the Price Is the Same Everywhere
Texas regulates title insurance rates more tightly than most states. TDI adopts a Basic Manual of Rules, Rates, and Forms, and every title insurer and agent has to follow it. No company can charge more or less than the published rate for the basic premium.2Legal Information Institute. 28 Texas Admin Code 9.1 A company can’t even issue a policy until the Commissioner adopts its rate.3Texas Department of Insurance. Basic Manual of Title Insurance – Section III
So calling three title companies for quotes on the basic premium is wasted effort. Where they do differ is service, turnaround, and the ancillary fees covered further down.
What the Premium Includes
In many states, the title search, examination, and closing are billed as separate line items. In Texas, the basic premium bundles all three into a single charge paid at closing.4Texas Department of Insurance. Title Insurance Frequently Asked Questions That one payment covers:
- The title search, which reviews public records for deeds, mortgages, judgments, liens, and tax records affecting ownership.
- The title examination, a legal analysis of the search results to spot problems that need to be cleared before the sale.
- Closing services, meaning the paperwork and coordination that move the transaction through.
If you see a separate line item for “title search” or “title examination” stacked on top of the basic premium, that’s worth questioning.
Owner’s Policy and Lender’s Policy
Most buyers end up with two policies at closing, and they cover different people.
An owner’s policy protects you against financial loss from title problems that existed before you bought the property, including unpaid taxes from a prior owner, forged documents somewhere in the chain of ownership, or an unknown heir surfacing with a claim to the land.5Texas Department of Insurance. What Is Title Insurance? Why Do I Need It for My New House? Coverage lasts as long as you or your heirs own the property, with some protection continuing after you sell depending on the warranty provisions.6Texas Department of Insurance. Owner’s Policy
A lender’s policy protects the mortgage company. Almost every lender requires one as a loan condition. It covers only the outstanding loan balance and shrinks as you pay the loan down. It doesn’t protect your equity.
The Simultaneous Issue Discount
When an owner’s policy and a lender’s policy are issued at the same time on the same property, the lender’s policy costs just $100 instead of the full basic premium, as long as the loan amount doesn’t exceed the purchase price.7Texas Department of Insurance. Basic Manual of Title Insurance – Section III It’s the single biggest cost break in a standard Texas closing.
On a $300,000 home with a $240,000 mortgage, that means $1,016 for the owner’s policy plus $100 for the lender’s policy, or $1,116 total. If the loan amount ever exceeds the purchase price, the lender’s policy is calculated differently: basic premium for the loan amount, minus basic premium for the owner’s policy amount, plus $100.7Texas Department of Insurance. Basic Manual of Title Insurance – Section III
Who Pays
Texas custom, not Texas law, decides who pays for what. The seller typically pays for the owner’s policy, and the buyer typically pays for the lender’s policy.4Texas Department of Insurance. Title Insurance Frequently Asked Questions The real estate contract controls, and either side can negotiate a different split. In new construction the buyer often pays both. In competitive markets, a buyer may offer to cover the owner’s policy to sweeten an offer.
Refinancing: Ask for the Reissue Credit
When you refinance, you’ll need a new lender’s policy. If your existing loan is already insured by a title policy, Texas gives you a credit on the new premium based on how long ago the original was issued:7Texas Department of Insurance. Basic Manual of Title Insurance – Section III
- Four years or less since the original policy: 50% credit on the calculated basic premium of the payoff balance or original loan amount, whichever is less.
- More than four years but less than eight years: 25% credit, same calculation.
- Eight years or more: no credit; you pay the full basic premium.
The credit applies only when the new loan fully pays off the existing insured loan, and the new policy can’t cover any property that wasn’t in the original. Bring it up with the title company before closing on the refinance; it isn’t always applied automatically.
Costs on Top of the Basic Premium
The regulated premium isn’t the whole closing bill. Several other charges sit alongside it, and these can vary between companies.
Endorsements
Endorsements add coverage beyond the standard policy, such as protection against survey issues, zoning concerns, or restrictive covenant violations. Each has its own TDI-set rate. Your lender may require several as a loan condition, and they add up.
Escrow and Closing Fees
Title companies charge a separate fee for running the escrow account, coordinating document prep, and overseeing the closing itself. TDI requires auditors to track these fees alongside premiums so companies don’t use escrow discounts to undercut the regulated rate.8Texas Department of Insurance. 28 TAC 9.2 – Basic Manual of Rules, Rates and Forms Texas escrow fees generally run from a few hundred dollars to over $1,000, depending on the complexity of the deal and the company.
Recording Fees and Pass-Throughs
Recording fees go to the county clerk to officially record the deed and related documents. These are pass-through charges; the title company can’t mark them up beyond what the county actually charges.8Texas Department of Insurance. 28 TAC 9.2 – Basic Manual of Rules, Rates and Forms A typical deed recording runs roughly $25 for the first page plus a few dollars per additional page, and fees vary by county. Courier charges and tax certificate fees are handled the same way.