Massachusetts Title Insurance Cost: What an Owner's and Lender's Policy Costs
An owner's title insurance policy on a $645,400 Massachusetts home costs about $2,358, and the lender's policy issued with it about $175, under the filed rate schedule. The owner's policy rate is a flat $146 up to $40,000, $3.65 per $1,000 from $40,000 to $1,000,000, $2.50 per $1,000 from $1,000,000 to $2,000,000, with a minimum premium of $146 (the price is rounded up to the next $1,000).
Massachusetts title insurance by purchase price
| Purchase price | Owner's policy | Lender's policy (issued together) | Both policies |
|---|---|---|---|
| $150,000 | $548 | $175 | $723 |
| $200,000 | $730 | $175 | $905 |
| $250,000 | $913 | $175 | $1,088 |
| $300,000 | $1,095 | $175 | $1,270 |
| $350,000 | $1,278 | $175 | $1,453 |
| $400,000 | $1,460 | $175 | $1,635 |
| $450,000 | $1,643 | $175 | $1,818 |
| $500,000 | $1,825 | $175 | $2,000 |
| $600,000 | $2,190 | $175 | $2,365 |
| $700,000 | $2,555 | $175 | $2,730 |
| $800,000 | $2,920 | $175 | $3,095 |
| $1,000,000 | $3,650 | $175 | $3,825 |
Massachusetts uses filed rates: each underwriter files its own rate manual with the state insurance department, so premiums differ by a few hundred dollars from one title company to another. The schedule below is one underwriter's filed rate. Schedule shown: CATIC (Connecticut Attorneys Title Insurance Company).
Massachusetts title insurance calculator
Enter a purchase price to see the owner's and lender's policy premiums from the filed Massachusetts rate schedule.
Who pays for the owner's policy
Who pays for the owner's policy in Massachusetts is negotiable in the purchase contract. The rate book sets premiums only; Massachusetts has no statute assigning the owner's-policy cost, so it is negotiated in the purchase-and-sale agreement (custom varies by region within the state). Source
When the owner's and lender's policies are issued together at closing, the lender's policy is charged at the reduced simultaneous-issue rate (a flat $175); that is the lender figure used on this page.
Title insurance at the county median price
The rate schedule is statewide; what changes from county to county is the home price. The ten most populous counties are shown; every Massachusetts county is in the list below.
| County | Median home price | Owner's policy |
|---|---|---|
| Barnstable County | $575,900 | $2,102 |
| Berkshire County | $283,800 | $1,037 |
| Bristol County | $421,800 | $1,540 |
| Essex County | $584,000 | $2,132 |
| Hampden County | $276,300 | $1,011 |
| Hampshire County | $363,400 | $1,329 |
| Norfolk County | $649,400 | $2,373 |
| Plymouth County | $513,000 | $1,872 |
| Suffolk County | $680,700 | $2,486 |
| Worcester County | $390,700 | $1,427 |
Title insurance in Massachusetts cities
| City | Median home price | Owner's policy |
|---|---|---|
| Boston | $710,400 | $2,595 |
| Worcester | $339,500 | $1,241 |
| Springfield | $222,700 | $814 |
| Cambridge | $1,040,500 | $3,753 |
| Lowell | $395,100 | $1,445 |
| Brockton | $405,500 | $1,482 |
| Quincy | $598,100 | $2,186 |
| Lynn | $472,600 | $1,726 |
| New Bedford | $324,400 | $1,186 |
| Fall River | $357,800 | $1,307 |
What the two policies cover
The owner's policy protects your equity against title defects that predate your purchase: undisclosed liens, forged deeds, missing heirs, recording errors. The lender's policy protects only the mortgage lender for the loan amount and is required by nearly every lender. Premiums are one-time and paid at closing. Because underwriters file competing rates, getting two quotes at your purchase price is worth a few hundred dollars.
Frequently asked questions
How much is title insurance in Massachusetts?
On a $645,400 home, the Massachusetts median, an owner's title policy costs about $2,358 under the filed rate schedule, and the lender's policy issued with it costs $175, so both policies together are about $2,533. The premium rises with the purchase price; the table on this page shows it from $150,000 to $1,000,000.
Who pays for title insurance in Massachusetts?
Who pays for the owner's policy in Massachusetts is negotiable in the purchase contract. The rate book sets premiums only; Massachusetts has no statute assigning the owner's-policy cost, so it is negotiated in the purchase-and-sale agreement (custom varies by region within the state). Source
Is title insurance a one-time cost?
Yes. Both the owner's policy and the lender's policy are paid once at closing and cover the property for as long as you (or your lender) hold an interest in it. There are no annual premiums.
Can I shop for title insurance in Massachusetts?
Yes. Massachusetts underwriters file their own rate manuals, so premiums differ by company; ask two or three title companies for a quote at your price and compare their settlement fees as well.
Sources
- CATIC, Massachusetts Title Insurance Premiums (Rate Book), effective July 1, 2017 (catic.com's own hosted copy 403s a direct fetch; retrieved via the Wayback Machine's July 2024 capture of the same URL, https://web.archive.org/web/20240703035811/https://catic.com/sites/default/files/2023-02/Massachusetts%20Rate%20Book_July2017.pdf)
- Who pays for the owner's policy in Massachusetts
Rates as filed or promulgated, checked September 22, 2026. Premiums are computed from the schedule above and rounded to the dollar; endorsements, settlement fees and search fees are separate. All sources.
See all Massachusetts buyer closing costs →
Premiums are computed from the rate schedule cited above and rounded to the dollar; your title company's quote may add endorsements, search and settlement fees. This is general information, not financial advice.
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