Title insurance premiums rose 15 percent in second quarter

Title Premium Volume Rises in Second Quarter

Title insurance premium volume increased nearly 15 percent in the second quarter of 2026 compared with the same period last year. The increase was driven largely by the continued strength in commercial real estate transactions, according to ALTA CEO Chris Morton.

For the first six months of calendar year 2026, the industry's total nationwide title insurance premium volume increased 16.1 percent compared with the same period in 2025.

Total operating income in the title insurance industry increased 2.9 percent during the second quarter versus the same period in 2025. The industry reported $12 billion in total assets, while statutory surplus reached $5.4 billion and reserves stood at $5.8 billion.

The industry paid a total of nearly $327 million in claims during the first half of 2026, down from about $336 million in the same period of 2025.

ALTA CEO Chris Morton said as communities invest in manufacturing, industrial facilities and major developments, commercial projects depend on certainty around ownership, access and property rights.

Underwriter Market Share Leaders Hold Ground

First American Title Insurance Co. held the overall largest individual nationwide underwriter market share during the second quarter of 2026 at 23.3 percent, according to ALTA.

Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. followed with a 15.8 percent market share, while Chicago Title Insurance Co. held 13.2 percent. Old Republic National Title Insurance Co. held a 13.1 percent market share, followed by Stewart Title Guaranty Co. at 10.9 percent.

Westcor Land Title Insurance Co. captured 4.6 percent, followed by Title Resources Guaranty Co. at 3.3 percent and Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Co. at 3.2 percent.

WFG National Title Insurance Co. held 2.6 percent of the market while First American Title Guaranty Co. held 1.3 percent. The remaining underwriters together accounted for the rest of the second-quarter title insurance market share according to available ALTA data.

These figures show the American title insurance underwriting market currently remains highly concentrated among a handful of very large national companies operating across the United States.

State Premiums and Commercial Demand Grow

Texas generated the largest total amount of title insurance premiums among states nationwide during the second quarter with $736.9 million. That marked an increase of 9.8 percent in premium volume from the same quarter a year earlier, according to ALTA.

Florida followed with $618.1 million in premium volume, up 15.2 percent from a year earlier, while California recorded $464.8 million, an increase of 12.9 percent year over year.

New York generated $315.3 million in premiums, up 18.7 percent from the second quarter of 2025, and Ohio reported $222 million, representing a 60.1 percent increase.

ALTA CEO Chris Morton said communities across the country are increasingly investing in manufacturing, industrial facilities and other major developments. He said title insurance remains vital because the commercial projects depend on certainty around ownership rights, access and property rights.

The second-quarter data suggest demand for the title insurance industry remains tied to continued commercial real estate activity and broad regional development trends across the country.