Bulletin: PA2019005

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Bulletin: PA2019005

Bulletin Document
V 1
Date: September 25, 2019
To: All Pennsylvania Issuing Offices
RE: RATES AND/OR FORMS UPDATE - Revisions to Pennsylvania Manual of Rates, New and Revised Endorsements Effective October 1, 2019

Dear Associates:

The Title Insurance Rating Bureau of Pennsylvania (“TIRBOP”) submitted to the Pennsylvania Insurance Department a filing including: six (6) revised endorsements, four (4) new endorsements and the withdrawal of ten (10) currently approved endorsements, as well as the filing of a revised Closing Protection Letter (“CPL”) and the withdrawal of the currently approved CPL. TIRBOP has also submitted a rate and rule filing which includes revisions to the Pennsylvania Manual of Rates and Forms (“Rate Manual”). The revised Rate Manual with new and revised forms were approved and will be effective October 1, 2019.

The new endorsements are as follows:

  • TIRBOP Endorsement 1252 (ALTA 19.2-06) - Contiguity - Specified Parcels
    This endorsement provides coverage regarding contiguity of specified parcels within the insured premises. This endorsement is prohibited in conjunction with the issuance of a loan policy insuring 1-4 family residential property.

  • TIRBOP Endorsement 1316 (ALTA 28.2-06) - Encroachments - Boundaries and Easements - Described Improvements - Loan Policy Only
    This endorsement insures against loss or damage by reason of an encroachment of a specified Improvement. This endorsement is prohibited in conjunction with the issuance of a loan policy insuring 1-4 family residential property.

  • TRIBOP Endorsement 1317 (ALTA 28.2-06 - Encroachments - Boundaries and Easements - Described Improvements - Owner’s Policy Only
    This endorsement insures against loss or damage by reason of an encroachment of a specified Improvement. This endorsement is prohibited in conjunction with the issuance of a loan policy insuring 1-4 family residential property.

  • TIRBOP Endorsement 1611 (ALTA 23.1-06) - Co-Insurance - Multiple Parcels
    This endorsement allows the lead insurer to issue multiple policies with other co-insurers adopting the policies as their own to the extent of their proportionate liability set forth in the endorsement. This endorsement is prohibited in conjunction with the issuance of a loan policy insuring 1-4 family residential property.

The revised endorsements and the nature of the revisions are as follows:

  • TIRBOP 100 (ALTA N/A) - Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions - revised to describe the coverage as reflective of current language used by the American Land Title Association (ALTA)

  • TIRBOP 1250 (ALTA 19-06) - Contiguity - Multiple Parcels - revised for consistency with the ALTA form for this endorsement

  • TIRBOP 1270 and TIRBOP 1271 - (ALTA 25-06) - Same as Survey - revised to add reference to ALTA Endorsement 25-06

  • TIRBOP 1530 (ALTA 14-06) - Future Advance - Priority - revised to mirror language in the ALTA Endorsement 14-06

  • TIRBOP 1540 (ALTA 14.1-06) - Future Advance - Knowledge - revised to mirror language in the ALTA Endorsement 14.1-06

The following endorsements have been withdrawn:

  • TIRBOP 101 

  • TIRBOP 102

  • TIRBOP 103

  • TIRBOP 104

Changes to the Closing Protection Letter:

The substantive revisions to the Closing Protection Letter appear in paragraphs 3f and 3n of the Conditions and Exclusions section of the CPL and related to various forms of fraud that are excluded when perpetrated by unrelated third parties to the real estate transaction. 

Closing Protection Coverage documents may be issued ONLY by use of the Stewart ICL Website: https://www.stewarticl.com. Closing Protection Coverage documents may not be (1) modified, (2) prepared by an Issuing Agent on its Letterhead or in any other format, or (3) typed, computer generated, or signed by an Issuing Agent.

Please contact PropertyInfo Customer Care or your title production software vendor to get the new and revised forms implemented in your system. 

If you have any questions relating to this or other bulletins, please contact a Stewart Title Guaranty Company underwriter.

For on-line viewing of this and other bulletins, please log onto www.vuwriter.com.

THIS BULLETIN IS FURNISHED TO INFORM YOU OF CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS. AS A REMINDER, YOU ARE CHARGED WITH KNOWLEDGE OF THE CONTENT ON VIRTUAL UNDERWRITER  AS IT EXISTS FROM TIME TO TIME AS IT APPLIES TO YOU, AS WELL AS ANY OTHER INSTRUCTIONS. OUR UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS DO NOT AUTHORIZE OUR ISSUING AGENTS TO ENGAGE IN SETTLEMENTS OR CLOSINGS ON BEHALF OF STEWART TITLE GUARANTY COMPANY. THIS BULLETIN IS NOT INTENDED TO DIRECT YOUR ESCROW OR SETTLEMENT PRACTICES OR TO CHANGE PROVISIONS OF APPLICABLE UNDERWRITING AGREEMENTS. CONFIDENTIAL, PROPRIETARY, OR NONPUBLIC PERSONAL INFORMATION SHOULD NEVER BE SHARED OR DISSEMINATED EXCEPT AS ALLOWED BY LAW. IF APPLICABLE STATE LAW OR REGULATION IMPOSES ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS, YOU SHOULD CONTINUE TO COMPLY WITH THOSE REQUIREMENTS.


References

Bulletins Replaced:
  • None
Related Bulletins:
  • None
Underwriting Manual:
  • None
Exceptions Manual:
  • None
Forms:
  • None