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The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance and real estate settlement industry, released the following statement today in response to the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs hearing to confirm Dr. Ben Carson as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

As the nation’s housing market continues to improve, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro today announced the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) will reduce the annual premiums most borrowers will pay by a quarter of a percent. FHA’s new premium rates are projected to save new FHA-insured homeowners an average of $500 annually

The House passed legislation on Wednesday that would enhance congressional oversight of international deliberations relating to insurance standards by a vote of 239-170. Sponsored by Housing and Insurance Subcommittee Chairman Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), the Transparent Insurance Standards Act directs federal regulators to solicit public comments, consult with state officials, and report to Congress before adopting international capital standards or other requirements for U.S. insurance companies.

The Washington D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling against the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in PPH Corporation v. CFPB, a case dealing with the CFPB’s ability to order New Jersey mortgage-lending company PPH to pay a $109 million enforcement penalty after the corporation was found offering illegal kickbacks to mortgage insurance partners.

The American Land Title Association (ALTA), the national trade association of the land title insurance industry, announced that Daniel D. Mennenoh ITP, NTP has been installed as president for the 2016-2017 year.

The Housing and Insurance subcommittee held a hearing to examine international factors affecting domestic insurance markets.  Subcommittee members questioned hearing witnesses on the various international regulatory standards being considered by the G-20, the Financial Stability Board, the International Association of Insurance Supervisors, and other international supervisory authorities.  In addition, today’s hearing gave members the first real opportunity to examine the covered agreement negotiations between the United States and the European Union.

Over 40 percent of American homebuyers feel taken advantage of or are confused by the calculation of title insurance fees on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) new mortgage disclosures, according to a new study by the American Land Title Association (ALTA)

Chairman Luetkemeyer, Ranking Member Cleaver, Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting me to testify today on the impact of U.S. – EU dialogues on insurance markets. Today’s hearing focuses on prudential aspects of international insurance matters, including the prospect of an agreement on such matters between the United States and the European Union.  With respect to these topics, Congress granted the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) the following authority

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today urged Congress to oppose the inappropriate use of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) to change the focus of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) away from protecting lives and property due to flooding loss

Just within the last month the U.S. experienced the first hurricane hitting Florida in more than a decade, historic flooding in Louisiana, and the strongest earthquake on record in Oklahoma. Because Mother Nature has the power to change lives overnight, the Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI) is urging property owners to take a “Disaster Reality Check” regarding their preparedness and ability to recover from a natural disaster or other emergency.

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) made the following comments after President Obama signed into law H.R. 3700, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act

House Financial Services Committee Chairman Jeb Hensarling (R-TX) delivered the following opening statement at a hearing with Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro about sudden policy changes the Secretary is making to the sale of nonperforming loans insured by the government

Extreme flood insurance rate hikes and inaccurate floodplain maps drive up the cost of homeownership and threaten small businesses, the nation’s home builders told Congress today

Flood insurance costs continue to put small businesses and homeownership at risk, but the National Association of Realtors® told U.S. Senators today that a range of solutions are on the horizon

The way to achieve resilience in U.S. communities is through an approach that incorporates input, consensus, leadership and action from a broad spectrum of stakeholders, ranging from insurance and finance-related companies, lenders and foundations; forward-thinking communities and government agencies; and important decision makers, including homeowners, businesses and utilities.

Legislation will reduce disaster losses and save lives by shifting the federal focus to pre-disaster mitigation and resilient construction. The American Institute of Architects (AIA) today applauded Reps. Carlos Curbelo, R-Fla., and Albio Sires, D-N.J., for the introduction of bipartisan legislation to focus federal disaster policy on preventing losses.

Property owners who opt to purchase flood insurance in the private market rather than through the National Flood Insurance Program may do so under current rules, but they risk paying higher rates if they return to the NFIP. H.R. 2901, the "Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act," passed the U.S. House of Representatives today by a vote of 419-0 and seeks to alleviate that concern

Freedom Mortgage Corporation has agreed to pay the United States $113 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by knowingly originating and underwriting single family mortgage loans insured by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Federal Housing Administration (FHA) that did not meet applicable requirements for the FHA insurance program, the Justice Department announced today.  Freedom Mortgage Corporation is headquartered in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey.

NAMB—The Association of Mortgage Professionals has commended the House Financial Services Committee for taking up HR 2901, the Flood Insurance Market Parity and Modernization Act of 2015