Back Title Letters in Florida
A back title letter is an underwriter certification that streamlines Florida title searches by confirming the status of title through a prior date, allowing the title agent to search only subsequent records rather than the full chain of title.
How It Works
When a Florida property was previously insured by the same title insurance underwriter, the agent requests a back title letter certifying the title status as of the prior policy date. The agent then searches only from that date forward for new liens, judgments, mortgages, and other encumbrances. This reduces search time from days to hours.
Risk Allocation
The underwriter assumes responsibility for the title through the certified date. If a defect existed prior to that date and was missed in the original examination, the underwriter bears the liability. This allocation of risk between underwriter and agent is a fundamental feature of the title insurance industry's efficiency in Florida.
Related Terms
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Reviewed by the attorneys at Barnes Walker, Goethe, Shea & Robinson, PLLC