Weekly Real Estate News
Summary
U.S. title insurers generated $5.3 billion in Q2 2026 premiums, up nearly 15% year over year, with ALTA citing commercial real estate activity as a major driver.
Title insurance premium volume climbed sharply in the second quarter as commercial real estate transactions helped lift an industry that also continues to benefit from higher transaction activity than a year ago.
The American Land Title Association reported that U.S. title insurers generated $5.3 billion in premiums during the second quarter of 2026, compared with $4.5 billion a year earlier. ALTA characterized the increase as nearly 15% year over year.
For the first six months of 2026, premium volume was up 16.1% from the same period in 2025. The industry paid nearly $327 million in claims during the first half, down from approximately $336 million a year earlier.
“Second-quarter premium volume increased nearly 15% from a year ago, driven largely by continued strength in commercial real estate transactions,” ALTA CEO Chris Morton said.
Growth was broad, but not evenly distributed
ALTA’s market-share data show premium growth across major states and substantial differences in the pace of expansion.
Texas generated about $736.9 million in second-quarter premiums, up 9.8% year over year. Florida produced approximately $618.1 million, up 15.2%, while California generated roughly $464.8 million, an increase of 12.9%. New York rose 18.7% to about $315.3 million.
Ohio stood out with a 60.1% year-over-year increase, reaching approximately $222 million in premiums.
ALTA’s separate industry summary says premiums increased in 48 states and that the quarter marked the 11th consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth. It also reported $322.9 million in industry net income for the quarter, the fifth-highest second-quarter total in its historical series.
The largest underwriters retain most of the market
First American Title Insurance Co. held the largest individual-underwriter share at 23.3%, according to ALTA. Fidelity National Title Insurance Co. followed at 15.8%, Chicago Title at 13.2%, Old Republic National Title at 13.1% and Stewart Title Guaranty at 10.9%.
Those figures are individual-underwriter shares rather than consolidated parent-company market shares, an important distinction because several major title groups operate multiple underwriting entities.
The industry’s balance-sheet measures also remained substantial. ALTA reported $12 billion in total assets, $5.4 billion in statutory surplus and $5.8 billion in statutory reserves. Total operating income increased 2.9% from the second quarter of 2025.
The premium increase comes as the title sector is confronting a different kind of risk at the closing table. WRE News reported this month that attempted seller-impersonation fraud has increased sharply, with ALTA’s 2026 survey finding 59% of responding title firms experienced at least one attempt in 2025.
Premium volume is closely tied to real estate transaction activity and transaction values, so a strong quarter does not by itself establish that every segment of residential housing has strengthened. ALTA specifically pointed to commercial activity as a major contributor to the increase.
Still, the first-half numbers show a title industry producing materially more premium revenue than a year earlier while claims paid declined modestly. The next test will be whether that momentum holds as borrowing costs remain elevated and higher mortgage rates weigh on residential transaction volume.
