The American Land Title Association (ALTA) offers several legal publications, which are some of the favorite research materials for land title professionals and counsel around the United States. The publications feature practical legal analysis that is valuable to title claims administrators, coverage counsel, title underwriters, agency managers, title examiners, state regulators, escrow officers and more.

ALTA partners with renowned title industry attorney J. Bushnell Nielsen to continue publication of both the Title and Escrow Claims Guide and The Title Insurance Law Journal, which is issued monthly.

Title & Escrow Claims Guide

Do you know the latest updates on title insurance legislation? Do you need advice on how to handle claims on land title insurance policies, closing protection letters, equitable subrogation and closing defects?

Published since 1996, the Claims Guide is the preferred research tool for land title claims administrators and retained counsel. This treatise is intended as a guide for the resolutions of disputes about title insurance policies, real estate escrow and closings, and related issues involving title insurers, title agents, approved attorneys and escrowees.

The latest edition, the 2023 Title and Escrow Claims Guide contains 1,792 pages, with many pages of new material.  The 2023 edition contains analysis of well over 100 court decisions not found in the 2022 edition, and new analysis of a number of subjects.  The new material includes the following:

  • Deeper analysis of state police powers and the corresponding policy exclusion
  • New insights on when to request a proof of loss and several new forms for use in making those requests and in explaining to an insured the method that should be used in a diminution in value appraisal
  • Why a title insurer should never declare that the insurer "missed" a recorded instrument
  • Excellent decisions on why an insurer does not "delay" a claim by switching from one option to another in resolving the claim
  • The fine points of watchful waiting and new cases on that issue
  • Interesting new decisions on loan policy successors and the requirement for a separate assignment of tort claims against insurer
  • Ground-breaking decision holding that an insured suffers no loss after insurer orchestrates rescission of insured purchase
  • A troublesome Georgia decision suggesting that the state bad faith statute sets a time limit for clearing title
  • When policy proceeds can be assigned although the policy cannot
  • A major update on new Nevada HOA decisions about endorsement coverage for post-policy assessments
  • Updates to many of the useful coverage determination letters and other forms provided with the book

The Claims Guide includes form letters regularly used by title claims professionals. It is also a great educational resource for title companies to use when training new employees in title insurance claims, underwriting and title examination. You can purchase this book in the print or the digital version (the digital version includes a CD containing the form letters).

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The Title Insurance Law Journal

The Title Insurance Law Journal (“The Journal”), formerly known as the Title Insurance Law Newsletter (TILN), is the leading source of information about the current law affecting the land title industry nationwide. Since 1992, this monthly e-journal has provided an insightful and practical analysis on the most important court decisions and developments related to title insurance.

The Title Insurance Law Journal now includes an extensive searchable library of content from The Journal going back to 2013 - allowing you to search and find the exact title law content that you need.

Curated especially for title agents, approved attorneys, underwriters, claim administrators and attorneys who practice in title insurance defense work or conveyancing disputes, The Journal reports on cases addressing:

  • title insurance coverage
  • class actions and regulatory enforcement
  • escrow and closing duties
  • agent/underwriter disputes
  • conveyancing law
  • RESPA compliance and violations

The Title and Escrow Claims Guide and The Journal complement each other and are the best research materials for United States land title professionals and counsel.

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TIRS State Compliance Guide

Would it be helpful to have current updates on state laws, customs and practices relating to the title industry licensing and operating requirements in your state?

The TIRS State Compliance Guides, formerly known as the Title Insurance Regulatory Survey, are the most comprehensive collection of regulatory information and practices of the title industry available. This resource contains state-by-state regulatory and local practice material for entities establishing real estate title and closing operations, and is available for all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Each state guide has been reviewed by in-state legal editors to ensure the proper legal and operational environment in all jurisdictions. The guides are organized into seven sections: Introduction, Title Insurers, Title Agents, Abstracters, Escrow/Closing Personnel, Market Practices, and Real Estate Practices.

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