We are Ferrantello Group, a full-service land surveying and engineering company with over 55 years of experience. We perform thousands of Title Surveys each year for our clients from Montauk to Manhattan. We would like to take an opportunity to explain more about Title Insurance and a land surveyor’s role in the process.
Title Insurance protects the landowner from potential issues and ensures ownership of the property. The survey map along with the deed helps to legalize all of the boundary lines.
As you can imagine, boundary surveys are closely intertwined with title insurance. A land surveyor is the guarantor of the property lines. If a title insurance company issues survey coverage without the assistance of a land surveyor and this coverage has any error, the title company must pay out the policy and request indemnification from the land surveyor for the mistakes and legal costs.
Survey Coverage in Title Insurance
While land owners are required to purchase some form of title insurance, few understand how the land survey is involved in title insurance. According to ALTA (American Land Title Association), a default coverage for Title Insurance is required along with a survey of the property. These policies guarantee the property lines on the survey are accurate. Some lawyers may offer a more complete title insurance policy that could insure ‘against loss because of discrepancies or conflicts in boundary lines, encroachments or protrusions, or overlapping of improvements, excluding from the coverage specific matters disclosed by the survey.’
Location vs Title
The difference between location and Title makes the land surveyor’s role in Title Insurance even more apparent. A title company insures and issues a policy based upon the title documents and deed. For a complete and accurate survey of the property, land surveyors must adhere to the ALTA Surveying Standards.
According to POB, “when the certification is added to the ALTA survey and incorporated into the title policy inducing survey coverage, the property boundary lines are now insured.” Unbeknownst to many, landowners can actually purchase property location insurance along with their title insurance. The surveys that land surveyors conduct are actually being used to issue insurance, which is why they are the ultimate guarantors of location.
Land Surveyors are an Important Part of the Title Insurance Business
There can be a stark difference between ownership and written deed rights, because written deed rights are evidence, not proof, of ownership. While clients generally want to know what they own, Title companies want a complete, accurate survey of the property line so they can insure the limits of ownership. The land surveyor is the only source that can provide an accurate description of property lines, which title companies then use to create title insurance policies.
The Ferrantello Group
Because land surveying is intertwined with title insurance, it is critical to choose a reliable, knowledgeable land surveyor. All team members of the Ferrantello Group are here to protect your investment whether you are buying, selling, developing, or legalizing. Our team is composed of expert, licensed land surveyors, civil engineers, planners, designers, and zoning and building consultants. We can delineate boundaries from Montauk to Manhattan for residential and commercial properties. Our services include:
- Land Surveying and Mapping
- Expert Witness Surveying & Testimony
- 3D Scanning & Modeling
- Construction & High-Rise Layout
- Flood Mapping & FEMA Certification
- Site Planning & Subdivision Mapping
We deliver fast, competitive services that are proven and reliable. With a collection of over 100 years of professional records, The Ferrantello Group members are experts in the art and science of boundary retracement. We provide detailed, comprehensive drawings in an crisp, readable format. Our surveys may be used as legal documents in court or for title insurance. Protect your investment today with a complete, accurate land survey. Just call us at (516) 249-6363 or click HERE.
