GUIDES
PMI Cancellation Guides
Every legitimate way off private mortgage insurance, in plain English. Start with the checker, then go deep on your path.
Can Home Improvements Speed Up PMI Cancellation?
Renovations raise home value, but PMI cancellation rules depend on lender policy and thresholds, not receipts.
GuideWhen a Lender Denies Your PMI Cancellation Request
A lender can say no to PMI cancellation, but not for any reason. Learn the legal grounds for denial and what to do next.
GuideHow to Calculate Your Loan-to-Value Ratio for PMI
Learn how lenders calculate loan-to-value for PMI cancellation, which home value counts, and when you can act.
GuideDo You Need a New Appraisal to Cancel PMI Early?
When a new appraisal is required to cancel PMI early, when it isn't, and how the Homeowners Protection Act rules apply.
GuidePMI Removal: The Payment History Rule Explained
Learn the payment history federal law requires before a lender must consider your PMI cancellation request.
GuideLate Payments and PMI Cancellation: What the Law Says
A late payment in the past year can delay PMI cancellation. Here is how the payment history rule actually works.
GuideDoes Refinancing Automatically Remove PMI From Your Loan?
Refinancing pays off your old loan, but PMI on the new loan depends on its own loan-to-value ratio The rules explained.
GuideDocuments You Need to Cancel PMI: A Checklist
What paperwork do you need to request PMI removal? Lender requirements, proof of equity, and what's in your mortgage file.
GuideHow Home Value Increases Affect PMI Cancellation
Learn how rising home values lower your loan-to-value ratio and enable PMI removal. Understand appraisals and cancellation rights.
GuideWhat a Broker Price Opinion Means for PMI Removal
A broker price opinion is cheaper and faster than an appraisal, but usually cannot cancel your PMI early. Here is what federal rules require.
GuidePMI Cancellation vs. Termination: What's the Real Difference
Learn the key differences between PMI cancellation and termination. One is your right to request; the other is automatic. Here's what triggers each.
GuideCancel PMI Early with Extra Payments: What the Rules Really Allow
Learn how extra principal payments can help you cancel PMI before 20% equity under federal rules Here are the exact federal rules.
GuideHow Long Does PMI Removal Take After You Ask?
Learn what federal law says about PMI cancellation timing, what can slow it down, and what to expect once you submit a written request to your servicer.
GuideHow FHA MIP Differs From Conventional PMI Rules
FHA mortgage insurance and conventional PMI follow different rules for cost, cancellation, and duration. See how each one works and what you can do.
GuideWhat LTV Ratio Cancels PMI? The 80% and 78% Rules
Learn the exact loan-to-value ratios that let you request PMI cancellation or trigger automatic termination, straight from the Homeowners Protection Act.
GuidePMI vs. Homeowners Insurance: What's the Difference?
PMI protects your lender, homeowners insurance protects your home. Learn what each one covers, who benefits, and which one you can actually cancel.
PillarHow to Cancel PMI: The Complete Playbook
Every legitimate way to cancel private mortgage insurance (the 80% request, the 78% automatic trigger, the current-value path, and refinancing) in plain English.
GuideThe 78% Rule vs. the 80% Rule: Two PMI Triggers, One Big Difference
PMI has two cancellation triggers under federal law: the 80% request right and the 78% automatic termination. Here's the difference, and why waiting for 78% costs you money.
GuideAVM vs. Appraisal vs. BPO: Which Home Value Actually Counts for PMI?
Zillow says one number, an appraiser says another, your servicer orders a BPO. Here's which valuation counts for PMI cancellation, and how to use the free ones strategically.
GuideCancel PMI Using Your Home's Current Value: The Path Servicers Don't Advertise
Federal PMI rules use your home's original value, but most servicers will cancel based on today's value. Here are the 75%/80% thresholds, seasoning rules, and exactly what to say.
GuideFHA MIP: Why You Probably Can't Cancel It, and What to Do Instead
Most FHA loans since 2013 carry mortgage insurance for the life of the loan; no cancellation right exists. Here's how to check your loan, and the refinance exit that ends MIP for good.
GuideIs Paying for an Appraisal to Cancel PMI Worth It? The Break-Even Math
A $500 appraisal to cancel $150/month PMI pays for itself in under 4 months, usually. Here's the break-even formula, and the two situations where you should wait instead.
GuidePMI Cancellation Letter: Free Template That Checks Every Box
A copy-paste PMI cancellation request letter that satisfies the Homeowners Protection Act requirements, plus exactly where to send it and what happens next.
GuideYour Servicer Missed the PMI Auto-Termination Date? You May Be Owed a Refund
Servicers must cancel PMI automatically at 78% LTV, and refund premiums charged after that date. Here's how to check whether you're owed money and how to claim it.