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Getting on the property ladder these days can seem like a distant dream for many Canadians. But with the help of mortgage insurance – and perhaps government incentives for first-time homebuyers – it’s possible to get on the housing market with a down payment as low as 5%.
Learn what mortgage insurance is, why you might need to pay it, how much it’ll cost you and more in our guide below.
Mortgage insurance, also commonly known as CMHC insurance or default insurance, is an additional charge that you’ll take on as a homebuyer if you provide a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price of your property. While this insurance is in place to help Canadians get on the property market faster and with a lower down payment, mortgage insurance ultimately protects the lender in the case that a borrower stops making payments and defaults on their mortgage. Mortgage insurance also helps keep interest rates low, because the risk of defaulting on a mortgage is transferred to the lender when this insurance is involved.
You might wonder why you’d pay the extra charge of mortgage insurance when you can easily avoid it by providing a down payment of at least 20%, but there’s one simple reason: it helps homebuyers get on the market without saving up such a high down payment. If mortgage insurance didn’t exist, you’d be looking at paying $20,000 for every $100,000 you spend on a home.
If you provide a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price of your new home, you’ll be charged mortgage insurance. This is required by law, so if you’re looking to avoid the additional cost, you’ll need to put at least 20% down.
To be eligible for an insured mortgage, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:
The cost of mortgage insurance will be anywhere from 2.80% to 4% of your mortgage amount. While the cost of your mortgage insurance mainly depends on the amount of down payment you provide, the type of mortgage you have can also affect the rate of interest.
As of September 2019, the rates charged by the three mortgage insurers – CMHC, Genworth and Canada Guaranty – are as follows:
Down payment amount | Interest rate |
---|---|
5% – 9.99% | 4% |
10% – 14.99% | 3.10% |
15% – 19.99% | 2.80% |
20%+ | No insurance required |
Here’s how to calculate how much you’ll pay for mortgage insurance:
Here’s an example using the interest rates above. Let’s say you’re looking to buy a property valued at $400,000 and you’ve got a down payment of $40,000.
Based on these calculations, you’d pay $36,000 for mortgage insurance. Keep in mind this is on top of the interest that you’ll pay on the borrowed amount of $360,000. So if your lender offers an interest rate of 3.5% amortized over 25 years on your mortgage of $360,000, you’d pay $179,211.96 in interest, as well as $36,000 in mortgage insurance, for a total of $215,211.96. As you can see, the cost of interest and insurance is almost two thirds of your original mortgage amount.
Although mortgage insurance is commonly referred to as CMHC insurance since the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) are a federal Crown corporation, there are actually two other private providers that offer mortgage insurance: Genworth Financial and Canada Guaranty.
If you can’t afford a 20% down payment on your property and you’re ready to get on the housing market, you’ll have to pay mortgage insurance. While this insurance will add thousands of dollars onto the cost of your mortgage, it could be worth paying if you’re able to get on the housing market faster.
Think you’re ready to take the plunge and get on the property ladder? Learn more about mortgages in our guide here.
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