Do you get PMI back when you sell your house?

Asked by: Clotilde Macejkovic  |  Last update: February 21, 2026
Score: 4.2/5 (52 votes)

When PMI is canceled, the lender has 45 days to refund applicable premiums. That said, do you get PMI back when you sell your house? It's a reasonable question considering the new borrower is on the hook for mortgage insurance moving forward. Unfortunately for you, the seller, the premiums you paid won't be refunded.

Do you get money back from PMI?

No you absolutely will not... pmi is an insurance premium. You don't get your premiums back when your policy expires, that's just not how this works.

Does PMI go away if home value increases?

Yes. If your home value increases — either by housing market trends or by you investing to upgrade the property — you may be eligible to request a PMI cancellation. You'll likely need to pay for a home appraisal to verify the new market value, but that cost can be well worth it to avoid more PMI payments.

How long do you pay PMI on a mortgage?

How long do you have to pay PMI? You typically have to pay PMI until you reach 20% equity in your home, at which point you can typically request cancellation. Additionally, your lender may be required to cancel PMI once your mortgage balance reaches 78% of the original home value, or 22% equity.

Where does PMI money go?

The PMI fee goes toward insurance coverage that protects your lender—not you—in case you can't make monthly payments and default on your loan. Your lender then can foreclose your house and auction it off to earn back the money they loaned you. At a foreclosure auction, lenders can recover about 80% of a home's value.

Get Out Of PMI | Appraisal For PMI Removal

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What happens to PMI when you sell?

That said, do you get PMI back when you sell your house? It's a reasonable question considering the new borrower is on the hook for mortgage insurance moving forward. Unfortunately for you, the seller, the premiums you paid won't be refunded.

How much is PMI on a $300,000 loan?

Your mortgage lender will determine the PMI rate and multiply the percentage by the loan balance. For example, if the PMI rate is 0.5% and your loan amount is $300,000, your PMI will cost $1,500 annually or $125 monthly.

Does PMI end automatically?

Yes. Even if you don't ask your servicer to cancel PMI, in general, your servicer must automatically terminate PMI on the date when your principal balance is scheduled to reach 78 percent of the original value of your home. For your PMI to be cancelled on that date, you need to be current on your payments.

Is PMI paid at closing?

Sometimes you pay for PMI with a one-time up-front premium paid at closing. The premium is shown on your Loan Estimate and Closing Disclosure on page 2, in section B. If you make an up-front payment and then move or refinance, you might not be entitled to a refund of the premium.

Is PMI tax deductible?

Is mortgage insurance tax-deductible? No, private mortgage insurance isn't tax-deductible now. The mortgage insurance deduction was only available for eligible homeowners for the 2018–2021 tax years.

Can I get an appraisal to remove PMI?

Using a new appraisal to remove PMI involves an appraisal of your home's current value to prove that the LTV ratio has decreased due to an increase in your home's original value. Refinancing is another option, allowing you to secure a lower rate or switch from an FHA loan to a conventional mortgage.

Do I have to wait 2 years to remove PMI?

Get an Appraisal

Many lenders (like Fannie Mae) also require a two-year “seasoning requirement,” meaning you can't have PMI removed until you've made two years' worth of on-time payments—even if your equity has grown above 20%. If it's been less than five years, you might even be required to have 25% worth of equity.

What do property taxes in a mortgage payment pay for?

Interest: The cost paid to the lender for borrowing the funds. Property taxes: Taxes collected by local governments to fund community services. Homeowners insurance: Coverage to protect your property and assets against damage or loss.

Is upfront PMI refundable?

Requesting a Refund

A refund of an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP) payment can be requested through HUD's Single Family Insurance Operations Division (SFIOD). On the FHA Connection, go to the Upfront Premium Collection menu and select Request a Refund in the Pay Upfront Premium section.

Does it make sense to pay off PMI?

If you're buying a fixer-upper, you should keep extra cash on hand to cover the cost of sprucing up the home rather than paying off PMI. You won't break even on the extra expense of upfront PMI. Upfront PMI only makes sense if you'll be in your home long enough to recoup the cost of the premium.

Can I remove PMI from my mortgage payment?

PMI is automatically removed when your loan-to-value (LTV) ratio reaches 78%. You can request to have PMI removed from your loan when you reach 80% LTV in your home. You can achieve an 80% LTV ahead of schedule if your home's value increases or if you make extra loan payments.

Can you get PMI refunded?

This is an important distinction for this type of PMI. If you pay down your mortgage quicker than the original payment schedule and are current on your payments, you may be able to obtain a refund of unearned premiums once you reach 20% equity in your home.

Do you pay PMI forever?

The most important thing to know about PMI is that it's not forever. Generally, PMI can be removed from your monthly payments in two ways: when you pay your loan balance down below 80% of the purchase price of your home, or once you have achieved 20% equity in your home.

What is the current PMI rate?

Private mortgage insurance rates typically range from 0.19% to 2.25% of your mortgage. PMI rates depend on your credit scores, loan-to-value ratio and debt-to-income ratio, among other factors.

Can PMI increase after closing?

Like principal and interest, private mortgage insurance premiums generally don't change after your loan closes. So you can eliminate that as well. That leaves home insurance premiums. Providers do increase them from time to time, however there are steps you can take to reduce this cost.

Can PMI be removed from an FHA loan?

“After sufficient equity has built up on your property, refinancing from an FHA or conventional loan to a new conventional loan would eliminate MIP or PMI payments. This is possible as long as your LTV ratio is at 80% or less.”

What is 20 percent equity in a home?

This means that from the start of your purchase, you have 20 percent equity in the home's value. The formula to see equity is your home's worth ($200,000) minus your down payment (20 percent of $200,000 which is $40,000). You only own $40,000 of your home.

What is considered a high PMI?

A PMI above 50 represents an expansion when compared with the previous month. A PMI reading under 50 represents a contraction while a reading at 50 indicates no change. The further away from 50, the greater the level of change.

Can you pay PMI upfront?

Single-premium PMI

Depending on the terms of the loan, you can either pay this in full at closing or roll the amount into the loan for a higher balance. If you pay it upfront, you'll get the benefit of lower monthly mortgage payments.