While PMI is an initial added cost, it enables you to buy now and begin building equity versus waiting five to 10 years to build enough savings for a 20% down payment. While the amount you pay for PMI can vary, you can expect to pay approximately between $30 and $70 per month for every $100,000 borrowed.
The lender calculates the PMI payment by multiplying your loan amount by the PMI rate and then dividing by 12. Suppose the loan amount is $475,000, and the PMI rate is 0.45%. In that case, the lender calculates your monthly PMI payment as follows. Then, the lender adds $178.13 to your monthly mortgage payment.
FAQs about PMI calculations
PMI depends on your credit score and LTV (loan-to-value). So PMI on a $100,000 mortgage could range roughly $200–1,800 annually ($16–155 monthly). The more you put down (or pay off your loan) and the better your credit score, the less you pay in PMI.
You can avoid paying PMI buy providing a down payment of more than 20% when you take out a mortgage. Mortgages with down payments of less than 20% will require PMI until you build up a loan-to-value ratio of at least 80%. You can also avoid paying PMI by using two mortgages, or a piggyback second mortgage.
On average, PMI costs range between 0.22% to 2.25% of your mortgage. How much you pay depends on two main factors: Your total loan amount: As a general rule, PMI expenses are higher for larger mortgages. Your credit score: Lenders typically charge borrowers with high credit scores lower PMI percentages.
A borrower can request PMI be canceled when they've amassed 20 percent equity in the home and lived in it for several years. There are other ways to get rid of PMI ahead of schedule: refinancing, getting the home re-appraised (to see if it's increased in value), and paying down your principal faster.
The benefits of PMI are that it helps overcome the biggest hurdles to homeownership, which are housing affordability and inventory. PMI allows more people to buy homes now in a hot, higher-priced market, rather than waiting. But it comes with a price.
Virtually every lender requires PMI for conventional mortgages with a down payment less than 20 percent. Some lenders advertise “no-PMI” loans, but these are essentially lender-paid insurance arrangements — you'll likely pay a higher interest rate in exchange.
Put 10% Down with No PMI by Using a Piggyback Loan
A piggyback loan, or a 80/10/10 mortgage, allows you to finance 80% of a home through a mortgage. Then, you put down 10% in cash. The other 10% required to make up a 20% down payment comes from a second loan, worth 10% of the home's value.
Keep in mind that private mortgage insurance protects the lender in the event of a loan default. This is why lenders require PMI when a buyer cannot put down at least 20% of the home's price.
Key takeaways. The mortgage insurance (PMI) deduction has expired for 2022, and guidelines for the 2023 tax year have not yet been determined. For eligible years, PMI is deductible only if you itemize your tax deductions. Most borrowers pay mortgage insurance premiums when putting down less than 20 percent on a home.
Most people stop paying PMI when they've gained enough equity in their homes after paying down the mortgage for a number of years. You can also cancel PMI if your home value increases earlier than you would have been able to, but you'll need to get an official appraisal showing what your home is worth.
The lower your LTV, the higher the risk for the lender, which is why the cost of PMI often increases as your LTV decreases. Finally, your credit score also can influence the cost of PMI. The higher your score, the less risk you represent to lenders, so it may be possible to qualify for lower PMI with good credit.
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 based on credit score? Yes, your credit score affects how much private mortgage insurance will cost. A borrower with a higher credit score would likely pay a lower monthly premium for PMI than someone who has a lower credit score, even with the same down payment and mortgage amount.
Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is a type of mortgage insurance you might be required to buy if you take out a conventional loan with a down payment of less than 20 percent of the purchase price. PMI protects the lender—not you—if you stop making payments on your loan.
If you take out a conventional mortgage and you can pay 20% or more on the down payment, you can effectively avoid being required to take out PMI along with your mortgage.
If you have an FHA loan, you'll be required to purchase a different type of mortgage insurance, known as a mortgage insurance premium (MIP). And, if you're using a private lender—like a mortgage lending company, relative or private home seller—your lender may not require PMI.
Also called “upfront PMI,” this option allows you to pay the entire premium in one lump sum at your mortgage closing.
If you buy a $300,000 home, you could be paying somewhere between $600 – $6,000 per year in mortgage insurance. This cost is broken into monthly installments to make it more affordable. In this example, you're likely looking at paying $50 – $500 per month.
Refinance your mortgage: A new lender may be willing to negotiate on PMI. Or a new, higher valuation may make PMI no longer necessary if it gives you the required equity.
Homebuyers with conventional financing are usually required to obtain PMI when they put down less than 20%. The word “Private” in PMI distinguishes it from just “Mortgage Insurance” (MI) that is required for FHA/”government” loans.
You typically need to pay PMI until you have built up 20% equity in your home. PMI should end automatically when you have 22% equity in your home. In some cases, you can stop paying PMI at the midpoint of the mortgage, regardless of the equity amount.