• MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert
  • Home
  • Mortgage Prep
  • Buying a Home
  • Refinancing
  • Commercial
  • Rates & Lenders
  • More Value
  • Economic Insights
  • Our House Blog
  • MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert
  • All
  • Lifestyle
  • Mortgage Tips
  • Enriched Tips
  • Products
  • Real Estate

Published by DLC Marketing Team

March 21, 2023

What is an Uninsurable Mortgage?.

When it comes to mortgages, insurance is necessary to protect the lender on these types of loans, which deal in large sums of money. There are three different tiers relating to insurance, which all have different minimum down payment amounts and varying premium insurance fees.

  1. Insured mortgages typically have a less than 20% down payment and are insured with mortgage default insurance through one of Canada’s mortgage insurers: CMHC, Sagen or Canada Guaranty. In these cases, the premium is based on a percentage of the loan amount, which is added to the mortgage and paid monthly.
  2. Insurable mortgages typically have a 20% or higher down payment and do not require mortgage insurance, though they can qualify for it. In these cases, the homeowner wouldn’t have to pay an insurance premium, but the lender can if they choose to.
  3. Uninsurable mortgages do not meet mortgage insurer requirements; some examples of these types of mortgages can include: refinances, mortgages with an amortization longer than 25-years or mortgage files where the real estate is more than $1M in value and/or purchase price. No insurance premium required.

While insured and insurable mortgages are more common and typically more cost-effective when it comes to lending money, therefore clients who opt for these mortgages often get better rates.

When it comes to an uninsurable mortgage, this means that the lender is providing their own funds to the client without the protection of insurance, and have to commit to the loan for the entire term. Due to this, uninsurable mortgages tend to have higher interest rates as they are a higher risk loan.

Typically, uninsurable mortgages require a minimum of 20% down on the loan and are available for up to 30-year amortization. It is also important to note that an uninsurable mortgage will often require a higher Gross Debt Service (GDS) and Total Debt Service (TDS) ratio to indicate that you can carry the loan without high risk.

While some lenders may offer more flexibility when it come to an uninsurable mortgage, if you are looking to refinance or change to a longer amortization period, it is best to discuss with your DLC mortgage expert before making any changes to your mortgage.


Share this:
Categories: Mortgage Tips Categories:

Recommended articles.

View More

Let Your Home Work for You

November 27, 2023

As Canadians approach their retirement years, many are exploring the potential of the CHIP Reverse Mortgage solution to allow them to enjoy the retirement they’ve worked so hard for. Many […]

Read More

Escrow and What You Need to Know

October 24, 2023

Let’s talk about escrow! While this arrangement may not necessarily impact your mortgage, it can be helpful to understand should anything come up throughout your term. What is Escrow Starting […]

Read More

6 Things for Co-Signers to Consider

October 10, 2023

Are you thinking about co-signing on a loan? If you’re looking to help out a family member or loved one, this is a great way to do that as a […]

Read More

Mortgage Portability

August 29, 2023

When it comes to getting a mortgage, one of the more overlooked elements is the option to be able to port the loan down the line. Porting your mortgage is […]

Read More

Choosing Your Ideal Payment Frequency

August 15, 2023

Your payment schedule is the frequency that you make mortgage payments and ranges from monthly to bi-monthly, bi-weekly, accelerated bi-weekly or even weekly payments. Below is a quick overview of […]

Read More
  • Find an Expert
  • Home
  • Mortgage Prep
  • Buying a Home
  • Refinancing
  • Commercial
  • Rates & Lenders
  • More Value
  • Economic Insights
  • Our House Blog
  • MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert

© 2023 Dominion Lending Centres Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions