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Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is insurance that protects the lender if you don't make payments on your home loan. If you're putting less than 20% down on a home and taking out a conventional loan, you generally have to pay this cost at closing or as part of your monthly mortgage payments.
PMI is a form of mortgage insurance that applies to conventional loans. If you buy a home with a conventional loan and your down payment is less than 20% of the home's value, buying PMI is mandatory. Lenders also require you to buy PMI if you're refinancing with a conventional loan and you have less than 20% equity in the home.
Lenders set up your PMI with private insurance companies that offer it, and the cost is listed on your loan estimate and closing disclosure.
PMI is there to protect the lender, not the borrower. If you don't make your mortgage payments, the lender can recoup some of the money they're owed from the insurer. But you're not protected from late payment fines or foreclosure.

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