Here are the Latest News of Interest to/from/about the Association:

***Due to COVID-19, the TTIGA office is currently closed to the public, so we are not available to accept hand deliveries at this time. Please send all guaranty fee remittances and other correspondence by mail or express mail until further notice.***

 
Please note that the $2.00 Guaranty Fee per owner and lender policy will continue to be collected until further notice.
 

 
05/01/2019 2019 GUARANTY FEE NOTICE -

Please note that TTIGA unanimously voted to reinstate the 2019 Guaranty Fee effective May 1, 2019. The Association gives notice to all Texas title agents to collect a Guaranty Fee Charge (the GF) on each owner and lender title insurance policy issued in the state, beginning with closings on or after May 1, 2019.  The amount of the GF has been set at Two Dollars and no/100 Dollars ($2.00) per policy.

All GFs must be collected at closing and remitted to the Association on a quarterly basis, with the first GF remittance due on August 1, 2019. The GF fee should be remitted to the Association using the Guaranty Fee Remittance Form (T-G1)
 

 
01/01/2018 GARC FEE NOTICE - The Commissioner of Insurance has ordered all Texas title agents and direct operations to collect a GARC on each owner and lender title insurance policy issued in the state, starting on January 1, 2018 and ending on December 31, 2018. The amount of the GARC has been set at $4.50 per policy. The policy guaranty fee has been suspended effective as of January 1, 2018. Consequently, you will not collect policy guaranty fees in connection with any closing that occurs during the 2018 calendar year only the GARC fee.
 

08/16/2016 . Please see their website to make a claim with the estate and the SDR, please see their website: http://www.millenniumtitlesdr.com/. The deadline to file claims with the SDR and with TTIGA is now set at November 15, 2016.


07/22/2016 MILLENNIUM TITLE - THE SPECIAL DEPUTY RECEIVER'S CLAIM FORMS WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON. A Petition for Joint Application to Provide Notice of Liquidation, Set Claims Filing Deadline, and Establish a Claims Processing Procedure was filed in the receivership court for Millennium Title.


07/01/2016  The new Guaranty Fee of $3.00 effective April 1, 2016 is due to be remitted to TTIGA for the Second Quarter of 2016 by August 1, 2016.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information and to obtain the remittance form.


3/9/16  Southlake Title Company Owner Booked into Tarrant County Jail:   Nancy J. Carroll, a woman accused of stealing millions of dollars from a Southlake title company she owned, one of which was Millennium Closing Services, LLC d/b/a Millennium Title, is being held in the Tarrant County Jail Wednesday on $1 million bond.  See this news update of breaking news from NBCDFW


2/16/16 -- NOTICE OF INCREASED POLICY GUARANTY FEE RATE 
Effective April 1, 2016, the Guaranty Fee will increase to $3.00. Please read this Notice, which is being mailed out to all title agents in TTIGA's records.  See also the Guaranty Fee page for information and forms with the new rate.


2/12/16  TITLE AGENT ARRESTED   Nancy J. Carroll of Millennium Title, a Southlake, TX title agency put into liquidation by the Commissioner of Insurance on January 25, 2016, was arrested in Illinois.  See this video of the breaking news from NBCDFW


02/01/2016 MILLENNIUM TITLE CLAIM FORMS NOW AVAILABLE.  The TTIGA board of directors met today to review and approve the Millennium Title expedited claims payment plan along with the notice, forms, and instructions. Check the Receiverships and Liquidations page for more information.


02/01/2016  EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING HELD.  The TTIGA board of directors met today to review and approve the Millennium Title expedited claims payment plan along with the notice, forms, and instructions. The Proof of Claim Form should be online soon.  Check the Receiverships and Liquidations page for more information.


01/29/2016  EMERGENCY BOARD MEETING AGENDA POSTED.  The Agenda for an emergency TTIGA Board of Directors meeting to be held on February 1, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. has been posted to the Open Meetings site of the Texas Register.  Read it here.  The location is in the Agenda posting or can be found on the Contact Us page.


1/28/2016 ** ANOTHER TITLE AGENCY LIQUIDATION:  On January 25, 2016, the Travis County District Court entered an Agreed Order Appointing Liquidator and Permanent Injunction Against Millennium Closing Services, LLC d/b/a Millennium Title, finding Millennium Title to be insolvent and directing the Commissioner of the Texas Department of Insurance to liquidate the company.  On the same day, the Commissioner of Insurance issued an order in which he found Millennium Title to be financially impaired, as defined by the Texas Insurance Code.  This finding in turn triggered certain statutory responsibilities of the Texas Title Insurance Guaranty Association (€śTTIGA€ť), including TTIGA€™s responsibility to pay covered claims as defined by law resulting from shortages of escrow funds in the accounts of Millennium Title.   Please see our Liquidations and Receiverships page for more information and to find claim forms and instructions.


01/06/2016  BOARD MEETING AGENDA POSTED.  The Agenda for the next TTIGA Board of Directors meeting to be held on January 27, 2016 at 10:00 a.m. has been posted to the Open Meetings site of the Texas Register.  Read it here.  The location is in the Agenda posting or can be found on the Contact Us page.


1/5/2015  GARC -- Number One Most Frequently Asked Question:  Do we have to remit the fees collected for a transaction that closed on December 31, 2014 but for which we didn't receive the money until January 2015?   

Because all fees are required to be disclosed to your customers at the time of the transaction, i.e. the closing date, all fees disclosed to your customers for transactions that closed on or before December 31, 2014 are required to be remitted to the Guaranty Association whether or not you "collected" the money in 2014 and also even if it was not "funded" until this January 2015 or in the future.  The Texas Department of Insurance requires that you remit the $1.80 for each policy by the February 1, 2015 due date for all transactions that closed in 2014 whether or not you received the money in 2014.

Please see the GARC page for information.


12/15/2014  GARC FEE NOTICE

Please remember your authority to collect the Guaranty Assessment Recoupment Charge (GARC) ends on December 31, 2014.   You should collect the fees through that date and remit them to the TTIGA with your final remittance postmarked on or before February 1, 2015.

Beginning January 1, 2015 you will not be collecting Policy Guaranty Fees (GFs) or the GARC.

Remember to keep your contact information up to date with TTIGA for future announcements regarding the rate of the GFs or any future GARCs.

Please see the GARC page for information.


10/16/2014  GARC FAQ's HAVE BEEN UPDATED.  Because the procedures are not much different from the Guaranty Fee remittances, there are only a small number of FAQ's that we have encountered thus far that are different or of note.  Please see the GARC page for information and the Form with our new overnight address.


9/25/2014  WE HAVE MOVED.  We are moving this day.  Please see our Contact Us page for our new physical address.  Our mailing address remains the same.


 7/28/2014 - CLAIM FILING DEADLINE SET IN STIC LIQUIDATION:  On July 28, 2014, the State Corporation Commission (the "Commission") for the Commonwealth of Virginia entered its Order of Liquidation with a Finding of Insolvency (€śLiquidation Order€ť) for Southern Title Insurance Corporation (€śSouthern Title€ť).  The Virginia Commission has set the Claim Filing Deadline for six months after the date of the Liquidation Order.  Therefore, all claimants must file their Proofs of Claim (€śPOC€ť) by the Claims Filing Deadline of January 28, 2015.  Southern Title is currently adjudicating Proofs of Claim and will issue a Notice of Claim Determination approving or denying the POC.  TTIGA must also follow suit with this same deadline.  Please make your claim with TTIGA as soon as you know all the information but it must be filed by January 28, 2015.


5/2/2014  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2013 (Due February 1, 2014) has been uploaded to our site.  The report was first presented to the TTIGA Board of Directors at its April 28, 2014 meeting.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


03/21/2014  At long last, the GARC page has been updated with the remittance form from TDI as well as a bit of instruction.  Please take a look on the GARC page for more information.


02/12/2014  The January 28 Board Meeting was rescheduled to Friday, February 28, 2014 at 10:00 a.m.  Please check the Texas Register link on the Contact Us Page for the Agenda.


01/27/2014  The January 28 Board Meeting has been cancelled due to potential inclement weather.  The meeting will be rescheduled as soon as possible.  Please check back here and the Texas Register open meetings site for announcements.


01/23/2014  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Third Quarter of 2013 (Due November 1, 2013) has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


October 24, 2013-- NOTICE OF Termination of Collection of the Policy Guaranty Fee
Effective January 1, 2014, the Guaranty Fee was reduced to Zero, effectively terminating the guaranty fee. The fee is not to be collected on loan or mortgage policies on that date. Please read this Notice.


10/18/2013  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Second Quarter of 2013 (Due May 1, 2013) has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


7/29/2013  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the First Quarter of 2013 (Due April 1, 2013) has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


As of May 24, 2013, TTIGA was notified that a title agency "Direct Title, LLC" was placed in Supervision by the Texas Department of Insurance, and TTIGA is now handling claims.  To file a Proof of Claim in the Direct Title, LLC supervision, please see the Receiverships & Liquidation page of our website.


4/18/2013  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2012 (Due February 1, 2013) has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


1/18/2013  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Third Quarter of 2012 (Due November 1, 2012) has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


8/29/2012  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Second Quarter of 2012 has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


7/30/2012  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the First Quarter of 2012 has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


4/30/2012  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Fourth Quarter of 2011 has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


3/26/2012  The updated Guaranty Fee form for the new rate of $2.00 is now online.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.  Also see the note about old $5 or $1 Stragglers on that page too.


2/12/2012  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Third Quarter 2011 has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


12/20/2012, On December 20, 2011, pursuant to Title 38.2, Chapters 10 and 15 of the Virginia Code, the Circuit Court for the City of Richmond issued an Order that appointed the State Corporation Commission of the Commonwealth of Virginia (the "Commission") as Receiver of Southern Title Insurance Corporation ("Southern Title"). TTIGA is now handling this Receivership for an underwriter.  Please see the Receiverships & Liquidation page of our website.


12/07/2011  IBANEZ SENTENCED TO NINE (9) YEARS and ordered to pay restitution totaling $1,450,235.42 to his victims, including $542,005.87 to the receiver of his title company, which was Southern Star Title Company.  To read more about the fraud case against Ibanez in the U.S. Department of Justice Press Release:  Click Here.


8/29/2011  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report for the Second Quarter 2011 has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


7/14/2011  IBANEZ PLEADS GUILTY to defrauding customers of a title company, called Southern Star Title Company.  To read the U.S. Dept. of Justice Press Release:  Click Here.  Sentencing for Rogelio €śRoy€ť Ibanez, Jr. will be October 7, 2011.  He could get a maximum of 20 years in federal prison.


7/5/2011  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


3/8/2011  The latest Guaranty Fee Quarterly Report has been uploaded to our site.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page for more information.


2/28/11 Texas Department of Insurance Discliplinary Orders for 2011:

For the current year's TDI Enforcement Actions, click
Here, then search for "title" to find tile insurers or agencies, "escrow" for escrow officers, or other terms related to title insurance.

12/31/10 Texas Department of Insurance 2010 Discliplinary Orders:

For the 2010 TDI Enforcement Actions, click
Here, then search for "title" to find tile insurers or agencies, "escrow" for escrow officers, or other terms related to title insurance.

Southern Star Title's Ibanez Indicted--April 16, 2010: "Rogelio €śRoy€ť Ibanez Jr., 44, of Mission, Texas, was charged with wire fraud and theft from an employee benefit plan in an 11-count indictment returned by a Houston grand jury on Wednesday, March 14, 2010...Ibanez surrendered himself to federal authorities in McAllen, Texas, and made his initial appearance."  The press Release further states, "The indictment alleges Ibanez directed employees of his law firm to transfer approximately $550,000 out of Southern Star Title€™s escrow accounts in 2008 without the knowledge or approval of title company employees and that Ibanez stole smaller sums of money from the title company€™s 401(k) plan."  [Emphasis added.]

 


Please read the full U.S. Attorney's Press Release.

Read the full Indictment.


2/1/2010  A new Guaranty Fee Remittance Form has been approved by the TDI Commissioner in a hearing in 2009.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page of our website.  This is a reminder that you can always find the forms here, our website.  Thank you.


Hinojosa pleads guilty -- On January 7, 2010, Edward Hinojosa, former controller and accountant for Webb County Title & Abstract Company, Inc. (now in Receivership), plead guilty to 13 counts of varying degrees of theft, 3 counts of fraud, and 1 count of misapplication of fiduciary property.  While Hinojosa is in Webb County Jail, a recommendation for 12 years to serve is before the judge.  Sentencing is scheduled January 21, 2010.

 


Please see the article in the Laredo Morning Times.


11/20/09  The Guaranty Fee Frequently Asked Questions have been updated.  Please take a look on the Guaranty Fees page of our website.


As of October 23, 2009, the deadline to file Proofs of Claim in the Southern Star Title Company, LLC receivership has been extended to March 31, 2010.  Publication of the notice should commence in a Hidalgo County newspaper soon.


On May 13, 2009, Edward Hinojosa, former controller and accountant for Webb County Title & Abstract Company, Inc. (now in Receivership), was indicted for multiple counts of theft, forgery & misapplication of fiduciary property.  Also indicted was another employee of the title company, Raul Labrada.

 


Please see the article in the Laredo Morning Times.

Do you have any questions? Send us an e-mail at:

contact @ ttiga.org