Refinance to get rid of your PMI or MIP payments.

Mortgage insurance protects the lender against any loss if you fail to pay your monthly mortgage payments. And while it doesn’t provide any protection for the borrower, it does give you the option to make a down payment of less than 20%. You’re typically required to make these monthly premium payments until you meet certain financial conditions for your loan type.

PMI is typically required on conventional loans with a down payment of less than 20%. It’s paid as part of your monthly mortgage payment. MIP is the mortgage insurance that’s required on Federal Housing Association (FHA) loans regardless of your down payment amount.

PMI is required until your loan has met certain conditions, like having 20% equity in your home based on it’s original value. Once your home reaches 20% in equity, you can contact your lender and request that they cancel your PMI. If your payments are current and in good standing, your lender is required to cancel your PMI on the date your principal loan balance is scheduled to reach 78% of the original value of the home. You can calculate your loan to original value (LTOV) by dividing your current unpaid principal balance by the purchase price of your home or the appraised value at closing, whichever is less. Depending on your new loan amount and your home’s value, you also have the option to refinance to get rid of PMI.

For FHA loans, MIP is required for either 11 years or the entire length of the loan, depending on the terms of the loan. Another option is to refinance from an FHA to a conventional loan to eliminate MIP.

Getting rid of PMI or MIP is just one of the many benefits of refinancing your mortgage. You can also benefit by changing terms, lowering your interest rate or monthly payments and getting access to cash for major purchases.