See the table below for additional examples. The same applies to a home you’re mortgaging - your lender will require you to bring an insurance binder to your home’s closing.Ĭar and home lenders commonly require binders, but there are many more situations you might need one. The car dealer will ask you to present a binder when you buy the car, or soon thereafter. When you finance a car, for example, the lender requires you to insure that car - because it’s used as collateral for your loan. Whenever required to carry insurance, you’ll need an insurance binder. The binder must also be issued and signed by an authorized insurance representative. Also, the binder’s effective date and expiration date. The insurance representative’s contact info must be listed on the document. For that reason, it must outline the key terms, such as named insurers, coverages, and deductibles. The binder functions as proof of your coverage if you need to file a claim before your policy is issued. Technically, a binder is a legal contract. Insurers issue these binders immediately and stand in as evidence of coverage until you receive your full policy documentation.Īll types of insurance issue binders - car, motorcycle, home, boat insurance, business insurance, and even livestock insurance. At that time, you’re likely to need proof of insurance, and that’s where the binder comes in. When you apply for and purchase insurance, the insurer doesn’t generate your policy documentation immediately. There’s a processing lag - usually 10 to 30 days - while the insurer verifies your information and documents your coverage internally. What does an insurance binder actually mean?Īn insurance binder is a short document that verifies your insurance coverage before your policy is issued.

My lender is asking for an insurance binder.

Insurance binders are used in a variety of situations, including financing a car or buying a home, and may be required by lenders or landlords.Ī binder outlines key terms of coverage, including named insured, coverages, deductibles, effective/expiration dates, and contact info of the insurer. An insurance binder is a temporary document that verifies insurance coverage before full policy documentation is issued.

Sample email insurance binder request