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Stewart Information Services Corp  (STC)
Other Ticker:  
 
    Sector  Financial    Industry Insurance Brokerage
   Industry Insurance Brokerage
   Sector  Financial
 



 

What are Stewart Information Services's Business Segments?



Title Insurance Services
Title insurance and related services (title) include the functions of searching, examining, closing and insuring the condition of the title to real property. The title segment also includes certain ancillary services provided for Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 tax-deferred exchanges and home and personal insurance services.
Examination and closing. The purpose of a title examination is to ascertain the ownership of the property being transferred, debts that are owed on it and the scope of the title policy coverage. This involves searching for and examining documents such as deeds, mortgages, wills, divorce decrees, court judgments, liens, paving assessments and tax records.


At the closing or “settlement” of a sale transaction, the seller executes and delivers a deed to the new owner. The buyer typically signs new mortgage documents. Closing funds are then disbursed to the seller, the prior lender, real estate brokers, the title company and others. The documents are then recorded in the public records. A title insurance policy is generally issued to both the new lender and the owner.


Title insurance policies. Lenders in the United States generally require title insurance as a condition to making a loan on real estate, including securitized lending. This is to assure lenders of the priority of their lien position. The purchasers of the property want insurance to protect against claims that may arise against the title to the property. The face amount of the policy is normally the purchase price or the amount of the related loan.

Title insurance is substantially different from other types of insurance. Fire, auto, health and life insurance protect against future losses and events. In contrast, title insurance insures against losses from past events and seeks to protect the public by eliminating covered risks through the examination and settlement process. In essence, a title insurance policy provides a warranty to the policyholder that the title to the property is free from defects that might impair ownership rights. Most other forms of insurance provide protection for a limited period of time and, hence the policy must be periodically renewed. Title insurance, however, is issued for a one-time premium and the policy provides protection for as long as the owner owns the property or has liability in connection with the property. Also, a title insurance policy does not have a finite contract term, whereas most other lines of insurance have a definite beginning and ending date for coverage. Although a title insurance policy provides protection as long as the owner owns the property being covered, the title insurance company generally does not have information about which policies are still effective. Most other lines of insurance receive periodic premium payments and policy renewals thereby allowing the insurance company to know which policies are effective.
Losses. Losses on policies occur when a title defect is not discovered during the examination and settlement process. Reasons for losses include forgeries, misrepresentations, unrecorded or undiscovered liens, the failure to pay off existing liens, mortgage lending fraud, mishandling or defalcation of settlement funds, issuance by title agencies of unauthorized coverage and defending policyholders when covered claims are filed against their interest in the property.

Some claimants seek damages in excess of policy limits. Those claims are based on various legal theories. We vigorously defend against spurious claims and provide protection for covered claims up to policy limits. We have from time-to-time incurred losses in excess of policy limits.


Experience shows that most policy claims and claim payments are made in the first six years after the policy has been issued, although claims can also be incurred and paid many years later. By their nature, claims are often complex, vary greatly in dollar amounts and are affected by economic and market conditions and the legal environment existing at the time claims are processed.


Our liability for estimated title losses comprises both known claims and our estimate of claims that may be reported in the future. The amount of our loss reserve represents the aggregate future payments (net of recoveries) that we expect to incur on policy and escrow losses and in costs to settle claims. In accordance with industry practice, these amounts have not been discounted to their present values.
Estimating future title loss payments is difficult due to the complex nature of title claims, the length of time over which claims are paid, the significantly varying dollar amounts of individual claims and other factors. Estimated provisions for current year policy losses are charged to income in the same year the related premium revenues are recognized. The amounts provided for policy losses are based on reported claims, historical loss payment experience, title industry averages and the current legal and economic environment. Actual loss payment experience relating to policies issued in previous years, including the impact of large losses, is the primary reason for increases or decreases in our estimated loss provision.


Amounts shown as our estimated liability for future loss payments are continually reviewed by us for reasonableness and adjusted as appropriate. We have consistently followed the same basic method of estimating and recording our loss reserves for more than 10 years. As part of our process, we also obtain input from third-party actuaries regarding our methodology and resulting reserve calculations. While we are responsible for determining our loss reserves, we utilize this actuarial input to assess the overall reasonableness of our reserve estimation.

Factors affecting revenues. Title insurance revenues are closely related to the level of activity in the real estate markets we serve and the prices at which real estate sales are made. Real estate sales are directly affected by the availability and cost of money to finance purchases. Other factors include consumer confidence and demand by buyers. In periods of low interest rates, loan refinancing transactions are also an important contributor to revenues.
These factors may override the seasonal nature of the title business. Generally, our first quarter is the least active and our second and third quarters are the most active in terms of title insurance revenues.

Mortgage Services

Our mortgage services segment includes a diverse set of complementary products and services provided to enhance the mortgage and real estate markets. These services are provided principally through Stewart Lender Services (SLS) and PropertyInfo® Corporation's Stewart Government Services.

SLS offers services for the entire lifecycle of the mortgage process including mortgage origination support, servicing support, default and REO services and loan review and audit services. These services include a full suite of valuation, title and closing services, post-closing outsourcing, loan review and audit, component servicing, portfolio reviews and audits, loan file reviews, loan quality control and servicer oversight to residential mortgage lenders, servicers and investors.

Stewart Government Services provides automation of county recorder offices and other county services.

 

   

Stewart Information Services Tax Rate Companies within the Insurance Brokerage Industry


Business Segments Q4
Revenues
(in millions $)
Q4
Income
(in millions $)
(Dec 31 2023)
%
(Profit Margin)
Total 582.17 13.10 2.25 %

Growth rates by Segment Q4
Y/Y Revenue
%
(Dec 31 2023)
Q/Q Revenue
%
Q4
Y/Y Income
%
(Dec 31 2023)
Q/Q Income
%
Total -11.24 % -3.25 % -28.25 % -26.92 %

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