U.S. Mortgage Index

What can I do if my servicer is charging me for force-placed insurance?

Short answer

If you have — or can obtain — a homeowners policy that meets the mortgage contract, send proof to the servicer so it can cancel the force-placed coverage. is usually more expensive and often protects the lender, not you. A written notice of error is one way to dispute the servicer's action.

Full explanation

The CFPB's first step is to make sure you have your own homeowners insurance and to send proof to the mortgage servicer. If coverage is missing, too low, or lapsed, contact the insurer promptly to obtain a new policy or ask to reinstate the old one. Then send the servicer the proof and any other information it requested, and ask it to cancel the force-placed policy as soon as possible.

A servicer may require force-placed insurance when you have no policy, or when your policy does not meet the mortgage contract. In many cases that coverage protects only the lender. The servicer charges you for it, and it is usually costlier than a policy you obtain yourself.

If you dispute what the servicer did with the insurance, you can send a notice of error—a letter saying there was an error and challenging it. If coverage was canceled because the servicer failed to pay premiums from an on time, the Bureau says you may want to consult an attorney. The cited page does not set a day-count notice schedule, and this page does not add one.

Sources reviewed

Last reviewed

September 10, 2026