Guidelines

Title Guaranty Participating Abstractors maintain 40-year title plants (sometimes called a tract index). By statute, such a tract index is defined as an index of all material in the Recorder’s Office going back 40 years or more, the index encompassing an area of not more than one block in the case of platted real estate nor more than one section in the case of unplatted real estate.

An exception to the plant requirement exists for participating attorneys who were abstracting prior to November of 1986 when Title Guaranty was established and for participating attorneys who have received a waiver from the Title Guaranty Board. These attorneys are exempt from the 40-year tract index requirement. There is at least one Participating Abstractor in every county.

Some of Title Guaranty’s Participating Abstractors provide closing and settlement services, including the issuance of Commitments and Certificates.  Participating Abstractors maintain a minimum of $250,000 of liability insurance. Those who participate in the Closing Protection Letter program maintain insurance in the amount of $500,000 per transaction and $1,000,000 overall.

Participation Agreement

To become a Participating Abstractor:

• Contact Title Guaranty for a Participation Agreement
• Complete, sign and return two original Agreements
• Submit a check for $25 payable to Treasurer, State of Iowa

Once Title Guaranty has reviewed and approved the Agreement, one executed original Agreement will be returned along with the assigned Participating Abstractor number. This number must be included on all abstract certifications and applications for Title Guaranty purposes.

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