“It’s fantastic to see professionals in the title insurance industry investing in association membership,” said Chris Abbinante, ALTA’s president. “It’s with this increased support from our members that we strengthen the advocacy for everyone involved in the land title insurance industry. If we have learned anything from the housing and foreclosure crisis, it is that title insurance is an important product that protects consumers, investors and lenders. It’s through strong membership that we can promote an industry that legislators, regulators and other policymakers have come to know and respect.”

ALTA boasts a diverse membership base, with the majority of our members being small-sized title agents that rely on the benefits provided by ALTA to succeed in the marketplace.

“ALTA membership has increased more than 90 percent over the past decade,” said Jim Stipanovich, chair of ALTA’s Membership Committee. “While attaining record membership is a significant milestone, it should be noted that we are not only attracting new members, we also retain a high percentage of members, illustrating that professionals in the title insurance industry value the advantages of being an ALTA member.”

Providing educational opportunities remains a priority for ALTA, which offers a diverse menu of options enabling members to provide consumers and lenders the highest quality of service possible. Continuing education opportunities are available through ALTA’s Land Title Institute and from the numerous ALTA meetings held throughout the year.

“We pride ourselves in having highly trained members that facilitate the safe and efficient transfer of property that is so vital to the health of our economy,” Stipanovich said. “The association constantly promotes the value of title insurance and explains how the diligent work of its professional members protects the interests in real property for consumers, investors and lenders.”

ALTA advocates on behalf of its members on a variety of issues while looking for ways to assist consumers. Over the past year, ALTA has worked closely with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) as it attempts to create simpler mortgage disclosure forms.

“ALTA and its members support the Bureau’s efforts to create mortgage disclosures that will help inform consumers when shopping for mortgage and settlement services, and to better understand what they are paying for when they get to the closing table,” said Michelle Korsmo, ALTA’s chief executive officer. “Consumers need to feel more confident when purchasing a home and businesses need to be able to compete on a level playing field. We will continue to work with the Bureau to find ways to improve this rule.”