Do I need a lawyer to get title insurance in Ontario?

In Ontario, title insurance for a residential real estate transaction is arranged through your real estate lawyer as part of the closing process. Lawyers have direct access to the title insurance ordering systems of major providers and place the order on your behalf, incorporating the title search results and transaction details into the policy application. You do not arrange title insurance independently and then bring it to your lawyer — the process is integrated.

This requirement is connected to the broader requirement that real estate transactions in Ontario must be handled by a lawyer. This is connected to the fact that licensed lawyers are the standard, near-universal choice for handling both sides of an Ontario real estate closing, even though no statute requires a buyer or seller to retain one. The lawyer's role includes the title search, the title opinion, arranging title insurance, registering the transfer, and handling all funds in trust. These are not tasks a buyer does on their own.

The lawyer's involvement in the title insurance process also means they take professional responsibility for identifying the right coverage for your transaction and ensuring the policy is properly issued. If you have specific concerns — unusual features of the property, a known issue you want to discuss — your lawyer is the right person to address those with the insurer before the policy is bound.