06/17/2026
MYTH: Attorney opinion letters (AOLs) are comparable to title insurance policies.
FACT: Attorney opinion letters are an assessment of title, not a legally binding policy.
In recent years, attorney opinion letters, or AOLs, have been approved for usage in some real estate transactions as an alternative to title insurance policies for lenders.
Unlike title insurance, AOLs are not regulated by the federal government. They provide an overview and opinion that states that a property has appears to have a clear title after a review of public records. Title insurance legally guarantees compensation and defense of covered claims, including unknown ones, if they were to arise.
AOLs do not provide coverage for hidden issues, like undisclosed heirs, forged deeds, liens, etc. Title insurance covers undiscoverable issues not found even in the most thorough title search.
To learn more about the protections title insurance provides, visit stewart.com/home.
