Title Abstract, Search, and Insurance Companies

Comprehensive market research reports provide in-depth industry analysis and five-year forecasts, with special focus on the underlying structure and external forces and relationships that affect industries and their performance. Report contents include:

October Research, LLC
Voice of the Title Agent
http://www.octoberstore.com/
Annual publication summarizes the results of a nationwide survey of agents employed by small, medium, and national firms, with topics covered including business opportunities and concerns, operations and processes, underwriter relationships, and more. Publication can be downloaded and viewed online with registration.

Title Insurance Carriers
https://www.firstresearch.com/

First Research profiles cover key aspects of an industry's size, scope, and operations and include a five-year growth forecast. Profile contents include:

ALTA
Publications available from this trade association include:

Title News
http://alta.org/news
Monthly trade magazine features news and information for title abstract, search, and insurance professionals, with contents including in-depth articles addressing economic, business, technology, and regulatory issues which affect the profession. Current and prior digital editions can be viewed free online.

Title Insurance: An Overview
http://alta.org/overview
Introductory publication provides an overview of the industry, with topics covered including types and costs of insurance, what is involved in the search process, how various parties benefit from insurance, purpose of the secondary mortgage market, and regulatory environment. Publication can be viewed free online.

Title Insurance Report & Stats
http://alta.org/store
Annual report, which is published as a joint venture with A.M. Best, provides a close-up look at the industry, with topics covered including national economic trends, industry and real estate economics, rate regulation, profitability, and loss experience. Report can be purchased at no cost from the online store.

A.M. Best Company, Inc.
Industry Fundamentals
http://www3.ambest.com/
Fundamentals section provides an overview of the title assurance business, with topics covered including history and purpose, rate regulation, economics, investment income characteristics, profitability, loss experience, and reserving characteristics. All information can be viewed free online.

Industry Financial Ratios
Title Abstract, Search, and Insurance Companies
https://www.bizminer.com  Search for "title"

Five-year financial statement analysis includes income statements, balance sheets, and key financial ratios, with data available by sales size range on a national, state, and metro area level.

ALTA
Information resources available from this trade association include:

Abstractor and Title Agent Operations Survey
http://alta.org/store
Annual survey provides financial and operating performance statistics for participating member companies, with information provided including type of company, operating characteristics, gross revenue, revenue by orders received, operating expenses, expenses per order, number of FTE employees, and payroll expense.

Industry Financial Data
http://alta.org/financial
Financial data available in this section includes aggregate and individual company financial reports on a quarterly and year-to-date basis for national and regional underwriters, and quarterly and year-to-date market share data by company on a national and state level. All information can be viewed free online.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Occupational Employment and Wages - Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes232093.htm
Annual employment and wage survey provides hourly and annual wage data for the above occupations on a national, state, and metropolitan area basis, with statistical measures for national wage data including mean, median, upper/lower quartiles, and upper/lower deciles. All information is available free online.


October Research, LLC
Information resources available from this organization include:

Business Valuation: Prepare Now for a Successful Future
http://www.octoberstore.com/
Webinar provides insights on how to optimize an title insurance agency's value, with topics covered including basic fundamentals that significantly impact value, ways to preserve and enhance an agency's value, and best practices for selling a company. Sample audio excerpt from the CD is available online.

What is Your Agency Worth?
http://www.octoberstore.com/
Discussion topics covered in this audio presentation include valuing a title insurance agency, factors that increase or decrease the value of an agency, types of buyers, preparing an agency for sale, and negotiating tips for getting the best price. Sample audio excerpt from the CD is available online.