What Is a Mortgage Insurance Deduction?

In many countries, homeowners are able to reduce their taxable income by claiming a mortgage insurance deduction. This means taxpayers can reduce their taxable income by the amount of the premium they paid to insure their home mortgage. Laws on tax deductions vary based on local laws but in many countries, only a limited number of people can claim the mortgage insurance deduction.

Lenders view mortgages as income generating assets but these assets become worthless if homeowners default on the debt. Mortgage insurance protects lenders against losses stemming from mortgage defaults. Borrowers typically pay for the insurance with monthly premiums although in some instances borrowers pay for the first year's worth of coverage with a single lump sum payment. Depending on local laws and the lender's requirements, the borrowers may have to maintain coverage for the entire term of the loan. In some countries, first time homeowners are the only people who are able to claim the mortgage insurance deduction while in other areas anyone who is required to buy the insurance can claim the deduction.

People paying a large upfront mortgage insurance premium normally have to claim the deduction for the tax year in which the premium payment was made. In some countries, the tax authorities allow homeowners to claim this deduction incrementally over the course of the entire loan term. Depending on the homeowner's tax status, it may be more advantageous to claim the deduction in a single tax year rather than claiming smaller deductions on an annual basis for 20 or 30 years. Aside from the upfront premium, deductions for recurring premiums are normally claimed as and when those premium payments are made.

Mortgage insurance deductions are one of the incentives that many governments use as a tool to encourage people to buy homes. Aside from these deductions, homeowners are often able to claim tax write-offs for home repairs, property tax and other home-related expenses. Conversely, people who rent property do not typically have the option to claim tax deductions for renter's insurance premiums and similar costs.

While many nations and regions have laws enabling homeowners to claim a mortgage insurance deduction, in many instances homeowners also have to contend with overall caps on tax write-offs. Someone claiming deductions for other types of expenses such as education expenses or medical costs may be unable to claim the mortgage insurance deduction if his or her taxable income falls below a certain level. Additionally, many homeowners have to pay taxes to the regional and municipal authorities as well as the national government. In many instances, one tax authority may allow a homeowner to claim deductions while other tax authorities may not allow such deductions.