Virginia Statewide Title Services, LLC is an affiliated business of Virginia Credit Union and Bon Air Title. It was created to serve the members of Virginia Credit Union with title insurance needs. Virginia Statewide Title Services? offers affordable, one-time premiums to protect you against defects in the title to your property. In fact, our standard policies include coverage that others either don’t offer or for which they charge a premium. Compare us to other title companies. You’ll see we offer the best service and coverage at competitive rates.
Features & Benefits
- Extensive experience insuring property
- Compares rates and terms among insurers to find the best value for each client’s policy
- Discounted rates for property previously insured through one of our companies
- Timely processing of all orders
Our goal is to provide the best title products, at the best prices, with the best service in central Virginia.
Products
Owner's Title Coverage
An owner's policy is optional and protects the borrower if someone challenges a property title based on any title defects that were unknown when the policy was purchased. The coverage protects the borrower and their heirs as long as they have an interest in the property. To obtain this coverage, the borrower pays a one-time premium at closing. In the event there is claim against the title in the future, the title insurer, without expense to the policy holder, will defend the borrower against a challenge to the property title.
We encourage you to speak to your closing attorney about the benefits of title insurance to help you understand the importance of having an owner’s policy and the risk you take when you do not have a policy which gives you protection.
Lender's Title Insurance
A lender's policy protects the mortgage lender if someone challenges a property title based on any title defects that were unknown when the policy was purchased. When a buyer obtains a mortgage in order to purchase their new home, it is usually a loan requirement that the buyer obtain a Lender’s Title Insurance Policy.
The coverage doesn’t provide any protection for the buyer. If there is a complete failure of title, the buyer may have no protection and may lose both the property and the equity in the property. The buyer could also incur legal fees and any tax penalties assessed against the property. A buyer should never presume that the lender obtained title insurance for them.
Carriers
We underwrite through the top underwriting companies in the area:
- Chicago Title
- First American Title
- Fidelity National Title
- Old Republic
Closing Attorneys
Participating attorneys indicated below provide VACU members with a special refinancing closing rate.
This information is provided as a guide. Please tell your VACU mortgage processor if you would like to use a Virginia Statewide Title Services attorney.
Caroline, King William, Essex, King & Queen
James C. Driggs, Esq.
Email James
9464 Chamberlayne Road, Suite 200
Mechanicsville, VA 23116
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 220-9013
Travis P. Hughes, Esq.
Email Travis
10160 Staples Mill Road, Suite 105
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 545-6250
Fax: (804) 545-6259
Edward A. Meyer, Jr., Esq.
Email Edward
5600 Grove Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-3888
Fax: (804) 285-7779
Charlottesville
Victor A. Shaheen, II, Esq.
Email Victor
8890 Three Chopt Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
Chesterfield (Bon Air)
Mary Phillips Adams, Esq.
Email Mary
2800 Buford Road, Suite 201
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-6600
Fax: (804) 320-8040
(Habla Español)
W. Richard Hairfield, Esq.
Email Richard
2800 Buford Road, Suite 201
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-6600
Fax: (804) 320-8040
Vicki S. Horst, Esq.
Email Vicki
2800 Buford Road, Suite 201
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-6600
Fax: (804) 320-8040
J. Patrick Keith, Esq.
Email J. Patrick
2727 McRae Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 272-1491
Fax: (804) 272-3317
Kimberly A. Keith, Esq.
Email Kimberly
2727 McRae Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 272-1491
Fax: (804) 272-3317
Chesterfield (Genito)
Kevin C. Cousins, Esq.
Email Kevin
3520-A Courthouse Road
Richmond, VA 23236
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 745-2144
Fax: (804) 674-5217
Thomas L. Gordon, Esq.
Email Thomas
10303 Memory Lane
Chesterfield, VA 23832
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Phone: (804) 748-8153
Fax: (804) 748-3287
William D. Hamner, Esq.
Email William
3520-A Courthouse Road
Richmond, VA 23236
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 745-2144
Fax: (804) 674-5217
S. Craig Lane, Esq.
Email S. Craig
3520-A Courthouse Road
Richmond, VA 23236
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 745-2144
Fax: (804) 674-5217
Sarah Lane Gonzalez, Esq.
Email Sarah
3520-A Courthouse Road
Richmond, VA 23236
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 745-2144
Fax: (804) 674-5217
Joshua F. Snider, Esq.
Email Joshua
3520-A Courthouse Road
Richmond, VA 23832
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 745-2144
Fax: (804) 674-5217
Chesterfield (Koger)
D. Heath Gates, Jr., Esq.
Email Heath
1930 Huguenot Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-9100
Fax: (804) 323-7006
Drew DiStanislao, Esq.
Email Drew
1930 Huguenot Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-9100
Fax: (804) 323-7006
Brooke Stephenson Barden, Esq.
Email Brooke
1330 Alverser Plaza
Midlothian, VA 23113
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Phone: (804) 794-8070
Fax: (804) 794-5475
Colonial Heights/Petersburg
D. Heath Gates Jr., Esq.
Email Heath
1930 Huguenot Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-9100
Fax: (804) 323-7006
Vicki S. Horst, Esq.
Email Vicki
2800 Buford Road, Suite 201
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-6600
Fax: (804) 320-8040
Farmville
David H. Gates, Esq.
Email David
1930 Huguenot Road
Richmond, VA 23235
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 320-9100
Fax: (804) 323-7006
Hanover
James C. Driggs, Esq.
Email James
13137 Rivers Bend Blvd.
Chester, VA 23836
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Phone: (804) 220-9013
William D. Hamner, Esq.
Email William
100 England Street
Ashland, VA 23005
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 798-5231
Fax: (804) 674-5217
Travis P. Hughes, Esq.
Email Travis
10160 Staples Mill Road, Suite 105
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 545-6250
Fax: (804) 545-6259
Henrico - Far West End
Michael P. Lafayette, Esq.
Email Michael
10160 Staples Mill Road, Suite 105
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 545-6250
Fax: (804) 545-6259
Faiz T. Shaheen, Esq.
Email Faiz
15871 City View Drive
Midlothian, VA 23113
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
Blaise Shaheen, Esq.
Email Blaise
15871 City View Drive
Midlothian, VA 23113
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
Travis P. Hughes, Esq.
Email Travis
10160 Staples Mill Road, Suite 105
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 545-6250
Fax: (804) 545-6259
Henrico - Near West End
Timothy D. Freshly, Esq.
Email Timothy
8890 Three Chopt Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
Robert Kastenbaum, Esq.
Email Robert
4900 Radford Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 355-7900
Fax: (804) 355-9297
Victor A. Shaheen, Esq.
Email Victor
8890 Three Chopt Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
Victor A. Shaheen,Jr., Esq.
Email Victor
8890 Three Chopt Road
Richmond, VA 23229
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-6406
Fax: (804) 285-8048
George Gray, Esq.
Email George
4900 Radford Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 355-7900
Fax: (804) 355-9297
Jon Kastenbaum, Esq.
Email Jon
4900 Radford Avenue
Richmond, VA 23230
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 355-7900
Fax: (804) 355-9297
Travis P. Hughes, Esq.
Email Travis
10160 Staples Mill Road, Suite 105
Glen Allen, VA 23060
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 545-6250
Fax: (804) 545-6259
Richmond
Mark A. Fleckenstein & Associates, PC
Email Mark
311 South Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 358-9400, ext. 409
Fax: (804) 358-9089
Edward A. Meyer, Jr., Esq.
Email Edward
5600 Grove Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-3888
Fax: (804) 285-7779
George R. Parrish, Esq.
Email George
5600 Grove Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-3888
Fax: (804) 285-7779
Lawrence H. Pearson, Jr., Esq.
Email Lawrence
311 South Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 358-9400
Fax: (804) 358-9089
Adam Young, Esq.
Email Adam
311 South Boulevard
Richmond, VA 23220
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 358-9400
Fax: (804) 358-9089
Suzanne L. Long, Esq.
Email Suzanne
5600 Grove Avenue
Richmond, VA 23226
Map This Location
Phone: (804) 285-3888
Fax: (804) 285-7779
Waynesboro
Franchesca Gomez, Esq.
Email Franchesca
109 S. Wayne Avenue
Waynesboro, VA 22980
Map This Location
Phone: (540) 932-2424
Fax: (540) 932-2424
Contact Us
Virginia Statewide Title Services and its closing attorneys are happy to help you find the right insurance coverage, give you a quote, and answer any questions you may have.
Please contact your VACU mortgage processor if you have any questions about your mortgage loan.
Phone
Call us at 804-320-4234, Monday through Friday, from 9 am to 5 pm
Fax
Send a fax transmission to (804) 521-7968
Virginia Statewide Title Services
9211 Forest Hill Avenue, Suite 102
Richmond, VA 23235
Resources
What is title insurance?
The term “title” refers to all the elements that constitute your legal right to own, use, control, and enjoy real estate.
Before you purchased your home, it may have gone through several ownership changes and the land on which it stands went through many more. A weak link at any point in that chain could cause trouble.
Simply put, title insurance is protection from loss arising from problems connected to the title to your property.
Unfortunately, a defect in your title can have devastating effects if you are not properly insured. You may not be able to take out a home equity loan or you may be denied a building permit for an addition. You might even incur the costs to correct the violation.
Is purchasing title insurance required?
Title insurance is broken into two parts:
- A lender's policy is mandatory and protects your lender if someone challenges your title to your property
- An owner's policy is optional and protects the borrower against challenges to their title.
Most lending institutions will not loan you money on a home or other property unless a mortgagee title policy is purchased. Title insurance will repay the balance of your mortgage if a claim against the property voids your title ownership to the property.
What period does title insurance cover?
Title insurance generally only protects against losses arising from events that occurred prior to the date of the policy. Coverage ends on the day the policy is issued and extends backward in time for an indefinite period.
This is in marked contrast to property insurance, which protects against losses resulting from events that occur after the policy is issued, for a specified period into the future.
How long does title insurance stay in effect?
Lender's policies remain in effect until the loan is repaid. Most lenders require the purchase of a new Lender's title policy if you refinance your home because the existing policy expires when the existing mortgage loan is paid off. You are entitled to a premium discount on a new Lender's policy for the same property if you refinance within the first seven years.
An owner's policy remains in effect as long as you or your heirs have an interest in the property.
Steps in the title process
Initial Request
An order for title insurance is opened with a title officer. A preliminary report can be issued with a minimum of information, without even identifying the buyer. It shows the record title as it presently exists and is only an offer to provide insurance.
On-Site Searching and Examining
A title officer performs three searches: Property, Name, and Tax searches. From that information, a preliminary report is created.
Technical Review
Once a preliminary report is issued, a technical analysis of the documents of the record begins. This view of all recorded matters is made to evaluate their impact on the title to the property.
Inspection Analysis
In anticipation of coverage, an inspection of the site is ordered. From the inspection report, the title product is amended to show any encroachments or other matters which would ultimately impact the title.
12 reasons to have title insurance
By insuring your title, you can eliminate delays and technicalities when passing it on to someone else. Here's a list of just some of the hidden risks title insurance protects you from.
- Deeds by persons of unsound mind
- Deeds by minors
- Deeds by persons who are supposedly single but are in fact married
- Undisclosed or missing heirs
- False impersonation of the true owner of the property
- Forged deeds, releases or wills
- Instruments executed under invalid or expired power of attorney
- Mistakes in recording legal documents
- Misinterpretations of wills
- Liens for unpaid estate, inheritance, income or gift taxes
- Deeds signed while the grantor was in bankruptcy
- Defects in the recording of a document upon which your title is dependent
Title services are offered through Virginia Statewide Title Services, in which VACU holds ownership interest. Virginia Statewide Title Services maintains its own privacy policy.