Alabama § 27-25-4 - Title Insurance Agent; Appointment; Issuance of Policies.

§ 27-25-4. Title Insurance Agent; Appointment; Issuance of Policies.

(a) No person shall act as a title insurance agent in this state unless licensed pursuant to this chapter. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to prevent a title insurer licensed to do business in this state, nor an employee thereof, from issuing a policy of title insurance in this state.

(b) Each title insurance agent acting on behalf of a title insurance company shall be appointed by the title insurance company in accordance with this chapter. The commissioner shall collect from the title insurer the fees set forth in Section 27-25-4.7 for each appointment. Nothing herein contained shall be construed to require the issuance of an appointment as described in this subsection to a title insurer licensed to do business in this state, nor an employee thereof, for the purpose of issuing a policy of title insurance in this state.

(c) Unless a later date is specifically authorized by the title insurer for a particular transaction or unless the title insurance commitment specifies a time for which it is effective or such commitment is renewed or extended by the title insurer, the title agent shall issue to the insured the policy or policies of title insurance for which a premium has been collected within 60 days from the effective date of the policy or in the case of a title insurance commitment having been issued, within 60 days after the satisfaction of all requirements and conditions set out in the commitment in accordance with the title insurer’s underwriting guidelines. For the purpose of this subsection, the effective date of the policy is defined as the date and time the instrument conveying the interest to be insured is recorded unless the policy to be issued is insuring the interest of the proposed insured by virtue of an instrument recorded in the real property records prior to the time the request or order for title insurance is placed.

(d) The name and license number of the title insurance agent shall be printed or legibly written by hand underneath his or her signature on each commitment, title insurance policy, and endorsement to a title insurance policy.