Issuing Closing Protection Letters: New ATG Procedures for Properties in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa

Effective Monday, March 4, 2013, ATG staff must issue all Closing Protection Letters (CPLs) for closings completed on behalf of lenders for properties in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa.

WHAT IS A CPL?
The Closing Protection Letter (CPL) is a form of insurance issued by ATG that insures the actions of its member attorneys, agents, and/or closers in conducting the closing.

The CPL provides coverage that is separate and distinct from the coverage provided in the title insurance policy. ATG issues a CPL only when there is an ATG commitment for the transaction. The intent of the CPL is to protect the lender from the loss of closing funds or specified documents. It covers ATG agents’ actions as well as the actions of agents’ staff; it covers loss from fraud, negligence, and the fraud of other parties should your office unwittingly be subject to such acts. Currently, there is no charge to the lender for a CPL issued on property in Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, or Iowa.

HOW DO I ISSUE A CPL?
In the past, ATG members prepared and issued CPLs. However, new guidelines from the American Land Title Association’s Best Practice Standards have compelled underwriters to change their CPL issuance procedures. Please note that ATG members may not issue their own version of a CPL letter, you must follow these procedures. The method to order a CPL will depend on whether or not you use ATG REsource to prepare commitments and policies — please see below for more information.

ATG REsource® Users: Order a CPL in REsource

• Open the REsource file on the subject property.
• Click the Utilities tab.
• Click CPL Request, complete the CPL Request form, and click Submit.

ATG staff receives the CPL Request and completes the following:

• Prepares the CPL and issues it directly to the lender.
• Saves the CPL to the REsource file as an attachment.

See Requesting Closing Protection Letters (CPL) Using ATG REsource for detailed instructions.

NOTE: ATG members who currently issue their own CPLs using REsource will only be able to continue to do so through March 3, 2013. After that date, we are disabling the print CPL function and replacing it with the CPL Request utility above.

Non-REsource Users: Order a CPL at www.atgf.com

• Log in at www.atgf.com (request username and password).
• Click CPL Request on the home page (located under Start an Order on the left).
• This takes you to a landing page with background information; click CPL Request in the gray box.
• Enter the commitment or file number for your file; click Lookup CPL by ATG Commitment/File No.
• Complete the request form and click Submit.

ATG staff receives the CPL Request and completes the following:

• Prepares the CPL and issues it directly to the lender.
• Sends you a confirmation e-mail with a copy of the CPL attached.

QUESTIONS?
Please contact ATG Wisconsin Operations at Wisconsin@atgf.com, 800.788.8989 or 262.347.0102, with any questions on the new procedures. Watch your e-mail and www.atgf.com for further information. Thank you.