verve lending - residential mortgage specialist
YOUR GUIDE TO

Lenders Mortgage Insurance (LMI)

This guide is designed for Australian borrowers who want to understand what lender’s mortgage insurance (LMI) is and how it works.

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What's inside

This guide is designed for Australian borrowers who want to understand LMI and includes:

  • What LMI is and when it applies – why lenders require it if you have less than a 20% deposit

  • How LMI works – one-off cost, who it protects, and how it helps borrowers enter the market sooner

  • Who benefits from LMI – advantages for both lenders and borrowers

  • Ways to avoid LMI – from saving a bigger deposit to guarantor loans, the Home Guarantee Scheme, and industry-specific waivers

  • Factors influencing LMI costs – how your deposit size, loan-to-value ratio (LVR), and lender choice affect premiums

  • Calculating LMI – examples showing the difference in premiums at 85%, 90%, and 95% LVR

  • LMI providers and products – who offers it and how options differ

  • FAQs – covering common questions like whether LMI is transferable, if it protects you, and whether costs can be added to your loan

  • Borrower considerations – weighing up the cost of LMI versus waiting to save a bigger deposit

Whether you’re a first home buyer or an upgrader, this guide will help you understand the true cost of LMI, when it makes sense, and how a broker can help you minimise fees.

Got questions? Drop your details and we'll help out.

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verve lending - residential mortgage specialist

Serving Perth — From the City to the Coast

Verve Lending works with borrowers right across Perth including Subiaco, Fremantle, Cottesloe, Nedlands, Scarborough, Joondalup, and throughout the wider Perth region. We're also set up to work remotely with clients across Western Australia.

Licensed, Accredited, and Accountable

Verve Lending operates under an Australian Credit Licence and is a proud member of both the Mortgage & Finance Association of Australia (MFAA) and the Finance Brokers Association of Australia (FBAA). When you work with Verve Lending, you're working with brokers who are legally required to act in your best interest — not the lender's.
VERVE FINANCIAL HOLDINGS PTY LTD (ACN 685 643 627) with Australian Credit Representative Number: 571515 is authorised under Australian Credit Licence: 389087.
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Whether you're six months from buying, thinking about refinancing, or just want to understand your borrowing capacity, Andrew and Tahlia are available for a no-obligation conversation. Call 0434 125 823 — no automated responses, no offshore call centres.
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IMPORTANT NOTE: All content is general information only and is subject to change at any given time. Your complete financial situation will need to be assessed before acceptance of any proposal or product. Rates and product information should be confirmed with the relevant financial institution, and you should review the PDS before you decide to purchase. Any recommendations made about a financial product are general advice only and has not taken into account your particular needs and circumstances. You should consider the Product Disclosure Statement to determine if the product is suitable for you before you decide to purchase it.