What is CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance?

CMHC’s Mortgage Loan Insurance is an insurance that covers your lender’s risks associated with financial loss that can occur when a homeowner defaults on their mortgage loan and in turn increases your access to mortgage financing and at the most competitive interest rates possible.


As with any insurance, there are insurance premiums to be paid. The amount of the premium varies and can range between 0.65% and 2.75% depending upon how much of the purchase price/home value is financed with a mortgage loan.
Mortgage loan insurance is not to be confused with mortgage life insurance which guarantees that your remaining mortgage at the time of your death will not be a burden to your estate.
How Much Does CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Cost?
To obtain CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance, lenders pay an insurance premium. Typically, your lender will pass these costs on to you. Your lender will give you the exact price when you apply for a mortgage.


The CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance premium is calculated as a percentage of the loan and is based on the size of your down payment. The higher the percentage of the total house price/value that you borrow, the higher percentage you will pay in insurance premiums.


Remember: without mortgage insurance you may avoid the insurance premium but you’ll typically pay much higher interest rates and additional administrative fees. At the end of the day, for the vast majority of borrowers, the cost of CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance is more than fully offset by the savings achieved.


Table of CMHC Mortgage Loan Insurance Premiums
Loan Size
(% of Lending Value) Single Advance Premium
(% of Loan)
Up to and including 65% 0.50%
Up to and including 75% 0.65%
Up to and including 80% 1.00%
Up to and including 85% 1.75%
Up to and including 90% 2.00%
Up to and including 95%
Traditional Down
Payment Flex Down 2.75%
2.90%