PMI cancellation almost always starts with one thing: a written request. A phone call leaves no record and is easy for a servicer to lose. A clear, dated letter creates a paper trail and puts your request on the official clock.
What Your Letter Needs to Include
- Your full name and the property address.
- Your loan or account number.
- A clear statement that you are requesting cancellation of PMI.
- The basis for your request — current market value, principal paydown, or both.
- A statement that you are current on payments and have a good payment history.
- A request that the servicer confirm what it requires, such as an appraisal or BPO.
- Your signature, the date, and your contact information.
A Template You Can Adapt
[Date] — [Your Name], [Property Address], [City, State, ZIP] — [Servicer Name], Attn: PMI Cancellation Department.
Re: Request to Cancel Private Mortgage Insurance — Loan Number [XXXXXXXX].
"I am writing to formally request the cancellation of private mortgage insurance on the above loan. I believe the loan-to-value ratio on this property has reached 80% or lower based on the home's current market value. I am current on my mortgage payments and have a good payment history. Please confirm the steps required to process this request, including whether an appraisal or broker price opinion is needed and how the valuation should be ordered. Please also confirm in writing once PMI has been removed. I can be reached at [phone] and [email]."
Close with: "Thank you for your prompt attention to this request." followed by your signature and printed name.
Send the letter in a way you can track, and keep a dated copy. If you ever need to escalate, proof of when you submitted the request is your most valuable record.
After You Send It
The servicer should respond with its requirements — typically ordering a valuation and confirming conditions like seasoning. Follow up if you don't hear back within a couple of weeks, and keep notes of every call: date, representative, and reference number.
The Bottom Line
A well-written letter is the difference between a request that gets processed and one that gets lost. Be specific, state your basis, ask for written confirmation, and keep records.
If you'd rather not manage the letter, the follow-ups, and the servicer back-and-forth yourself, PMI Ninja prepares and submits the request for you — and stays on it until PMI is confirmed removed.
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