Fidelity National Financial
Encyclopedia
Fidelity National Financial , headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida
, USA (formerly in Santa Barbara, CA), is a Fortune 500
company that provides real estate and financial services. The company comprises three primary subsidiaries: Fidelity National Title Group, Fidelity National Property and Casualty Insurance Group, (both wholly owned) as well as Sedgwick CMS, a minority-owned subsidiary.
Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions manages Cyberhomes
, a home valuation and listings website that includes more than 100 million property, ownership, sales and mortgage records, covering more than 85% of the U.S. population.
FNF traces its origin to 1847-48, when it was known as Fidelity National and Chicago Title, with V. Gillespie in California
and Edward Rucker in Illinois
at the helm of company’s affairs. During the Great Chicago Fire of 1871
, three companies, which had preceded Fidelity National and Chicago Title, could save several land records, which became the base for Cook County
’s land records. Another associated company, the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, later renamed as Chicago Title and Trust (CT&T), had the distinction of issuing the first guarantee policy in Illinois.
, which was approved in December, 2008. Soon after Fidelity acquired LoanCare Servicing Center Inc., [Virginia Beach, Va.] a leading provider of mortgage servicing and once a wholly owned subsidy of LandAmerica Financial Group.
and escrow services. Title insurance brand names in the FNTG include Aero Records and Title, Alamo Title Insurance, Chicago Title Insurance Company, Commonwealth, Fidelity National Title, Lawyers Title, Security Union, and Ticor Title Insurance. The FNTG website claims that the group underwriters issue approximately half of the title insurance contracts in the United States. FNTG provides additional real estate related services through brand names such as Fidelity National Home Warranty, ServiceLink, and Fidelity Residential Solutions. For example, Fidelity Residential Solutions provides title insurance and closings services for relocation companies. Fidelity National Title Group owns and operates the consumer education website title.com.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, USA (formerly in Santa Barbara, CA), is a Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
company that provides real estate and financial services. The company comprises three primary subsidiaries: Fidelity National Title Group, Fidelity National Property and Casualty Insurance Group, (both wholly owned) as well as Sedgwick CMS, a minority-owned subsidiary.
Fidelity National Real Estate Solutions manages Cyberhomes
Cyberhomes
Cyberhomes is a real estate website owned by Fidelity National Financial and Lender Processing Services . It lists the most current sales of homes in a neighborhood by similar sales.- History :...
, a home valuation and listings website that includes more than 100 million property, ownership, sales and mortgage records, covering more than 85% of the U.S. population.
Early history
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
and Edward Rucker in Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
at the helm of company’s affairs. During the Great Chicago Fire of 1871
Great Chicago Fire
The Great Chicago Fire was a conflagration that burned from Sunday, October 8, to early Tuesday, October 10, 1871, killing hundreds and destroying about in Chicago, Illinois. Though the fire was one of the largest U.S...
, three companies, which had preceded Fidelity National and Chicago Title, could save several land records, which became the base for Cook County
Cook County, Illinois
Cook County is a county in the U.S. state of Illinois, with its county seat in Chicago. It is the second most populous county in the United States after Los Angeles County. The county has 5,194,675 residents, which is 40.5 percent of all Illinois residents. Cook County's population is larger than...
’s land records. Another associated company, the Title Guarantee and Trust Company, later renamed as Chicago Title and Trust (CT&T), had the distinction of issuing the first guarantee policy in Illinois.
Financial crisis and merger
After heavy losses due to the real estate crash, Fidelity negotiated an acquisition of its second largest competitor, LandAmerica Financial GroupLandAmerica Financial Group
LandAmerica Financial Group, Inc. was the third largest title insurance group in the US. It was incorporated in 1991 as Lawyers Title Corporation, and renamed LandAmerica after Lawyers Title acquired Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company and Transnation Title Insurance Company in 1998. It was...
, which was approved in December, 2008. Soon after Fidelity acquired LoanCare Servicing Center Inc., [Virginia Beach, Va.] a leading provider of mortgage servicing and once a wholly owned subsidy of LandAmerica Financial Group.
Fidelity National Title Group
Fidelity National Title Group (FNTG), a subsidiary of FNF established in 2005, provides title insuranceTitle insurance
Title insurance is a form of indemnity insurance predominantly found in the United States which insures against financial loss from defects in title to real property and from the invalidity or unenforceability of mortgage liens. Title insurance is principally a product developed and sold in the...
and escrow services. Title insurance brand names in the FNTG include Aero Records and Title, Alamo Title Insurance, Chicago Title Insurance Company, Commonwealth, Fidelity National Title, Lawyers Title, Security Union, and Ticor Title Insurance. The FNTG website claims that the group underwriters issue approximately half of the title insurance contracts in the United States. FNTG provides additional real estate related services through brand names such as Fidelity National Home Warranty, ServiceLink, and Fidelity Residential Solutions. For example, Fidelity Residential Solutions provides title insurance and closings services for relocation companies. Fidelity National Title Group owns and operates the consumer education website title.com.