Freddie Mac issued Bulletin 2026-C (Bulletin) announcing revisions to the Single-Family Seller/Servicer Guide. Per the Bulletin, Freddie Mac:

• Updated minimum insurance monitoring requirements (for each Freddie Mac-owned mortgage it services), requiring the servicer to: 
  • Confirm, at least annually (or upon policy renewal or replacement), that the mortgaged premises is insured and the coverage meets or exceeds the minimum insurance requirements outlined in Chapter 4703 (Property Insurance);
  • Have reasonable policies, procedures, and controls in place to:
    • Confirm insurance policies meet the minimum requirements in Chapter 4703 (Property Insurance), and
    • Obtain additional evidence of insurance if an initial insurance review cannot determine whether an insurance policy meets the minimum requirements in Chapter 4703 (Property Insurance); and
  • Notify the borrower when the servicer identifies a 1- to 4-unit property insurance policy that does not meet one or more of the following minimum requirements outlined in Sections 4703.1 (General Property Insurance Requirements) and 4703.2 (Minimum Property Insurance Types and Amounts):
    • Carrier licensing, assessment, and rating;
    • Coverage sufficiency;
    • Perils; and
    • Deductibles;
• Updated general property insurance requirements to state that for as long as Freddie Mac owns a mortgage, the servicer must:
  • Ensure that the mortgaged premises is covered by insurance meeting the requirements of Chapters 4703 (Property Insurance) and 8202 (Property Insurance);
  • Ensure property and flood, when applicable, insurance premiums are paid; and
  • Obtain Lender-Placed Insurance (LPI) when required in accordance with applicable law, the Security Instrument, and the Guide;
• Updated Freddie Mac’s requirements to specify that electronic data files are an acceptable form of evidence of insurance if:
  • Electronic data files provide sufficient information to determine if a policy meets the minimum requirements outlined in Chapter 4703 (Property Insurance);
  • Servicers that rely on electronic data files to determine if a policy meets the minimum requirements outlined in Chapter 4703 (Property Insurance) have reasonable procedures in place to mitigate risks associated with not maintaining a specimen of each policy and endorsement, certificate, and evidence or declarations of insurance; and
  • Servicers provide legible hard copies of the complete insurance policies and proof of premium payments to Freddie Mac upon request; and
• Updated annual insurance reminders by requiring servicers to:
  • Remind the borrowers, annually, of the borrower’s responsibility to maintain insurance on the mortgaged premises and recommend to the borrower that the borrower contact their insurance provider to review their coverage;
  • Provide the annual insurance reminder to the borrower in 1 of the following communication methods:
    • Any existing borrower communication;
    • Referring the borrower to applicable insurance information on the servicer’s website; or
    • Directing the borrower to insurance resources on Freddie Mac’s website; and
  • Deliver the annual insurance reminder via any method as permitted by applicable law, including, e-mail, text messaging, voice response unit technology, or a servicer’s web portal.

All revisions are effective January 1, 2027 (servicers, however, are encouraged to implement immediately).

Click to view the Freddie Mac Guide Bulletin 2026-C: https://www.tenaco.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Freddie-Mac-Guide-Bulletin-2026-C-03-18-26.pdf