Usually, when you put less than 20% downpayment on a home, the lending institution will require you to take out mortgage lending insurance, which will pay the remainder of your debt should something happen to you, and you are unable to pay. It’s protection for the lender – not you. That’s quite different from homeowner insurance, which protects you and your possessions from loss or legal action. The bank has no connection to that except for the fact that you will be required to have mortgage insurance to receive financing from most institutions.