Money & mortgage
My insurance check is made out to me AND my mortgage company. Now what?
The short answer: this is standard, not a mistake — your mortgage servicer has a financial interest in the property, so they're named on claim checks above a threshold. You endorse the check and send it to the servicer's loss draft department, which releases the money to you in draws as repairs are inspected and completed. Open the loss draft claim immediately and get the draw schedule in writing.
Why the servicer is on the check
Until your mortgage is paid off, the lender co-owns the risk on the property. The dual-payee check protects their collateral by making sure insurance money actually goes into repairs rather than elsewhere. It's annoying, but it's contractual — it's in your mortgage documents.
The loss draft process, step by step
- Endorse the check and send it to your servicer's loss draft department (not the regular payment address — ask for the specific department and address).
- Open the loss draft claim. The servicer will tell you their process: usually an initial release of a portion of the funds, with the rest held and released in draws.
- Get the draw schedule in writing — how many inspections, at what completion percentages, and how long each release takes after inspection.
- Have your contractor coordinate with the servicer's inspectors. This is where delays happen: inspections scheduled late, failed over paperwork. Your contractor has done this dance before — let them lead it. Hiring the right contractor →
- Track every draw. Keep your own ledger of funds released vs. work completed. If a draw stalls, escalate with the loss draft department in writing.
Loss draft procedures vary by servicer and by the size of the claim. Confirm your servicer's specific process and get it in writing before work begins.