The day warranty insurance coverage begins is called the “commencement date”. A common misconception is that this date is the day a new homeowner moves in, which is not always the case.

For single-family homes the commencement date is: the earliest of (1) the date a new home is first occupied; (2) the date an accredited agency, accredited municipality, or accredited regional services commission grants permission to occupy a new home; and (3) the date the transfer of title to a new home is registered.  

For non-condominium multi-family units (for example, a duplex unit or row townhome with no common warrantable property): the earliest of (1) the date a new home is first occupied; (2) the date an accredited agency, accredited municipality, or accredited regional services commission grants permission to occupy a new home; and (3) the date the transfer of title to a new home is registered.  

For a multi-family unit registered under a condominium plan: the earliest of (1) the date a new home is first occupied; and (2) the date an accredited agency, accredited municipality or accredited regional services commission grants permission to occupy a new home.  

For warrantable common property in a multi-family building or for the property for which a condominium corporation is responsible under its bylaws: (1) the title to an inhabitable unit in a building or building in a phase of development of a condominium is transferred from the homebuilder to a purchaser of a unit in an arm’s length transaction; and (2) the homebuilder has agreed with a qualified person to have the qualified person prepare a building assessment report for the building or for the phase of development within 180 days of the transfer of title described in (1).