Fidelity Launches Online Notarization Tool

Jacksonville, Florida-based Fidelity National Financial, provider of title insurance and transaction services announced its implementation of Notarize inHere and the expansion of its Digital Closing Services team. Both Notarize inHere and Digital Closing Services are part of  the company's focus on providing a guided digital closing experience.

The notary is a critical part of the real estate closing transaction and helps to ensure the safety and soundness of the document signing process, FNF noted in its press release. As states continue to pass legislation permitting the use of video and online technologies to support remote notarization, it is imperative the same level of service, security, and integrity relied upon during in-person notarial acts is carried over to online transactions.

"The concern with existing online notarization services is that, without the proper controls and security measures in place, these solutions introduce risk into the transaction that threatens the insurability of the property, increases the liability of the owner and lender, and reduces marketability," said Mike Nolan, President, Fidelity National Financial. "FNF created Notarize inHere to stand up to the rigorous service and security standards we have always placed on our settlement services. Notarize inHere provides the service, protection, and insurability our clients and policyholders have come to expect in a way that increases flexibility and convenience without introducing risk."

Notarize inHere is embedded within FNF's inHere Experience Platform, which makes starting, tracking, notarizing, and closing the purchase, sale, or refinance of a residential property straightforward and efficient. In addition, FNF offers Digital Closing Services to clients and consumers participating in online notarization. This team of digital signing specialists is available to assist all parties through every step of their digital closing and online notarization, FNF reported.

"There are several online notary services available, and those are fine for some documents," said Roger Jewkes, COO, FNF. "But, when it comes to the purchase, sale, or refinancing of a consumer's single biggest financial asset, it is important to engage with a trusted online notarization solution. Notarize inHere and our Digital Closing Services are designed by our title insurance experts, tested by our closing and settlement professionals, and backed by the largest title underwriters in North America. This ensures a level of trust from the very beginning of the online notarization process that you can't find anywhere else."

Notarize inHere is part of the inHere Experience Platform, a technology platform "designed to transform the experience of buying, selling, or refinancing a home," according to FNF.

Notarize inHere allows users in 30 states (where online notarizations are approved) to have documents notarized via a remote online notary video session leveraging the proprietary inHere solution and experience and enjoy the support and protection of the Fidelity family of title insurance underwriters, FNF said in its news release.