No, mortgage insurance is not optional

If you have a home mortgage loan which is greater than 80% of the value of your home and the lender requires mortgage insurance, then it is not optional, it is required.

If the amount of your home mortgage loan you take out is less than 80% of the value of your home, then mortgage insurance is not required.

However, even if you are not required to have mortgage insurance you may want to take out mortgage life insurance to protect your home ...