Annual default premiums (MIPs) on 30-year Federal Housing Administration (FHA)-insured loans for homebuyers with less than 5% down payment rose to 1.1 or 1.15% of the home value from 0.85 or 0.9%, effective April 18, 2011. For a homebuyer paying the minimum 3.5% down payment on a $400,000 home, the FHA’s recent increase in MIPs adds $83 to his monthly payment to the lender. Homebuyers who make down payments of at least 5% can obtain better rates with private mortgage insurance (PMI) companies whose insurance premiums decrease for higher down payments.