EXHIBIT 5.1

             [LETTERHEAD OF WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI, PC]

                                 June 15, 2001

The PMI Group, Inc.
601 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, California  94111

       Re:  Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-
            99378 on Form S-8

Ladies and Gentlemen:

       At your request, we are rendering this opinion in connection with the
proposed issuance of up to 150,000 shares of common stock, $0.01 par value (the
"Common Stock"), of The PMI Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company"),
under The PMI Group, Inc. Stock Plan for Non-Employee Directors, as amended, and
The PMI Group, Inc. Equity Incentive Plan, as amended (collectively, the
"Plans").

       We have examined instruments, documents, and records that we deemed
relevant and necessary for the basis of our opinion hereinafter expressed. In
such examination, we have assumed the following: (a) the authenticity of
original documents and the genuineness of all signatures; (b) the conformity to
the originals of all documents submitted to us as copies; and (c) the truth,
accuracy and completeness of the information, representations and warranties
contained in the records, documents, instruments and certificates we have
reviewed.

       Based on such examination, we are of the opinion that the 150,000 shares
of Common Stock to be issued by the Company pursuant to the Plans are validly
authorized shares of Common Stock and, when issued in accordance with the
provisions of the Plans, will be legally issued, fully paid and nonassessable.

       We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to this
Post-Effective Amendment No. 1 to Registration Statement No. 33-99378 on Form S-
8 (the "Post-Effective Amendment") and to the use of our name wherever it
appears in the Post-Effective Amendment. In giving such consent, we do not
consider that we are "experts" within the meaning of such term as used in the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the rules and regulations of the
Securities and Exchange Commission issued thereunder, with respect to any part
of the Post-Effective Amendment, including this opinion as an exhibit or
otherwise.

                                        Very truly yours,

                                        /s/ Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, PC

                                        WILSON SONSINI GOODRICH & ROSATI,
                                        Professional Corporation