Title Insurance Rating Bureau of Pennsylvania

The Rate Manual provides that the cost for certain services may be added in a title transaction. Such costs are not part of the Charge for a title policy or covered by the all-inclusive rate.

Section 2.1 of the Manual

The Manual provides that the “Charge” for insurance does not include the below services. A title provider may charge, if applicable, a fee for such services:

• document preparation, other than the commitment, closing statement and title insurance policy with endorsements;
• government charges for recording documents;
• overnight delivery requested by an Interested Party [see Section 2.1 of Manual for definition of Interested Party];
• bank wire transfer of funds requested by an Interested Party;
• receipt and printing of documents (other than the commitment, closing statement and title insurance policy with endorsements) transmitted electronically by an Interested Party.

Section 3.4 of the Rate Manual

The Manual allows the actual fee made by the issuing governmental agency for certain Searches and Certifications to be passed through. Such potential additional fees would be for Real Estate Tax Searches and/or Certifications, Water and Sewer Searches and/or Certifications, Municipal Lien Searches and/or Certifications, Domestic Relations and Support Lien Searches and/or Certifications.

The Manual also allows for the actual cost of other services to be passed on to an Interested party: Corporate Lien Searches, Corporate Good Standing Certificates, Uniform Commercial Code Searches and Condominium, Cooperative and Planned Community Certifications.

Other possible Manual charges:

The Rate Manual provides for other charges which are either required to be made or may be made. Such charges may include but are not limited to:

• a charge for each filed endorsement;
• a charge for an especially difficult title matter involving an unusually difficult search and extraordinary search costs;
• a special fee for affirmative risk coverage(s) not contained in the Manual; 
• a $75.00 charge for the issuance of a Closing Service Letter [often referred to as a Closing Protection Letter]. [Section 3.5]