I write Title Agents E & O for many searchers nationwide.  I also write with a few different Lloyds syndicates, including placing some with Hiscox Lloyds (which is just another Lloyds Syndicate).  Never have we charged clients for adding one of their clients as a certificate holder.  It could be your particular agent is charging as a service fee ,but I don't believe it is the Lloyds syndicate charging the fee.

For those of you that do utilize the services of independent contractors, you really should collect a certificate of insurance from them evidencing their coverage and asked to be named as a certificate holder.  In my office, when we have a searcher whose policy lapses for non-payment of their premium finance installments mid-term, which is extremely common, we actually contact the insured and let them know that the independent contractor insurance has lapsed.  This is in your best interest.  You could be still giving work to these independent's without knowing they no longer have any insurance in place. When the claim surfaces, you are just out of luck trying to get their policy to respond and so it will fall back on you.   As these are all claims made policy forms, your independent contractor must have insurance in force at the time of the discovery of the loss not just at the time they performed the search.  This is one of the reason's you will find most insurance carriers not too fond of providing E & O to companies who use independent contractors and do not require they have their own insurance.  An E & O carrier is underwriting your E & O policy  based on your claims history not your independent contractor's claim history.  It has been a problem in your industry and carriers are implementing more rigid guidelines.