Sounds like a pretty good reason in the future to insist on being listed on the HUD 1 form as the abstractor. It may take you a little longer to get paid depending on the closing date, but you will be assured of being paid ... unless the loan does not fund. Disbursements made from the HUD 1 are paid with escrowed funds from the lender for which the disbursement agent is accountable. Your fee would not be paid from your client's general business account, and it would not matter if they went out of business or bankrupt.