Unfortunately this seems to be the direction in which this occupation is headed. Accuracy no longer appears to be part of the equation.With the current emphasis on speed, low ball price and disregard for accuracy it is going to become very difficult to compete with the on line searches offered by data miners, and many of the abstractors from the old school will fall by the wayside. It is indeed difficult to watch people who have been in this business for years struggle to compete against an inferior product.

When the dollar amount of claims outweighs the cost savings and alleged "technological advance" of the outsourced e- search I think sanity will eventually be restored. However, this could take years and numerous title insurance claims. Then again maybe this is the method to the madness. Perhaps the expense of the anticipated claims is figured into the underwriting risk. Seems similar to the auto industry with respect to the issue of whether it is cheaper to recall a defective make of auto or settle the potential claims as they present themselves.