I wasn't suggesting you'd be paid an hourly rate but rather, that given the time expenditure versus the upcharge for the service, it could be a lucrative few minutes spent in review.  As far as I'm concerned, every charge is reducible to an expression of hourly rate, it's easier to contextualize that way.

I do understand that objection, however, that precedent has already been set by a large number of other companie--particularly, I would guess, in a state like Michigan, which has pretty decent online title plants--and they will cut more and more into your business if you're unable to adapt in this fashion.  I'm not 100% confident the service would have to implicate your insurance, either, though that would be for an attorney licensed in your state to determine.  

Beyond that, you are making a lot of determinations that blur the line between searcher and examiner that you're not even noticing as you do so, particularly on those commercial searches you mention where the boundaries of a parcel are large and nebulous and the extent of various historical easements is something of a judgment call (unless you're one of those guys who gets to just throw everything for the S/T/R in there and tell the examiner to figure it all the hell out--in which case, I would not be ordering  that sort of product with your office).  I'm not sure the distinction is that meaningful, ESPECIALLY where your search is not resulting in the issuance of title.

I think part of the disconnect is that I am assuming you'd charge MORE for this service than you would for a current owner--but you and Joseph both seem to be thinking you're being asked to charge less.  So if that is the case, I missed that subtext.  I would charge a substantial additional fee beyond a normal current owner for this service (and in fact, have charged a fee for this exact service).  So if that's not on the table, then definitely insta-refuse the work and explain you would need compensation for the exposure of having an opinion.