I would recommend avoiding, and have always done whatever is required in the purchase to avoid it... but be aware that the banks like it. They feel it reduces their risk.
Having said that, in my own family, I've seen the banks do everything from missing insurance payments to making tax payments in weird years (meaning 2x in one year, zero the following - which messed with itemized deductions), and a few other issues.
Personally, on my current house, after the servicing was sold twice, the last company kept sending a whole slew of threatening letters about changing my payment and escrow and how I'm violating the terms of my mortgage, et al. It took me weeks and multiple phone calls (along with a threat to send them the signed copy of my mortgage escrow waiver) for them to even check the paperwork and validate that I don't have to pay escrow. So the pain can happen regardless of which side of the escrow line you are on...
The other reason I like it is that it stabilizes the payment. If I don't like having the mortgage company draft my payment, I can put it in my bank's bill pay and never have to change the amount. With escrow paying property taxes and insurance, it would bounce all over the place and require maintenance on my part.