How Bail Bonds (and Bondsman) Work

People often ask what makes a person decide to get into the bail bonds business.   If you take a look at our company, for example, our staff is extremely diverse in their professional backgrounds.   One was a credit union executive, another majored in economics.  We’ve even managed to round ourselves out with a soccer mom and a journalist.  The point I’m more leaning toward is that no one in our line of work looks as if they’ve rolled out of a biker bar, no mullets, no macho-men.

I’d also like to point out that Hollywood has it wrong.  It’s not common for people in our industry to spend their days hopping chain link fences and chasing bad guys through dark alleys.  We’re actually a lot more focused on administrative tasks.   This may be somewhat confusing; especially after everything you’ve seen in the movies.  The expert bail bondsmen at 888 Bail Bonds are simply professionals who serve people in need. Let me take a moment to explain.

Everyone who negotiates and transacts bail is required to be licensed by the California State Department of Insurance (DOI).  That having been said, bail bonds can be looked at in the same way one might look at a insurance policy.   The biggest difference is that instead of providing insurance against damage or theft, a bail bond is an insurance policy that guarantees the defendant will go to court.   Our employees are much less “Dog the Bounty Hunter” and far more comparable to Joe, your auto insurance guy.

In addition to requiring bail agents to be licensed, the DOI regulates many other aspects of our industry.  They have regulations pertaining to where and how we advertise.  They have regulations that dictate how and what we name our companies.   They even set the rate at which we’re to charge our clients.  That rate is generally 10%.

Some companies attempt to lure people through the door with promise of 2% or 5% bail bonds, but this is often little more than bait-and-switch advertising.  Those rates are entirely legal - when you’re referring to the amount of money someone would need to put down to be eligible for a payment plan on the balance.   Selling cheap or discount bail bonds is very much against the law.

Another misconception about our industry is that bail money is refunded.  This is also not true.

If you go back to the analogy of bail bonds and insurance policy, this 10% can be thought of as the policy premium.   Much like your auto insurance company does not refund your premium if you don’t get in any accidents, the bail bond premium will not be refunded if the defendant goes to court, if no charges or filed or if their case is dismissed.

On the other hand, if the defendant decides to flee, that’s when things can get serious.   Every time a bondsman posts bond for a defendant, the bondsman, and the person who signed the bail bonds contract are taking responsibility the defendant will go to court.   If the defendant decides to run the bondsman has a choice; find and return them to custody or pay the full bail amount as a penalty.   If the bail bonds company is unable to locate the defendant on their own, a bounty hunter may be hired to assist with the search.

When it comes to the bail bonds business, every day is different.  There are new clients, new situations, new challenges and new successes.   If you ask any of our staff why they chose this field, they’ll likely provide a very simple answer.  They enjoy it.