Seven Very Important Questions To Ask When Hiring A Bail Bondsman?

Hiring a bail bondsman is something you hope you never have to do. However, what if you do? There are a few things that you should ask them to make sure you are hiring a reputable bail bond company. Below are seven key questions that you can ask. These questions will help you decide if the bond company is the right one for you.

How much do you charge?

The state of Florida mandates the rate bail bond companies can charge. The state a of Florida says bail bond company can charge you 10% of the total amount of bail. Make sure you’re cautious of any company that tries to charge you more. It could mean they are operating illegally and they’re not a reputable company.

How long does it take a bail bondsman top get a defendant released?

The bail bond company is only able to control paperwork. A experienced bail bondsman will know an approximate time frame of how long the bail bonds process will take. However, the process of releasing someone from jail can be an unpredictable and slow process. So you want to be patient. The first thing the jail is going to be concerned about is safety.

What’s the process for a bail bond?

Professional bail bond companies like BailOption have no problem effortlessly explaining the procedure. This is basically the way that the process will work:

1. The company is going to collect some general and basic information about the situation so that they can ask assess the bond’s risk factor. For example, the bondsman will ask you or the defendant pretty basic questions. They will ask where the person is being held. They will also ask what you or they have been charged with. The bail bondsman will also ask the length of time they have lived at their current residence. They will also want to know if the defendant is employed and how long he or she has worked there.
2. The customer will have to arrange payment. Then they will have to complete the bond documents. This includes the bail bond application, receipt and indemnity agreement.

The bail bond company will then post bail. As a result, law enforcement will release the defendant shortly after.

Florida requires all Bail Bondsmen operating in Florida be licensed.

The Florida Department of Financial Services licenses and regulates all bail bondsmen operating in Florida. You want to make sure that you are only dealing with licensed bail bondsmen in good standing. Don’t be afraid to ask to see their license before giving them money and completing your transaction.

Where are you located?

When hiring a bail bondsman, its important to know where they are located. You want someone who is located in the same state as you. For your convenience, BailOption is located in Southwest Florida. If you are in Florida and you use a non-Florida bail bondsman, it might cost you a lot more money. That is because the out-of-state bail bondsman will have to pay a posting fee. A posting fee is the fee a bondsman may need to pay another one to post your bail. 

What Is An Indemnitor And What Are Their Responsibilities?

The Indemnitor is the person who bails a person out of jail. They also accept the full responsibility that the defendant is going to show up to their court date. If the person doesn’t appear, the indemnitor will be responsible for helping the bondsman find them. The indemnitor will have to pay the full bail amount if the defendant can’t be found.

This question can vary between bond companies. However, the process is pretty much the same. First, the court will issue a warrant for their arrest. Then, the police will post police bulletins declaring the defendant a fugitive. The company is going to try locating the defendant through calling their home, their work, their references and instructing them to go to their hearing. If a defendant isn’t able to be located, the company might hire a bounty hunters to locate and arrest them.

When you understand these fundamental questions that you should ask a potential bond company, it will help you with making the right decision on which companies to choose to help you through a tough time in your life.

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