| Usually to decide on a company to go with and put | | | | A reputable, licensed bail company will usually charge |
| your trust with, all you need is a good sense of | | | | 10%. If the bondsman you are on the phone with starts |
| judgment. If you’re walking up to a parking lot with | | | | mentioning discounted bail at 5% (2) and they are |
| used cars scattered around and the sales guy | | | | overselling this aspect of the deal, beware. If they are |
| immediately comes flying out of his office spewing | | | | cutting corners here, they’re probably cutting |
| some nonsense about the best deals in town wearing | | | | corners in other important places as well. Think of it |
| a 1960 plaid suit, you’ve probably judged the | | | | this way, do the good company’s -- the ones you |
| situation correctly and moved on to a different auto | | | | want to do business with -- heavily discount their |
| dealer. But how can you make a decision on a bail | | | | services: NO! The great companies always have |
| bond company when most of the time you will only be | | | | enough business because of integrity and therefore |
| speaking with them on the phone, emailing them, or | | | | they don’t need to cut corners or discount their |
| faxing them? Here are some suggestions and five | | | | services and these are the ones you want to work |
| good questions to ask. | | | | with. |
| First, get someone on the phone. Amazingly enough, | | | | 3. Will you help me understand the bail bond process? |
| this is the easiest part with contacting a bail bonds | | | | The agent should reply with a quick, “Yes.” If the |
| company, because the bail bond companies know that | | | | company knows their industry, they will understand that |
| answering the phone is the key to their success. Now | | | | most of their potential clients will know nothing about |
| you’re on the phone with the agent and you want | | | | the bail bond industry and therefore education is |
| to quickly decide whether this is a company you want | | | | needed for a few reasons. One, to make the sale of |
| to work with. Meanwhile your loved one is in jail, you | | | | course, and two, bail bonds companies need their |
| don’t have much time to interview every company | | | | clients to understand the process as much as possible, |
| you call, and you need some good questions to ask | | | | this helps when dealing with expectations throughout |
| for making the best decision on which bail bond | | | | the entire process. The more the clients know and |
| company to move forward with. Remember, you are | | | | understand, the smoother the process will go and both |
| going to entrust this company with getting your loved | | | | the client and bail bond company benefit. |
| one out of jail and usually making a decision within a | | | | 4. Are you licensed? |
| five min phone call. | | | | This is quite an obvious question but this wouldn’t |
| 1. Is your bail company listed with BBB, what rating your | | | | be a great article if I didn’t put it in. Bail bondsmen |
| is it and where can I find the information? | | | | are licensed by the California Department of Insurance. |
| You will find that not all bail bondsmen are with the | | | | Go there. Check out the license status (4). Dealing with |
| Better Business Bureau(1). Normally a company gets | | | | a bail bondsman that does not have a license is like |
| listed on the Better Business Bureau to appeal to the | | | | getting a heart transplant from the local newspaper |
| public. BBB is an organization created to protect the | | | | boy. Enough said. |
| rights of consumers where consumers can satisfy | | | | 5. How fast can you get my friend (or family member) |
| their need for finding a trustworthy company. Here you | | | | out of jail? |
| can do research to find out if there are complaints | | | | Any bail bond company that gives you an exact |
| about the company you are thinking about doing | | | | time-frame for a defendant's release is probably giving |
| business with. Find out what their rating is and see if | | | | you a line to close the deal. Bondsman can control |
| there are any major complaints about the bail | | | | when they get their portion of the release process |
| company and make sure this all matches with what | | | | complete, but they cannot control the jail system. Jails |
| the agent on the phone is telling you. Obviously, if the | | | | operate on a safety-first basis. Flow of people and |
| bondsman is touting a AAA rating with the BBB and | | | | processes is often slow and unpredictable at best. |
| you look up the company and find out they’re not | | | | That said, an experienced bondsman should know the |
| even a B rating, well then you can start questioning the | | | | individual jails' normal processing times. |
| values of this company. | | | | Well, that’s 5 questions to ask a Bail Bondsman. If |
| 2. What percentage do you charge for a bail bond and | | | | you have any other great questions that can quickly |
| why? | | | | qualify the bail bond company, please let me know. |