While surety bonds are now becoming the core requirement before conducting business in California, choosing a Surety Bond Company in California can get confusing. Here are some tips to help you get started.

If you created a business in California, it might be in your interest to post a surety bond. Surety bonds are available in various forms.

The appropriate bond for your business is the guarantee of performance to the customers, which helps acquire new business and build a good reputation.

In any case, surety bonds are issued by a surety bond company directly to you or more commonly through a bonds producer.

 

What is the role of a surety bond company in California?

The surety companies operate under the supervision and legal mandates of California that subsequently and indirectly define the terms of the bond services provided by the company. The bonds producer is the point of contact between a business and a security company and thus is an ally of both. The primary job of the bond producer is to provide the business owners with the most fitting bonds that may be needed by their clients. The producers are involved in studying the market for the proper and affordable bonds about construction, commercial, court, license, and permits.

 

Check credentials

The very first step of selecting a bond company is the examination of their credentials. The preliminary inquiry is regarding the proper licenses and permits to conduct brokerage in bonds and securities exchange by a competent authority. Years of relevant work experience at state and federal levels is also a good sign for a bond company. These details are readily available on the respective websites and are regularly updated.

 

Be clear about your bonding needs

Ask as many questions as are required when checking out potential brokers. Being clear about your bonding requirements in the short- and long-term view is essential, as these will help anticipate any monetary or legal subtleties that would contrarily go unnoticed.

The bond company performs the initial assessment of a business’s performance – financially and materially to correctly determine the adequate surety bond that will satisfy that particular business needs. When selecting you bond company in California, it is important to gauge their legal know-how of the surety regulations wherever your business may be taken.

The knowledge of the inventory of many companies that issue surety bonds is paramount. The broker must also be able to relate to your specific business needs and not generalize the options.

 

Review licensing list

Another approach can be the licensing lists of the reputed surety bond issuing companies. The bonding company should also have licensed surety underwriters that are capable of making decisions before issuing a bond. Underwriters should bear a Chartered Property Casualty Underwriter (CPCU) designation

 

Active digital channels

There are many surety bond companies online. But the best way to check out a reputable bond service provider is to check its website directly. There should be updated content, whether blogs or FAQs, to broaden their market reach.

Also, check out its social media.  A good option for you is to look if they have ties to market leaders and have the benefit of experience and network on their side.

Selecting a safe and suitable bonding company for your surety bond needs leads to a bond company or partners that are compatible with you and your business. This means that all of your bonding needs can be covered for good and you can better utilize your time and resources.

That said, establishing a good relationship with an experienced surety bond company can positively affect your business and last a lifetime.

Greg Rynerson, CPCU

Greg Rynerson, CPCU

Backed by 30 years of experience, I spent my career in the surety bond and insurance industries. Throughout the course of my professional life, I've been proud to execute bonds at the state and federal level for various clients.

2 thoughts on “Tips on Selecting a Surety Bond Company for Your California Business”

  1. I’ve been really curious about court and other kinds of bonds recently after hearing a lot from them from a friend. I’m glad that you talked about having different needs for bonds, and I think that a court one would probably be helpful for my brother. He’s trying to avoid going to court right now, so having some bonds to protect him is something I’m sure he’d like! Thanks for the info!

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