How to Get a Surety Bond: The Requirements Explained

They say nothing in life’s guaranteed except death and taxes. Once you get a surety bond, the money from that is guaranteed too.

Do you know what such a bond is? Are you aware of its many benefits? How can you get one?

Discover how to get a surety bond by reading this guide.

Knowing How to Get a Surety Bond

A surety bond is a legally binding contract that guarantees that obligations are met. If they aren’t, recompense is paid to deal with the unfulfilled obligations.

These bonds ensure the completion of government contracts. They also safeguard a company against employee dishonesty and cover losses stemming from a court case.

At its core, a surety bond is a promise. A surety company promises to compensate the first party if a second party doesn’t meet its obligations.

There are three parties at play here: the principal, the obligee, and the surety. The principal is the individual who must fulfill an obligation. The obligee is the person who must be guaranteed that the principal will make good on its obligation.

Then the surety is the person who issues the surety bond. They promise that the principal will follow through.

In short, a surety bond makes the surety pay money to the obligee if the principal doesn’t come through. Principals end up competing for contracts because they have to promise customers that they’ll receive a service or product.

Word Is Bond

How do you get a surety bond? Let’s get into it.

It starts with the principal paying the surety a premium. The surety’s usually an insurance company.

Obligees are often government agencies or professional or commercial parties. A surety bond forces the principal to sign an indemnity agreement. Such an agreement promises both personal and company assets for surety reimbursement if there’s a claim.

So, insurance companies typically sell surety bonds. Also, the Small Business Administration has a guarantee program that helps principals get surety bonds.

You’ll need a surety bond if you’re a contractor looking for governmental work. Governmentally-licensed companies and people also need one.

Surety bonds aren’t always required, but they’re desirable when a contract mandates performance of some kind. That’s because they pay obligees if principals fall short of their contractual requirements.

If, however, the sum of possible damages is negligible, a surety bond would be illogical.

Sure Thing

Knowing how to get a surety bond starts with knowing where to start. These bonds can seem scary and complicated to the layperson.

Although there are various parties and layers involved in a surety bond, they’re comprehensible. What’s more, the more you understand them, the more you can leverage them to your benefit. Money isn’t normally guaranteed, but it is with a surety bond.

The first step to securing a bond is getting in touch with a first-class insurance agency. Obtain a free quote from the good folks at OKC Insurance Brokers today.