Bail Bonding Companies

When it comes to exploring bail bonding companies and choosing one to partner with, integrity and trust should be the biggest factors in your decision. If the need arises, this will be one of the biggest decisions of your life; you literally trust your bail bond agent with your life or the life of your loved one. That also includes your personal property and valuables, and the future of your loved ones. A quality, professional bail bond company should have the same level of confidentiality as your lawyer, doctor or financial advisor. With that being said, you should ensure that all the bail bonding companies you interview are licensed and accredited with the Better Business Bureau. You should also feel safe and comfortable meeting with them and discussing your particular situation.

Once you have explored the bail bond options in your community, it is best to contact the bail bond companies to discuss your specific situation. Below, we’ll take a look at some of the questions you should ask while interviewing any bail bond company or bail bond surety company.

How to Interview Bail Bonding Companies

1. Is your company listed and accredited with the Better Business Bureau (BBB)?

In your search for bail bonding companies, you may find that not all bail bondsmen are with the Better Business Bureau. Designed to protect the rights of consumers, the BBB allows you to do research about any complaints the company may have had in the past. You can also find out what the company’s rating is. If a bail bond company is touting a AAA rating and you find out they have a far lesser score, this may call into question their integrity and trust.

2. What percentage do you charge for a bail bond?

In Southern California, the bail bond premium is typically 10 percent of the total bail amount. This amount is set by the California Department of Insurance, and is non-refundable once the defendant is released. Companies that are drastically discounting the bail bond premium percentage should be questioned, as they may not be acting in accordance with bail bond guidelines. Again, this calls into question their integrity and trust.

3. Can you help me understand and navigate the bail bond process?

A professional bail bond company should always take the time to help you better understand the bail bond process. In fact, we developed several resources throughout our website to ensure that you fully understand the scope of how a bail bond company works.

4. Are you licensed?

Quite simply, you should only choose to work with bail bonding companies that are licensed in the state you or your loved one has been arrested in. Our team at Lopez Bail Bonds is capable of handling the bail process at any jail in California.

5. How quickly can you get my friend or family member out of jail?

This is a tough question. Families always want to hear that their family member will be released quickly. However, depending on the jail, the process can take anywhere from an hour to a day. If you call as soon as your loved one has been arrested, however, bonds can typically be completed within one to two hours. Hiring a bail bond agent that specializes in your particular area can help you further understand how long the process may take.

6. What if the defendant doesn’t show up for court?

When a defendant fails to show up for scheduled court appearances, a warrant is issued for arrest. The bail bond company will attempt to locate the defendant by calling their work, home and references. In some cases, if the defendant cannot be found, a bounty hunter will be hired to find them. Typically, these steps result in automatic bail bond forfeiture. You’ll want to discuss this in detail with your bail bond company.

These are just a few of the tips to help you secure the best bail bonding companies for your needs. If you’re in California and have been detained or have a loved one that is facing jail, be sure to contact our family owned and operated team of bail bonds agents today. We look forward to hearing from you and to helping make this unpleasant process as smooth and successful as possible. Connect with our team today to get started.