All bail bond companies, including Armstrong Bail Bonds, are regulated by the California Department of Insurance. This government organization has set the standardized fee, or “premium,” a bail bondsman can charge at 10%, meaning that if a defendant’s bail is set at $5,000, the cost of a bail bond company’s premium is required, by law, to be no more and no less than $500. The Department of Insurance makes certain exceptions in the case senior citizens, active members of the United States military, union members, and defendants that have secured legal representation—for these individuals, a bail bondsmen may legally charge 8% of the total bail amount. Take Note: bail bond premiums are always non-refundable, and if the defendant fails to appear in court (called a “forfeiture”), the person who purchased the bail bond (indemnitor) must pay the bail bondsman the total amount of the bail.

How Armstrong Bail Bonds Evaluates Risk

Because a bail bond company is essentially using their own money to pay for the total amount of your friend or loved one’s bail, bail bondsmen must evaluate the risk before writing each bond. Risk is evaluated based on a number of different factors, including:

• The Nature of the Offense
• The Criminal Background of the Defendant
• The Potential Jail Time Facing the Defendant
• The Relationship Between Indemnitor & Defendant
• Employment Status of Indemnitor
• Indemnitor’s Credit Rating & Financial Situation
• Indemnitor’s Residency Status (Homeowner vs Renter)
• Assets & Collateral of Either Indemnitor or Defendant
• Bail Bond Payment Method

Negotiating Bail Bond Payment

When applying for a bail bond, both the bail bond company and the indemnitor must agree on how the 10% premium will be paid. Applicants should always be honest about their financial position; even if you have limited funds, Armstrong Bail Bonds will work with you to develop a payment plan or leverage your assets (collateral) to get your friend or family member out of jail as quickly as possible. Types of collateral may include:

• Property
• House
• Vehicle
• Jewelry
• Electronics

Mutual trust is paramount in the bail bond industry, and we will constantly strive to find an equitable arrangement for all parties.

Bail Bond Payment Options

Armstrong Bail Bonds provides several flexible bail bond payment options. If you are unable to pay the 10% premium upfront, Armstrong will work with you to develop a custom payment plan based on your individual financial situation. Call today to speak with one of our friendly bail bond agents.