The five-minute vetting checklist
- Ask for the license number and verify it with the California Department of Insurance. Ours is #1214401.
- Confirm the premium: 10% of the bail, filed with the state under Insurance Code §1800. A quote of 5% or 20% is a problem in both directions.
- Get the full cost in writing before you sign — down payment, payment schedule, and any collateral.
- Ask what happens if a payment is late. A straight answer is a good sign; see what happens if you don't make a bond payment.
- Notice whether they push. Urgency is the situation; pressure is a sales tactic.
Red flags
- No license number offered when asked.
- A discount below the filed rate — rebating is a licensing violation, and an agent who breaks that rule will break others.
- Refusing to put the payment plan in writing.
- Solicitation inside a jail lobby, which California restricts.
- Collateral demanded with no receipt or written return terms — see what items can be used as collateral.
What good looks like
A trustworthy agent explains the four obligations before you sign, tells you when the bond is exonerated, and answers the phone months later when you have a question about the case. Membership in the California Bail Agents Association and a long local record are supporting evidence, not substitutes for the license.