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Monday 22 December 2014

What To Consider When Choosing A Surety Bond In Los Angeles

By Stacey Burt


The decision to establish a surety bonding relationship is a wise one. It can lead to more projects and eventually propel your company to the next level of growth. When shopping around for a surety bond in Los Angeles, you will be amazed with the large numbers of service providers in the market. To find the right company, it will hence be necessary to conduct a research. The following are factors you need to consider in your search.

Finding prospective bonding companies is probably the first thing you will do. This should not be a difficult task considering their numbers in the market today. Consider asking peers in the industry to recommend companies they trust and approve. Another possible approach is searching online. There are many providers online who can even effectively give you a quote within a very short time.

Licensing is a mandatory requirement for these service providers. You want to know that you are dealing with a legitimate agency that has been mandated by both an insurance company and the state to provide bonding solutions. The treasury has a listing of approved bonding companies. You can then consider checking if the company you are thinking of is on this list.

After compiling a list of prospective surety bonding companies, you will want to check with the Treasury or a relevant statutory authority to determine if it is licensed and registered to provide the product in question. A good number of agencies are contained within larger insurance companies hence you will want to find out if they have an agent to exclusively handle construction bonds or if they use an agent in drafting. Licensing can also help you know how reputable a bonding company is in the industry.

How fast the agent can process your application is another crucial consideration. Bonds being a crucial element of your business, how they are turned around can determine if you get a contract or lose it. The best choice of an agency and carrier are those who are committed to promptly processing your applications especially if you provided all requested documentation on time.

When you get into this business, time after time bonding companies will request you to file updates with them. This may include updated personal and business financial at the end of a financial year and for larger accounts, you may be required to provide these at midyear. Although it is rare, sometimes these companies go out of hand on the number of updates required. Consider discussing this aspect with the agent you choose.

Commercial bonds are characterized by rates that vary dramatically. While contract surety bonding does not vary as much, since they are typically larger, a small change in rate can cause a significant difference on the premium. Consider talking to your agent on what carriers are likely to consider you on and what their current field rates are. Remember that established agencies might be able to negotiate more flexible underwriting hence lower rates and larger bond limits.

The process of finding the right bonding company can be stressful. If you know of peers in business who have successfully obtained a similar product using an agency in your locality, ask them to provide recommendations. Irrespective of who provides a recommendation, educate yourself on the basics of bonding so you can make an informed choice.




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