Can Anyone Co-Sign For A Bail Bond And What Risks Does The Person Take?

18 February 2021
 Categories: Finance & Money, Blog

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When a person gets arrested, they will remain behind bars until the court releases them or someone pays the bail. If you want to help this person get out of jail, you can pay the bail for them or hire a bail bond agent. The person who signs the bail bond agent agreement is the co-signer. You might wonder if anyone can co-sign for a person who needs a way out of jail. If you are wondering this, you might also want to determine the risks you take if you co-sign. Here are some of the answers you need before signing the agreement.

Rules About Co-Signing for a Bail Bond

When a person wants to bail someone out of jail but does not have the necessary cash, they can visit a bail bond agent. The bail bond agent has rules about bailing people out, and they have these rules for protection. If you want to bail your friend out, the bail bond agent must approve you as a co-signer.

To qualify, you might need some cash or collateral to use to cover the fees. The agent might check your credit during this process to ensure that you are trustworthy. Agents also verify identities and may perform background checks. They will not agree to let just anyone co-sign. They require a process before approving it. Therefore, you can ask to be a co-signer, but this does not guarantee that the agent will agree to it.

The Risks of Co-Signing a Bail Bond

If the bail bond agent approves your request to co-sign, you should ask about the risks before signing your name. You will take some risks by doing this, and you should understand these before you agree to it.

The first and main risk is the loss of money. You will not get the fee back that you pay when signing the agreement, but you can get your collateral back by repaying the fee. You lose this opportunity, though, if the person you bailed out flees town and does not appear in court. You risk the loss of additional money, too. If the person flees town and skips court, you will owe the bail bond agent the entire cost of the bail they paid for your friend.

Bailing someone out of jail is helpful for them, but you should understand your risks in the deal before you go through with it. If you need help, why not try this out and contact a bail bond agent.