If you have never hired a bail bondsman before, it can feel very overwhelming. In order to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible, it’s important to hire a bail bonds company that is trustworthy and has your best interests in mind. This is especially true if you didn’t do it bail bonds company can really step in and take over. How do you do that though? Keep reading to find out our tips on hiring a bail bonds company.
The first step is to ensure you have the amount needed. This will make the process go smoother and you are able to show the bail bonds company you are serious. You can bring in a credit card that has enough available to cover it. You can also bring in a cashier’s check, or a vehicle of real estate title. This will show the company you are serious and have the compensation needed.
The next tip is to ensure the company is reputable. If you know a friend fo family member that has used a bail bondsman before, ask them how their experience was. Were they happy with the result? Did the company do a good job or were they bad to work with? If you can get a referral, this is always a great idea so you know right away who to look into further or who cannot be trusted.
If you don’t know anyone that has used a bondsman before, or you don’t want to ask, you can always go online to look for advice. Find some reviews of people that have used bail bondsman in your area. The more positive reviews the better. Don’t just look at the rating but read the review too. This way you may be able to find a couple reviews out there that are similar to your situation. Try sites like Facebook and Yelp and find out exactly who people are recommending.
It’s an important step to look at the company’s credentials.
The next consideration is cost. Unfortunately, you will need to pay them for their services. Some bail bondsman charges huge fees. With that said, you also don’t want to go with a company just because they’re the cheapest. This may result in you losing a lot of money. It’s important to take cost into consideration, however, don’t make it be your main reasoning for hiring a specific company.
It’s always a great idea to ensure they have the proper credentials to help you. You wouldn’t want to have a dentist help you if they didn’t go to school, would you? This is a similar situation! Ensure each company you are interested in using is fully licensed and insured. If they are not, there is a much greater chance you lose, and lose a lot of money. Prior to giving any bail bondsman any services, ask for these items and have them prove it to you too.
Trusting your gut is very important. When you are talking to potential companies what does your gut tell you? Do you feel comfortable? Do you feel like they are a salesman or confident that they really can assist you? This is especially important if you are between a couple different companies. Listen to your inner voice and trust yourself.
The next consideration is his workload. Is he brushing you off quickly to meet with his next client? Is he taking the time to listen to you and answer questions that you have? On one hand, how business he shows he does great work; however he may not be able to give you the attention you need. With a company that has few clients, they will be able to give you the attention you need, however, they may not have many clients for a reason. Try and assess the situation as best you can.
It’s important you don’t end up having a “he said she said” conversation with the bail bondsman. To avoid this, make sure to get a contract written out. It doesn’t need to be 40 pages long, however, it will go over an outline of all services and costs. This way the company cannot suddenly say you need more money or say they don’t include that service in the fee you are paying. Have everything out in the open and set the payment terms, have the schedule for payments written up, an interest rate that is agreed upon prior to the first payment, and exactly everything the bail bondsman will do for you. This will make the process go smoother and save you a headache down the road.
Our final tip is if you do not have access to talking with people or the internet it’s time you went back in time and looked under the yellow pages. When doing this, you won’t be able to see their reviews online, ask a friend, or perhaps even meet with them. If this is the case, continue following your gut instinct and really listen to what they have to say and how they can help you. Again, you don’t want to hire the first company you can get ahold of, listen to each and make a decision based on their answers.
Do you feel more comfortable making your decision on who to hire? Although you want the process to be completed quickly, it’s important not to rush into hiring the first person you hear about. Do your research and use these tips above.