If you see advertisements for discounted bail bonds, you are being misled. Don’t fall victim to these common bail bond untruths.

When it comes to money, we are always trying to spend less and save more. For this reason, it is easy to fall victim in the consumer world to false advertisements for rebates, discounts, freebies, and more. In the bail bonds industry, these false advertisements are just as common. Many fly-by-the-night bail bondsmen will advertise that they offer bail bonds at discounted rates just to get clients in the door, but these claims are untrue because they are not in adherence to state law.

Continue reading to learn which advertisements are false, why they are false, and who you can truly trust for affordably priced bail bonds in your county.

5% Bail Bonds are NOT Real

The most common false bail bond advertisement is one for 5% bail bond rates. This bait-and-switch advertisement is not possible because bail bond companies are regulated by the state’s insurance department. There is a legal minimum and maximum that bail bond companies are allowed to offer. They cannot go above or below these state-regulated rates, regardless of their personal agendas. These rates vary from state to state, but generally fall between 10 and 15 percent. This means that a bail bondsman can charge, upon their discretion, anywhere from ten to fifteen percent of the total bond amount. For example, if the rate was 12%, and the total bond amount was $5000, the defendant would pay a non-refundable fee of $600 to the bail bonds company.

Reduced Rate Bail Bonds

Although discount bail bonds are false advertisement, there is such thing as reduced rate bail bonds. Some states have lowered the surety minimum, which allows certain counties to legally offer reduced rates for bail bond services. For instance, Indiana now allows a minimum of 8% for bail bonds. So if you see a bail bond company in Indiana advertising 8% bail bonds, it is the real deal! Of course, not all applicants will qualify for this low rate; it all depends on the person’s flight risk, their bail history, the severity of criminal charges, and more.

Finding a Trustworthy Bail Bond Company

The best way to determine if you are choosing a reliable bail bond company is to learn their history. A company that has been doing business in the same area for more than a decade is a great start. Then you want to make sure they are licensed, bonded, and insured. This protects you as a client, but also speaks to their level of professionalism. Avoid fly-by-the-night bail bondsmen by only choosing a professional who is established and has good, long-standing relationships with the local courts and jails.

Indianapolis Bail Bonds

Call James Woods, owner and operator of Woods Bail Bonds in Indianapolis, Indiana. You can reach him or one of his highly trained and licensed Indianapolis bail bondsmen at 317-876-9600, day or night. We offer fast and friendly bail bonds, free jail information, inmate look-ups, jail pickup services, jail drop-off services, 24 hour emergency bail bond services, and more!