Surety Bond Premium
The amount of money that is paid to a surety company in order for the surety business to offer a guarantee on a surety bond is referred to as the premium for the surety bond. It is common practice to refer to the rate as the premium.
The interest rate that is paid for a bond might be anything from less than one percent to fifteen percent or even more of the entire value of the bond. This may be a significant amount of money in some circumstances, depending on the total value of the bond as well as the level of risk connected with the principal (the individual or company who purchases the bond). Before a bond may be issued, sureties demand an up-front payment of the required premium.
Bond Premium Financing
Financing options are available for the majority of premiums, beginning with a minimum payment of $1,000. The kind of bond, the value of the bond, and the period of the bond all have an impact on how the various financing companies manage payment arrangements.
A down payment is always expected up front and may take the form of one or two monthly payments, a set percentage of the bond ranging from 10% all the way up to 40%, or any combination of these three options. The remaining balance is then subject to a monthly fee, which may include interest, for anywhere from three to four months up to twelve months, depending once again on the kind of bond, the amount of bond, and the period of the bond.
The annual percentage rate of interest that is paid on a monthly basis might be anywhere from ten to twenty percent. When filing for a bond, you should inquire with our surety professional about the possibility of setting up a payment plan.
Calculating Bond Premium
Premiums for surety bonds are determined by considering a number of different risk variables. The applicant’s personal credit score is considered to be one of the most essential aspects for determining the interest rate that will be applied to the bond.
Surety companies rely almost entirely on consumers’ credit ratings for calculating the premiums for the vast majority of the license and permit bonds they provide. The premium will be reduced if the credit score is higher (FICO scores of 700 or above often result in premiums that are 1% or lower).
When it comes to acquiring bonds and having the ability to make affordable monthly payments, premium financing is a wonderful alternative for new enterprises as well as clients who have negative credit.
The kind of the bond that is being issued is the second most important consideration considered in the pricing of bonds. There are certain bonds that are intrinsically riskier than others, and because of this, there is sometimes a premium attached to such bonds in the form of a higher interest rate.
Because of the increased potential of claims and defaults, some types of bonds, such as those issued to motor car dealers and utility depositors, are seen as being more riskier than contractor license bonds.
A person’s level of business and industry experience, the amount of the bond (bond amounts of more than $50,000 typically require additional information in addition to a credit check), the length of the term of the bond coverage, and, in some instances, the applicant’s personal and/or financial standing, as well as the applicant’s company’s, are all considered to be risk factors.
Even if the applicant has outstanding credit, they may be charged a higher interest rate if they are considered to be more of a risk than applicants who are already well-established in their field or who are beginning a new company.