A surety bond is a three-party written agreement that guarantees the fulfillment of a legal obligation. In a bond, one party (the surety) obligates itself to a second party (the obligee or owner) to answer for the default of a third party (the principal). There are two categories of surety bonds:
Commercial Surety Bonds
Commercial Surety Bonds guarantee performance by the principal of the obligation or undertaking described in the bond
Contract Surety Bonds
Contract Surety Bonds provide financial security and construction assurance on building and construction projects by assuring the project owner (obligee) that the contractor (principal) will perform the work and pay certain subcontractors, laborers and material suppliers.
A bond is not an insurance policy. An insurance policy assumes that there will be a loss, so the premium for an insurance policy is calculated to cover losses that may occur. A bond, on the other hand, is an extension of credit, with the assumption that there will be no loss. The bond premium paid to the surety covers only the underwriting expenses of the surety company. When losses occur, they have a significant impact on the surety company’s financial results.
A surety company may request collateral to reduce the risk when issuing a bond. Collateral is sometimes required for high risk principals or unusual obligations. There are many forms in which collateral may be provided, including cashier’s checks, certificates of deposit, or irrevocable letters of credit. After all obligations of a bond have been met, and the obligee releases the surety company from their obligation under the bond, collateral is then returned to the principal.
The AMIS Bond Program manager, Karen Metcalf, is an experienced broker who has been in the insurance business for more than 30 years. Karen is committed to providing the best service when it comes to writing your bonds. She has a wealth of talent and products that are hard to match in the industry. Give Karen an opportunity to assist you with your next bond!
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Need more information...
For more information about how Bonds and Liability Insurance differ, and to make sure you are getting the coverage you need, read Bill West’s article: Bond Myths - or complete the Quick Quote application below to get started.
Application Information - Request a Quote
For many of our coverages you can quickly request a quote using our online quick-quote forms. At the bottom of each quick quote form you can indicate the urgency of your request. If you have any questions, please call or email the person indicated in the contact area for this coverage.
NOTE: All applications must be underwritten and a quotation will be issued subject to underwriting guidelines. THE QUOTE DOES NOT BIND COVERAGE.
Bond Application Form - Quick Quote or PDF
| Preferred Method | ||
| Secure Online Quick-Quote Application | or | PDF Application Form |
| Complete online for a faster response | Complete and fax to our office |
| Online Quick Quote Forms | PDF Application Forms |
You will need to provide an email address with the Online Quick Quote form. If you do not use email, please use the PDF application form instead.
| To protect your privacy, please DO NOT EMAIL PDF application forms to us.
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Need the Free Adobe Reader for those PDF files, or do you want to get the latest version? Get it here: Adobe Reader Download.Contact Us
Your AMIS representative is Karen Metcalf. Please call her at
(800) 843-8550 or (760) 471-7116, or email us using the link below.
For all Bond applications:
Contact: Michelle Nowell
Our Experience Benefits You
AMIS President and Founder Bill West began his career in the insurance industry in 1965, and shortly thereafter he started a Private Investigation, Insurance Adjusting, and Third Party Administration business. In 1990 he assembled a professional liability package for specifically for Private Investigation companies. Since that time AMIS has formed and developed excellent working relationships with our insurance providers, and that allows us to provide stable, quality, and affordable insurance coverage to meet your specific need.
