When someone you know has been arrested and they’ve called you for help, it’s important to keep a calm head and understand your role in what’s probably a very scary and intimidating circumstance for them. While you want to be as calm and reassuring as possible, it can even wreak havoc on your nerves. Just in case you’re ever in such a situation, here are few things to remember to ask a bail bondsman that you’re considering using.

Expertise

The first thing you’ll want to know about is them. Are they licensed to do business in that state? Are they registered with the state’s insurance board? While not every bonding company is registered with the Better Business Bureau, that’s a good place to start to see if any prospective companies have bad reviews or registered complaints against them. In addition, it might be beneficial to ask if they specialize in certain types of cases. That way you can have the confidence of knowing that they are well-versed in the case you’re needing help with.

Expediency

Once you’ve established which bonding company are going to work with, the next order of business, first and foremost, is to find out how quickly they will help you get your loved one out of jail. An experienced bonding company is not only familiar with the process, but how best to work the process in order to speed up their release from jail.

Expense

While judges normally set bail amounts based on a specific bail schedule, payment terms for a specific bonding company can be as widely varied as the number of bonding companies that there are out there. That’s why it’s important to find out how much the bonding company charges as a fee. The appropriate amount that most reputable bail bonding companies will charge is 10% of the amount necessary to pay the bail. Obviously, most, if not all, will accept cash and/or credit cards as methods of payment. Also, while guidelines will vary from company to company, most will be able to work out a simple and convenient payment plan that might make sense for you.

Trust a Licensed Bonding Company

When it comes to the harrowing experience of having someone you know arrested, you need the quick assistance of a trusted and knowledgeable bonding company to assist you. An experienced bonding company will be available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can help you navigate the deep waters of the bonding process to help you get your loved one out of jail as quickly as possible.