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BAIL BONDSMAN IS NOT ENTITLED TO KEEP THE PREMIUM POSTED TO UNDERWRITE A BAIL BOND IF BAIL IS SUBSEQUENTLY DISAPPROVED AND THE ARRESTEE IS NOT RELEASED.

The Court of Appeals, in a full-fledged opinion by Judge DiFiore, determined the defendant bail bondsman, Judelson, who agreed to underwrite a $2 million bail bond in return for a premium of $120,560, could not keep the premium when bail was disapproved and the arrestee, Bogoraz, was not released. The bond was posted, but bail was disapproved at the subsequent hearing:

The question before us ultimately turns on when a “premium” is earned. The use of the word “premium” in [Insurance Law] section 6804 (a) is significant because that term connotes a consideration paid to an insurer for assuming a risk … . Risk, when used “with reference to insurance, describes the liability assumed as specified on the face of the policy” … . Notably, in 1997, when the legislature amended section 6804 to increase premium rates to sureties, the sponsor justified the change as providing “an incentive to assume more risk by bonding agents” … .

When does a bail bond surety incur risk? In our view, the risk associated with the bail bond is that the principal admitted on bail will fail to appear and the bail bond will be forfeited … . If the posted collateral does not cover the bail bond, the surety may suffer a financial loss. The surety does not incur this risk when the principal is not released and so has no opportunity to jump bail … . While the surety assumes a binding obligation to pay the bail upon posting the bail bond, no risk attaches from this obligation alone. Risk is triggered only when the court takes additional steps following the posting — approving the bail bond and issuing a certificate authorizing the principal’s release … . When a hearing is ordered under CPL 520.30, the court approves or disapproves the bail bond after the hearing … . If the court disapproves the bail bond, the surety never runs the risk it contracted to insure. Gevorkyan v Judelson, 2017 NY Slip Op 05176, CtApp 6-27-17

 

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