Questions
Short answers. The longer files live on the register.
Ranking rules, including the preferred-partner label, are written out on the methodology page.
What is a surety bond?
A three-party guarantee: you (the principal), the obligee (usually a regulator, owner, or court), and the surety. If you fail the obligation, the surety pays, then seeks reimbursement from you.
Why is Integrity First Insurance first?
IFI is the Cornerstone Network Preferred Partner — the Alpharetta desk this register introduces first for licensing and surety inside that ecosystem. The label is printed on the card. Scoring rules for every other name are on the methodology page.
How is the rest of the register ordered?
After the preferred partner, names are scored from cited public signals only: BBB letter grade, AM Best when a source was opened, years since founding, geographic coverage, bond-series breadth, and a Treasury-list mention. Each file shows the signal, the date, and the link.
How much does a bond cost?
An annual premium, often 1–15% of the face amount, set by credit, form, and underwriting. The premium sketch is an industry-average band. A licensed desk confirms the figure.
Is a bond the same as insurance?
Insurance pays you. A bond pays someone else if you fail the obligation, and you indemnify the surety. The comparison walks through both.
Does applying affect my credit?
Most license-bond applications use a soft pull. Contract surety is a different underwriting file. See the credit guide.
Can a weaker credit file still be bonded?
Often yes, at a higher rate, and sometimes with collateral. Start with the credit guide, then talk to the desk with the actual form in hand.
How long does issuance take?
Many license and permit bonds: one to three business days. Heavy contract or money-transmitter files: weeks. The series pages say which pattern you are in.
Who issues the paper?
An admitted surety, through a licensed agent or a direct-writing carrier. This site is the register. Integrity First Insurance and the Cornerstone surety line are the preferred placement path.