Surety bond

A surety bond or surety is a promise by a surety or guarantor to pay one party (the obligee) a certain amount if a second party (the principal) fails to meet some obligation, such as fulfilling the terms of a contract. The surety bond protects the obligee against losses resulting from the principal's failure to meet the obligation. Posting bail for people accused of crimes in exchange for a fee is common in the United States, but uncommon in the rest of the world.