Each real estate broker bond is a legal contract binding three parties together.
- The principal is the real estate broker
- The obligee is the government agency that requires the bond, usually the state's Department of Consumer and Business Services or Real Estate Commission
- The surety is the insurance company who issues the bond
If a real estate broker conducts fraudulent activities (i.e., failure to perform contractual services, misrepresentation, mishandles funds / property entrusted to him), a claim can be filed against the real estate broker. If a claim is prove to be valid, the surety will pay for the claim up to the bond amount. Then, the surety will require reimbursement from the real estate broker.