Bail Bond License Growth in Missouri

There is an article in the Toledo Blade profiling the tremendous growth in the bail bond industry in recent years. I decided to take a look at the growth patterns for the bail bond industry in Missouri. The results were very surprising to me. For the purpose of camparison, I used data from 1996 to 2005.

In 1996 there were 656 bail bond license holders. By 2005, that number increased to 893, for a total increase 237,or a 37% increase.

During the same period, the number of general agents decreased by 1, from 79 to 78.

However, between the years of 1996 and 2005, the number of general agent corporations sky-rocketed. In 1996 there were only 13 bail bond corporations licensed. By 2005, that number increased to 54, or a 316% increase. (The DIFP recently announced that they would no longer license bail bond corporations, unless those corporations were licensed under the insurance laws of Missouri. It is presumed that most bail bond corporations will convert their bail bond licenses to general agent licenses.)

There is approximately one general agent or corporaton for every seven bail bond agents in the state.

Overall, between 1996 and 2005, the total bail bond license holders (for all license classes in Missouri) has increased by 37%.