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<section article="gin" article_name="Insurance" number="10-309" title_number="10" title_name="Regulation of Insurance Professions" subtitle_number="3" subtitle_name="Bail Bondsmen">
  <level label="a">
    <text>This section applies to bail bondsmen licensed under this subtitle and to bail bondsmen that provide bail bondsman services under § 5–203 of the Criminal Procedure Article.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>A bail bondsman may arrange to accept payment for the premium charged for a bail bond in installments.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>If a bail bondsman arranges to accept payment for the premium charged for a bail bond in installments, the installment agreement:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>shall be in a form adopted by the Commissioner;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>shall include:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>the total amount of the premium owed;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>the amount of any down payment made;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>the balance amount owed to the bail bondsman or the bail bondsman’s insurer;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>the amount and due date of each installment payment; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>the total number of installment payments required to pay the amount due; and</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>may not include a confessed judgment clause that waives a consumer’s right to assert a legal defense to an action.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>If a bail bondsman arranges to accept payment of the premium charged for a bail bond in installments, the bail bondsman shall:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>secure a signed affidavit of surety by the defendant or the insurer containing the information required under subsection (c) of this section and provide the affidavit of surety to the court;</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>take all necessary steps to collect the total amount owed by the insured, including seeking remedies provided by law for the collection of debts; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>keep and maintain records of all collection attempts, installment agreements, and affidavits of surety.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The bail bondsman shall keep and maintain the records required under this section in an office that is generally accessible to the public during normal business hours.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The bail bondsman shall make the records required under this section available to the Commissioner for inspection.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>Each year, each bail bondsman shall certify to the Commissioner that the records required to be kept and maintained under this section are accurate and true.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>If a bail bondsman violates any provision of this section, the Commissioner may take any actions authorized under § 10–126 of this title.</text>
  </level>
</section>
