Britannica AI Icon

Quick Summary

A public official bond is a type of surety bond that protects against the failure of a public official to faithfully perform their duties. This bond involves three parties: the principal (the public official), the obligee (the public agency or state), and the surety (the company providing the bond). The surety guarantees that the public official will fulfill their obligations, and if they fail to do so, the surety will reimburse the obligee for any losses. Unlike insurance, which covers random events, surety bonds cover failures within the control of the bonded individual. Public official bonds are distinct from public bonds, which are issued by governments.123

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.