Contractors
Build bond capacity, win larger projects, and understand what underwriters actually evaluate.
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The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds
A primer on contract surety bonding for every professional in the construction ecosystem — contractors, agents, attorneys, accountants, project owners, and new surety underwriters.
Also at Bookshop.org, BookBaby, Everand, and NewSouth Books
Who this book is for
Every seat at the table
The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds is written for six professional audiences in the construction surety ecosystem.
Insurance agents
Place contract bonds with confidence, read prequalification submissions, and serve construction clients.
Construction attorneys
Draft and litigate contract disputes between GCs and owners, indemnity, Miller Act, and bond claims.
CPAs & accountants
Prepare percentage-of-completion statements and contractor-specific financials that sustain bond capacity.
Project owners & obligees
Public agencies and private developers — understand the bonds that protect your projects and how to assert claims.
New surety underwriters
A clear foundation in suretyship for those entering the profession — history, prequalification, claims, and indemnity.
The three forms
Contract surety, in three parts
01
Bid bond
Guarantees the bidder will enter the contract and post the required bonds if awarded.
02
Performance bond
Guarantees the contractor will complete the work according to the contract terms.
03
Payment bond
Guarantees payment to subcontractors and suppliers furnishing labor and materials.
Non-construction contracts may require performance, maintenance, or supply bonds.
Stay in touch
Briefings and new releases
A quarterly briefing on surety and construction law, with first access to every new book in the series.
The library
Works by C. Constantin Poindexter
Money Transmitter Surety Bond Requirements
Los LLMs y la Suscripción en Reaseguros
About the author
C. Constantin Poindexter
Recent writing
Insights from the field
Miller Act
When a payment bond claim isn't really a payment bond claim
Prequalification
The three financial ratios every surety actually looks at
Case notes
Indemnity agreements and the "reasonableness" standard
Frequently asked
Common questions
Who is C. Constantin Poindexter?
A thirty-year veteran of the surety industry, author of The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds, founder and CEO of Surety One, Inc., Chairman of Janus Assurance Re, and law partner at VSP, PLLC. His credentials include MA, JD, CPCU, AFSB, ASLI, ARe, AINS, AIS, and CPLP.
What is the book about?
The Contractor's Guide to Surety Bonds is a primer on contract surety bonding for construction professionals. It covers bid bonds, performance bonds, payment bonds, the Miller Act and state Little Miller Acts, indemnity, bond claims, prequalification, and the lifecycle of a bonded project.
What are the three forms of contract surety bond?
Bid bond (guarantees the bidder will enter the contract if awarded), performance bond (guarantees the contractor will complete the work), and payment bond (guarantees payment to subcontractors and suppliers). Non-construction contracts may also require performance, maintenance, or supply bonds.
Where can I buy the book?
The book is available in hardback and Kindle editions from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BookBaby, Bookshop.org, Everand, and NewSouth Books (Australia).
Where can I get a surety bond?
Surety One, Inc., founded by C. Constantin Poindexter, writes contract and commercial surety bonds across all fifty United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. Quote requests can be submitted at suretyone.com.
Need a bond, not just a book?
Surety One, Inc. writes contract and commercial surety bonds across all fifty states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Canada, and the Dominican Republic.
Request a quote at suretyone.com