Which party is the beneficiary under a surety bond?

The correct answer is C. Obligee . A surety bond involves three parties: the principal, the obligee, and the surety. The principal is the party whose performance or obligation is guaranteed. The obligee is the party protected by the bond and is therefore the beneficiary. The surety is the company that provides the bond and guarantees the principal’s obligation to the obligee. For example, in a construction performance bond, the contractor is the principal, the project owner is the obligee, and the bonding company is the surety. If the principal fails to perform according to the bond terms, the obligee may make a claim against the bond. This differs from ordinary insurance because suretyship is not designed to transfer expected losses from the principal to the surety. The surety expects the principal to perform and usually has rights of indemnity against the principal if the surety must pay. The answer is not the insurer because the term “insurer” is not technically the protected party in suretyship. Course topic reference: Automobile, Crime, and Bonds; Surety Bonds; Principal, Obligee, and Surety; Bond Beneficiary .

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