Patent ID: 7194435

Claim:
A method of obtaining a surety bond over a computer network, said computer network comprising, at least an agent computer, a surety computer, and a third party computer, said method comprising: a) receiving a request on said agent's computer for a surety bond from an applicant, said surety bond being required from said applicant by a third party, using said computer network to select a surety from one or more sureties that have approved said agent to issue surety bonds on said surety's behalf; b) providing said surety over said computer network with the identity of said applicant requesting said bond and such other information said surety may require about said applicant so that a surety bond may be issued by said surety; c) requesting from said surety over said computer network a decision on whether the bond is approved said request being received on said surety's computer; d) receiving from said surety over said computer network a decision on whether the bond is approved said decision being transmitted from said surety's computer, and being received on said agent's computer; e) where said bond request is approved by said surety, said surety providing an authorization code said authorization code being transmitted from said surety's computer over said computer network for an approved bond to said applicant; f) submitting said authorization code to a third party requiring said bond said third party receiving said authorization code on said third party's computer; g) permitting said third party requiring said bond to use said authorization code over said computer network to access said bond issued by said surety said bond being accessed from said third party's computer; h) issuing from said surety computer said bond through said computer network to said third party after receipt of the authorization code said third party receiving said bond on said third party's computer.