Bail bond insurer's license revoked for a short time

<br>OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The brief cancellation of an Oklahoma bail bond insurer's license threw companies in the industry into a panic. <br><br>State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher sent out

Tuesday, March 2nd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) _ The brief cancellation of an Oklahoma bail bond insurer's license threw companies in the industry into a panic.

State Insurance Commissioner Carroll Fisher sent out a bulletin to all district court clerks, municipal court clerks and Ranger Insurance Co. agents at 2:15 p.m. Monday stating that as of 5 p.m., Ranger would no longer be able to write bail bonds in the state.

About two hours later, the insurance commissioner's office issued another e-mail announcing that a consent order had been signed and court clerks soon would be getting another e-mail authorizing Ranger Insurance and its bail bond agents to write bonds.

The company backs about $60 million annually in bonds in Oklahoma. The company has about 120 Oklahoma agents, said Dudley Goolsby, who is general agent for Ranger Insurance Co.

``It was a screw up,'' said Goolsby, who also is president of Professional Bail Agents of the United States.

David Muser, spokesman for the insurance commissioner, said he couldn't comment and wasn't authorized to release a copy of an administrative order that sparked the cancellation.

The Oklahoman obtained from another source a copy of the order, which states that Ranger's license was canceled for failure to pay a $15,000 bond forfeiture in a Payne County case.

The order was signed by hearing examiner Leslie L. Conner Jr.

``The defendant was not returned to custody within 90 days, nor was the forfeiture paid within 91 days after the issuance of the Order and Judgment of Forfeiture,'' the order states.

There was a dispute in the case about whether bond was reinstated without approval from the writing agent or the agent's company.

Goolsby said the insurance company was awaiting a notice of the hearing examiner's ruling so it could appeal the decision when the insurance commissioner issued the bulletin.