What type of bond protects the obligee from having to pay twice?

The correct answer is the payment bond, which serves a specific purpose in the world of surety bonds. This type of bond ensures that an obligee, typically a project owner or a general contractor, will not be financially burdened more than once for the same obligation. When a payment bond is issued, it guarantees that the bonded party will fulfill their contractual obligations regarding payment for labor and materials supplied to a project.

In construction projects, for example, if the principal (the contractor) fails to pay subcontractors or suppliers, the payment bond provides security to the obligee that these parties will be compensated without the obligee needing to cover the costs themselves. This effectively protects the obligee from double payment for the same work or materials, as the bond company would step in to cover these payments on behalf of the principal.

Other bond types do not provide the same protection in terms of ensuring a single point of financial responsibility. A miscellaneous bond might cover a variety of specific situations but doesn’t have the same focus on payment obligations. A court bond is generally related to legal proceedings and securing court costs or judgments, while an appeal bond pertains to ensuring payment of judicial debts during the appeal process.