Does insurance use credit score?
Asked by: Andre Waelchi IV | Last update: November 23, 2025Score: 5/5 (18 votes)
Can you be turned down for insurance because of your credit score?
California
Insurance companies in California don't use credit-based scores or your credit history for underwriting or rating auto policies, or setting rates for homeowners insurance. As a result, your credit won't impact your ability to get or renew a policy, or how much you pay in premiums.
Can I get car insurance with a 500 credit score?
While there's no set minimum score to get car insurance, you'll pay more if you have a lower score. Drivers with a credit score of 580 or below pay about 115% more for full coverage than the average driver with a credit score of 800 or above, according to Bankrate.
What information do insurance companies have access to?
An insurer can only access your medical records if you give your permission for them to do so. If you agree to let them go through your medical history, they'll contact your doctor and will look at your records over the last five to ten years.
Do insurance companies run your credit?
A few states prohibit insurers from using consumer credit information – California, Massachusetts and Hawaii for auto insurance and Maryland and Hawaii for homeowners insurance.
Why Your Credit Rating Affects Car Insurance Payments : Insurance, Loans & More
Does a bad credit score affect car insurance?
If you've ever applied for a credit card, leased a car or gotten a mortgage for a home, you know that credit scores count. You may be surprised to find out they can also affect your car insurance premiums much the same way your driving record, marital status and payment history can.
Does unpaid car insurance go on your credit?
The short answer is no. There is no direct affect between car insurance and your credit, paying your insurance bill late or not at all could lead to debt collection reports. Debt collection reports do appear on your credit report (often for 7-10 years) and can be read by future lenders.
What reports do insurance companies use?
An insurer may request a CLUE report when you apply for coverage or request a quote. The company uses your claims history, or the history of claims at a specific property, to decide if it'll offer you coverage and how much you'll pay.
What are insurance companies not allowed to ask you?
If you're applying for health insurance, pregnancy status or plans to have children shouldn't come into the conversation. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition, and insurers cannot deny coverage or charge higher premiums due to it.
What bills improve your credit score?
As with cell phone bills, cable and internet bills can help your score if you opt in to a service like Experian Boost that gives you credit for utility and other kinds of payments. Just be mindful that not all of your credit reports will be affected.
Does State Farm check credit for car insurance?
Most major car insurance companies like GEICO, Progressive and State Farm factor in your credit score when giving you a quote. Some smaller, regional insurers skip credit checks, though their coverage options (and available online information) can be limited.
Why does your credit score matter for insurance?
A credit-based insurance score allows insurers to quote the fairest, most appropriate rate for every customer. About half of our existing customers pay a lower premium based on their credit score.
How far back does Geico look at his driving record?
Geico gets your driving record from your state's DMV or LexisNexis, and they check the past 5 years for accidents and moving violations. If you were cited for a moving violation or got into an accident mid-policy, your rates will not change until your next renewal.
Can you be denied insurance for bad credit?
In some states, yes, you could be denied coverage due to your credit. A very low insurance score might mean that a company considers you too great of a risk to insure, which could lead to the carrier denying coverage. However, some states do not allow this practice.
Do car insurance companies look at your credit score?
Yes. A federal law, the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), states insurance companies have a “permissible purpose” to look at your credit information without your permission. Insurance companies must also comply with state insurance laws when using credit information in the underwriting and rating process.
How long do accidents stay on your record?
In the state of California, most vehicle accidents will stay on your record for around 3 years. However, more serious traffic violations will follow you for longer. For example, a DUI conviction will stay on your record for 10 years.
Do insurance companies do a hard credit check?
Insurance companies thankfully run a soft credit check. There are companies that do not use credit as a rating factor (as we discuss in our related article), but they are hard to find.
What is a good credit score?
There are some differences around how the various data elements on a credit report factor into the score calculations. Although credit scoring models vary, generally, credit scores from 660 to 724 are considered good; 725 to 759 are considered very good; and 760 and up are considered excellent.
What if I can't pay my car insurance?
Car insurance companies usually offer grace periods to make up your payment without penalty. However, say you don't pay your bill during the grace period, and your coverage ends. Driving during a car insurance lapse may result in legal and financial consequences.
Why has my credit score suddenly dropped?
Reasons why your credit score could have dropped include a missing or late payment, a recent application for new credit, running up a large credit card balance or closing a credit card.
What is a good credit score for insurance?
In general, a good credit score is 670 or above, with scores above 800 considered excellent. If your score is in this range, you're likely receiving lower insurance rates based on your credit. If your credit score is under 580, on the other hand, your credit could be significantly raising the cost of coverage.
Does paying rent build credit?
Your payment history is the most important factor in determining your FICO® Score☉ , the score used by 90% of top lenders, so having rent payments reported to the credit bureaus can have a significant positive impact on your credit profile.
Do insurance companies run your credit for a quote?
Most insurers use credit checks to create a credit-based insurance score to help set your rate. Some insurers provide auto insurance with no credit check, which might seem appealing if you have a poor credit history.