Understanding How Credit Affects Your Car Insurance Premiums
Your credit score can play a significant role in determining your auto insurance premiums, along with factors like your driving history and the type of vehicle you have. Here’s a breakdown of how credit affects your car insurance rates and some common questions related to the topic:
Factors Influencing Auto Insurance Premiums
Various factors influence your auto insurance premiums, including:
- Age or Driving Experience
- Vehicle Usage
- Driving and Claims History
- Geographic Location
- Credit History
- Make and Model of Your Vehicle
The type of vehicle you own also affects your premiums and may require specialized insurance, such as classic car insurance for vintage automobiles.
Credit’s Impact on Car Insurance Prices
Some companies use a credit-based insurance score to determine premiums. This score helps predict insurance losses more accurately and it’s worth noting that around 92% of insurers consider credit when calculating auto insurance rates. However, it is essential to understand that this score is different from your standard credit score and focuses only on information relevant to potential insurance losses.
Components of the Credit-Based Insurance Score
For the credit portion of your insurance score, key factors considered include:
- Payment History: Including delinquencies and late payments.
- Length of Credit History: The duration of your credit accounts.
- Types of Credit: Such as credit cards and loans.
Factors like sex, marital status, age, ethnicity, address, and income are not considered when calculating your car insurance credit score.
Benefits of a Good Credit Insurance Score
A credit-based insurance score allows insurers to offer fair and appropriate rates for each customer. About half of some insurers’ customers benefit from lower premiums based on their credit scores.
Difference Between Credit Score and Insurance Score
Insurers view credit differently from financial institutions. Only information relevant to potential losses is considered when calculating an insurance score.
Protecting Customer Information
Many companies prioritize the security of customer information. Only employees for legitimate business purposes access your data to provide products or services.
Improving Your Credit Score
For tips on enhancing your credit score, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s resources on consumer credit.
Extraordinary Life Circumstances
Insurers value their clients and offer an extraordinary life circumstances process. If your credit information is influenced by specific events, you may qualify for a premium reconsideration. These events include catastrophic declarations by federal or state governments, total loss of your home, divorce, serious illness or injury, military deployment abroad, and more.
If you have questions about credit’s impact on your insurance rates, feel free to contact your insurance agent at any time.
