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Credit Scores and Auto Insurance

By: Rob Parker

In today's world your credit score is used for almost everything and your credit history is examined when you apply for mortgages, personal loans, bank accounts, credit cards, and sometimes even when you're applying for a new job. As well, your credit score is a factor in whether or not you can obtain auto insurance, and how much you will pay for it.

Insurance companies use credit scoring to determine your insurability because they believe there is a correlation between your consumer credit history and whether or not they are likely to have to pay claims on your behalf. They also feel that people with good credit are less likely to suffer from severe insurance losses.

While most insurance companies also use your age, driving record, type of vehicle and your place of residence to determine your premium, your credit score is also factored in. If you don't have a credit history at all you may not be eligible for some discounts, and your premium may be higher. On the other hand, if you have a poor credit score, you may find that even with allowable discounts your premium is still higher than it would be if you had perfect credit. If your credit is extremely poor, you may be denied standard coverage and have to look into pool insurance, which is state-sponsored minimum insurance for those with bad driving histories, poor credit, and low incomes. You cannot be denied ANY coverage, but you CAN be denied the best coverage.

Can They DO That?

You may wonder if an insurance company can look at your credit information without your permission. As long as you have applied for insurance, the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act allows the use of credit information for "reasonable procedures." Determining credit worthiness for insurance is such a procedure, though your insurer is still required to maintain confidentiality and accuracy. They're also required to notify you that a credit report was requested.

While some insurance companies will look at your actual credit report, many use an "insurance credit score" which is a derived by using statistics to determine your likelihood of having a higher-than-average insurance loss. It's comparable to the kinds of scores mortgage companies use to determine your likelihood of repaying your loan. When developing your credit score, your insurance company will look at the following factors:

Public records, including charge-offs, collections, bankruptcies, foreclosures, and other liens

Payment history, which includes the frequency and number of late payments, as well as the degree of lateness

Number and type of open credit accounts, including credit cards, store charge cards, and loans

Available credit: the ratio of available credit to the balances on your various credit cards.

Length of history: how long you have had reportable credit.

Every company uses different factors, and insurance credit scores are not identical to mortgage credit scores, though similar information is used. Unlike the mortgage industry, however, insurance companies are not required to tell you your score, and your agent may never see the number itself, but will only know what it qualifies you for.

If you have anything on your credit that may be an issue, tell your insurance agent up front, so that they are prepared, and can do their research ahead of time. This is especially important if you are dealing with in independent agent who sells insurance from more than one company. If there is incorrect information on your report, be certain to contact one or all of the three major credit bureaus. It can take up to thirty days for them to investigate and resolve any discrepancies.

Your insurance credit score may determine your level of insurability, but one thing it doesn't measure is your worth as a person. Even the worst credit can eventually be repaired, and once you have a policy and are known to make premium payments on time, some of the discounts that were originally unavailable to you may become so, after the fact.

Do you panic at the thought of auto accidents? Read how to be prepared should you ever have to file an insurance claim.

Things You Must Consider Before Purchasing Car Insurance

By: Brian Garvin

After you buy your car, but before you run out and sign up for car insurance, it is a good idea to learn how car insurance works. Knowing how the insurance works is the best way to make sure that you get the car insurance that is right for you. After all, you don’t want to pay too much for a bunch of things you might not need, right?

There are a variety of different coverages that are involved in insuring your car: liability, collision, comprehensive, medical coverage, personal injury protection, uninsured motorist, underinsured motorist and rental reimbursement.

Different states have different requirements, so make sure that you know which types of coverage are required by your state. Most states require at least liability coverage, but it varies from there. Often, insurance companies will combine a lot of these different kinds of coverage.

It is also important to note that it might not be the best idea to go with the minimum insurance required by your state. You never know what might happen on the road and the last thing you want is to end up with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills because you skimped on your auto insurance. This isn’t to say that you should buy tornado insurance in Hawaii, but think about what you might encounter on the road, and what you want to have covered.

For example, if you are in an accident and cannot drive your car, would you like to have a rental car provided by your insurance company? Do you want extra warranties for labor and parts in the event that your car breaks down? If you have leased your vehicle, you will want to invest in gap insurance. This is insurance that will pay the difference between what you still owe on the lease and what your car insurance covers in the event that the car gets totaled.

Think about the car you just bought. If it got completely totaled, could you afford to get it replaced? If you can’t, you will probably want to get collision and comprehensive coverage in your car insurance. Depending on how much your car is worth, it might even be worth the extra money to make sure that your car gets replaced in the event of a serious accident.

You should also look at your health insurance and homeowners insurance to see what kinds of coverage include damages involving a vehicle. Sometimes you will already be covered for something that you might have been tempted to add to your car insurance.

The best way to decide what kind of car insurance to get is to look at what kind of car you have, your budget and your environment. You will obviously want to have more inclusive insurance if you live in a crowded area where thefts and accidents are common. You might be able to get away with less if you have a less expensive car or you live in a low crime, low accident part of the country.

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