credit history

How credit scores affect insurance rates

Your credit score can have a profound effect on the amount you have to pay not only for auto insurance, but for homeowners insurance also - and perhaps on health and life insurance in the not-too-distant future.

It's controversial, to be sure, but it's a fact. The question now is how does it affect you?

Many insurance companies and some academics feel strongly that a mediocre or bad credit rating means you're a high risk. Many consumer advocates, state legislators, and state insurance regulators think not. The debate may go on for quite awhile because even the true believers admit they don't know why the two are related - they just know they are.

Almost all auto insurers - 92 of 100 polled in a recent survey by the research firm Conning & Co. - and an increasing number of companies writing homeowners insurance are now using credit information to decide whether to issue a policy on your car and/or home. In some cases they also use it to set the premium.

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