Keeping Your Credit Good Can Help Your Insurance Rates

Everyone wants to pay affordable prices for their car insurance. However, a lot of the factors influencing your rates are beyond your control. Therefore, you want to do your best to maximize the rate benefits that you can influence. One of these is your credit rating. Credit is an important measure of your financial reliability. And insurance rates rely on it to establish trust. Let's take a closer look at how you can maximize your credit potential and protect your insurance rates. Credit responsibility is not usually hard to accomplish. However, it does take work and commitment. So, throughout your years as an insurance customer, work to maintain a reputable credit rating.

Understanding Credit

Your credit score is a three-digit number. It usually ranges between 300 and 860. A credit score above 600 is usually one that most financial institutions will consider reputable. A score below this often means your credit needs work. But what is credit besides just an idea?

Credit is a measure off your financial trustworthiness and reputation. In other words, it helps banks, mortgage lenders and other people who loan you money or credit know that you will pay your bills. So, if you have a significant history of financial problems, and can't pay, your credit might suffer. However, if you make financial decisions carefully, you'll likely see your credit score rise to strong levels.

It is not uncommon to see your credit score fluctuate over time. Younger people who have not carried credit for a long time often have lower scores. Individuals who have long-established credit reputations often have the most stable credit scores. However, age and income are not the only measures that determine credit. In the end, it's about your ability to handle money in a reasonable way. Poor financial planning often leads to drops in credit, though these might only prove temporary in many cases.

Why Credit Impacts Insurance Rates

Multiple third parties might look at your existing credit score. These might include banks, mortgage lenders, credit card companies, landlords and potential employers. These groups might view your credit as an indicator that you will prove reliable in paying what you owe.

Insurance companies also often fall among those who will examine your credit. If they see a good score, they will often offer you a lower insurance premium. Why is this?

To insurers, a good credit score equals responsibility. Therefore, it might signal to them a couple of beneficial qualities behind a good insurance customer.

• Individuals with good credit are usually more likely to pay their bills on time and in-full. Therefore, they have a lower risk of defaulting on their premium payments. That lowers their overall chance of becoming uninsurable or having their policy cancelled.
• Some studies show that people who have good credit have lower risks of car accidents or vehicle problems. They also often have a better chance of being able to pay for vehicle repairs or replacement without filing an insurance claim.

In these cases, the customer becomes less of a risk to insurer. Risk, to insurance companies equals money lost. Therefore, those with the lowest risks are the ones who are least likely to become a financial burden on the insurer. Therefore, the insurer will be able to make a more secure investment in that customer. As a result, they might be able to charge the customer a lower premium for their services. Their likelihood of having to pay a lot to the customer over time will likely remain low. Therefore, they'll likely reduce the burden to the customer.

Maintaining and Improving Credit

Your credit score is a fluid number. Therefore, you'll be able to make changes to your score to your benefit. The best way to make a positive impact on your score is to manage your finances responsibly. There can be a number of ways to do so.

• Manage how you spend money on lines of credit, like credit cards. Always keep your balances on cards as low as possible. Strive to pay them off fully every month. Never max out a card.
• Avoid opening too many lines of credit at once. This might signal to lenders that you are desperate for credit. Indeed, you might see a temporary drop of a few points in your score whenever you open a new account. However, this will likely prove temporary.
• Significant loans, like car loans or mortgages, will often deal blows to your credit if neglected. Always make these payments on time, in full and to the correct authorities.
• Keep a close eye on all accounts for signs of theft or identity fraud. Should you notice suspicious actions, immediately contact the appropriate authorities.
• Work on building a savings account. Even putting one dollar per day in a savings account might pay off over time. You'll have more reserves to use in case of emergencies.

Different lenders calculate credit scores differently. Various credit card companies often provide scores alongside your monthly statement. However, you can often obtain a more comprehensive overview of your credit by contacting one of the major credit companies like Experian®, Equifax® or FICO®. You generally can obtain one free credit score per year. This might help you better pick up on problems within your credit sphere.

So, don't hesitate to get control of your credit today. Your car insurance company might thank you later.

Looking for car insurance? Peachstate Insurance can help you get auto insurance that meets your unique needs. Contact us for more information.