What is a credit-based insurance score?

A credit-based insurance score is a number drawn from your credit report that insurers use to predict how likely you are to file a claim. It is not the same as your FICO credit score, even though both use the same underlying credit data.

Does getting a car insurance quote hurt my credit score?

No, requesting car insurance quotes won't affect your credit scores at all. When you ask for a quote, the insurer may pull your credit reports and use the information to help tailor your results, but during this process insurers use a "soft" credit pull, which is a type of inquiry that doesn't affect your credit scores.

Which states don't use credit for car insurance?

Four states ban the use of credit when pricing auto insurance: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan. Maryland, Oregon and Utah also have partial restrictions.

Can my car insurance rate go up if my credit drops?

Yes, in most states. If your credit-based insurance score drops between rate checks, your premium can increase at renewal.

How can I get cheaper car insurance with bad credit?

Comparing quotes from several insurers through a broker like Jerry is one of the best ways to save on car insurance, since every carrier weighs credit differently. Stacking discounts and raising your credit-based insurance score over time can both help lower your rate.

Will paying my premiums on time help build my credit?

Unfortunately, no. Car insurance premiums aren't a type of loan, so paying them won't help improve your credit score. Insurers don't report on-time payments to the credit bureaus.

Does Credit Score Affect Car Insurance?

Does Credit Score Affect Car Insurance?

Author

Xuyun Zeng

Insurance Writer

Reviewer

Stephanie Colestock

Licensed Insurance Agent

In nearly all states, drivers with poor credit (defined as <550) pay about 32% more for state minimum coverage and 24% more for full coverage than drivers with excellent credit (750+), based on data from 1,725,374 Jerry customers over the last 12 months.

Below is what Jerry drivers were quoted each month by state and credit tier, based on Jerry’s quote data. We’ve broken the quotes out two ways: state minimum coverage and full coverage.

California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan were excluded from these tables because those states ban the use of credit history in auto insurance coverage decisions. Alaska was excluded due to lack of Jerry data. Maryland, Oregon and Utah are included but have partial restrictions on credit use in auto insurance.

Key takeaway: Live in CA, HI, MA or MI? Your credit score legally cannot affect your auto insurance rate. If you live in MD, OR or UT, credit can affect your initial quote but is restricted at renewal time or limited to discounts only.

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State minimum car insurance and credit scores

State minimum coverage is the lowest level of insurance each state legally requires you to carry.Nationally, Jerry customers with poor credit were quoted an average of $74 a month for state minimum coverage, compared to $56 a month for drivers with excellent credit.

Drivers in New Jersey, Nevada and Maryland see some of the largest dollar swings between credit tiers, while drivers in more affordable states like Iowa, Wisconsin and Vermont see smaller differences.

Median car insurance quote for state minimum coverage, by credit score range

Location	<550	550-659	660-750	750+

<550	550-659	660-750	750+

$74	$73	$71	$56
$43	$40	$40	$33
$46	$44	$41	$30
$73	$70	$66	$49
$59	$56	$51	$37
$141	$130	$116	$84
$112	$102	$96	$68
$65	$62	$59	$44
$122	$119	$111	$82
$34	$31	$27	$17
$44	$42	$39	$27
$54	$53	$50	$37
$40	$39	$37	$27
$54	$51	$49	$34
$80	$77	$72	$51
$74	$70	$69	$53
$141	$131	$113	$80
$49	$44	$36	$28
$67	$64	$58	$38
$65	$62	$58	$41
$45	$44	$44	$32
$43	$40	$34	$26
$64	$62	$59	$48
$55	$50	$48	$36
$50	$48	$42	$30
$48	$42	$40	$29
$188	$166	$135	$98
$44	$42	$40	$32
$149	$137	$121	$86
$264		$247	$181
$47	$44	$41	$29
$47	$45	$43	$32
$80	$76	$70	$51
$52	$50	$49	$36
$126	$118	$106	$70
$86	$82	$75	$52
$40	$37	$36	$23
$47	$46	$45	$34
$70	$69	$65	$52
$80	$73	$67	$50
$84	$82	$74	$55
$41	$39	$32	$22
$78	$74	$70	$55
$39	$39	$32	$22
$57	$56	$52	$34
$44	$42	$40	$28

Last Updated May 26, 2026

Key takeaway: Nationwide, drivers with excellent credit were quoted roughly 26% less than drivers with poor credit for state minimum coverage nationally, based on Jerry’s data.

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Full coverage car insurance and credit scores

Full coverage costs more across the board, but the difference between drivers with good and poor credit scores follows the same pattern as state minimum. Jerry drivers with poor credit were quoted about $190 a month nationally for full coverage, while drivers with excellent credit were quoted around $153 a month.

The quotes below are based on Jerry’s Standard tier which generally offers 50/100 bodily injury liability, comprehensive, collision, UM/UIM, rental and roadside assistance coverages.

Median car insurance quote for full coverage, by credit score range

Location	<550	550-659	660-750	750+

<550	550-659	660-750	750+

$190	$189	$188	$153
$131	$125	$125	$104
$128	$127	$123	$101
$189	$180	$169	$127
$206	$191	$185	$148
$247	$226	$212	$172
$238	$224	$220	$172
$267	$260	$249	$185
$262	$250	$233	$177
$100	$97	$90	$66
$113	$106	$104	$78
$133	$133	$130	$100
$103			$80
$125	$120		$91
$175	$172	$168	$130
$216	$207		$176
$262	$249	$222	$166
$98	$93	$86	$69
$137	$132	$128	$90
$161	$157	$156	$115
$145	$139	$137	$106
$123	$116	$106	$82
$124	$120		$101
$125	$114		$104
$118	$112	$109	$86
$101	$97	$92	$66
$322	$294	$257	$197
$133	$128	$125	$95
$388	$341	$311	$246
$452			$358
$116	$112	$108	$83
$135	$132	$126	$100
$153	$144	$137	$104
$164	$162	$157	$117
$283	$265	$251	$174
$189	$177	$170	$129
$119		$115	$84
$136	$135		$106
$182	$179	$175	$143
$162	$146	$140	$107
$156	$154	$146	$112
$132	$128	$113	$87
$206	$197		$182
$110		$103	$74
$138	$134	$131	$99
$101		$88	$65

Last Updated May 26, 2026

Key takeaway: Drivers with excellent credit were quoted roughly 19% less than drivers with poor credit for full coverage nationally, based on Jerry’s data.

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FAQ

What is a credit-based insurance score?

A credit-based insurance score is a number drawn from your credit report that insurers use to predict how likely you are to file a claim. It is not the same as your FICO credit score, even though both use the same underlying credit data.
If my credit is bad, can I still get insurance?

Yes, but it usually costs more. People with bad credit pay an average of 32% more per month for state minimum coverage than people with good credit. But this amount depends on your insurance company, where you live, your driving record and other factors. Rates between insurers vary dramatically, so comparing quotes matters more if your credit is poor.
How much more do drivers with bad credit pay for car insurance?

Based on Jerry’s data, drivers with poor credit pay about $74 a month nationally for state minimum coverage, compared to $56 for drivers with excellent credit. Full coverage runs about $190 vs $153 a month across the same credit tiers.
Does getting a car insurance quote hurt my credit score?

No, requesting car insurance quotes won’t affect your credit scores at all. When you ask for a quote, the insurer may pull your credit reports and use the information to help tailor your results, but during this process insurers use a “soft” credit pull, which is a type of inquiry that doesn’t affect your credit scores.
Which states don’t use credit for car insurance?

Four states ban the use of credit when pricing auto insurance: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts and Michigan. Maryland, Oregon and Utah also have partial restrictions.
Can my car insurance rate go up if my credit drops?

Yes, in most states. If your credit-based insurance score drops between rate checks, your premium can increase at renewal.
How can I get cheaper car insurance with bad credit?

Comparing quotes from several insurers through a broker like Jerry is one of the best ways to save on car insurance, since every carrier weighs credit differently. Stacking discounts and raising your credit-based insurance score over time can both help lower your rate.
Will paying my premiums on time help build my credit?

Unfortunately, no. Car insurance premiums aren’t a type of loan, so paying them won’t help improve your credit score. Insurers don’t report on-time payments to the credit bureaus.

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Xuyun Zeng

Xuyun Zeng is a writer and editor with a wide-ranging content background including tech, journalism, cars and health care. After graduating with highest honors in journalism, Xuyun led a newspaper to win eight awards, helped start an award-winning film industry podcast and has written over a hundred articles about cars repair, state laws and insurance. Prior to joining Jerry, Xuyun worked as a freelance SEO consultant with a mission to create the best content that will help readers and grow organic traffic.

Stephanie Colestock

Stephanie Colestock is a professional writer, CFEI®, and licensed insurance agent specializing in personal finance. With over 14 years of experience, she crafts insightful and accessible content on a wide range of financial topics, including insurance, loans, credit/debt, investing, retirement planning, and banking.

Her bylines appear in top-tier publications such as TIME, Fortune, MSN, Business Insider, USA Today, Money, Fox Business, and CBS. Stephanie’s deep understanding of complex financial concepts and her ability to communicate them clearly have made her a trusted voice in the industry.

When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys SCUBA diving, reading a good book, and traveling the world with her family.