+120 more){kind=small}
Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
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5+ years in communications and content creation
2+ years in insurance content
Matthew's journalism and AppleCare editing experience help him simplify complex insurance information on Compare.com.
){kind=small}
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
5+ years editing insurance content
NPN: 20564519
A seasoned editor, insurance author, and licensed agent, Katie is an expert reviewer fact-checking Compare.com articles.
Updated
No credit check car insurance exists, but what that means can vary. Some insurers don’t check your credit, and some state laws prohibit credit-based insurance scores.
Skipping a credit check doesn’t automatically mean you get a lower rate. Factors like your age, driving record, location, vehicle, and coverage also affect your monthly premium.
A credit check for car insurance doesn’t hurt your score. Comparing quotes from multiple insurers can help you find the best deal.
Yes, you can get auto insurance without a credit check, depending on your state and insurance company. A policy priced without a credit-based insurance score means the insurer doesn’t use your credit history to determine your eligibility or monthly premium.
Instead, the insurer uses other rating factors, including:
Claims history[1]
Some states also restrict or prohibit insurers from using your credit. So if you have poor credit or no credit history, you may still be able to get coverage without insurers using your credit information to price it.
Get coverage even with poor credit, starting at an average of $Country Financial per month.
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Insurance companies use a credit-based insurance score to estimate how likely you are to file an insurance claim. Data shows that drivers with poor credit file more claims, so companies consider them high-risk drivers and charge more for coverage.[2]
Insurers typically consider the following credit factors from your FICO score:
Payment history
Credit utilization and outstanding debt
Length of credit history
New inquiries
Credit mix[3]
How and why insurers use credit differs from how lenders do.
Insurers use a soft inquiry to predict future claim risk, which doesn’t affect your score. Lenders use a hard inquiry when you apply for a loan or credit card to predict your ability to repay, which can temporarily drop your score.
A handful of states ban or restrict the use of credit information for car insurance, but the rules vary by state.
California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts: These states fully ban the use of credit history in car insurance pricing.
Maryland: Insurers can use credit to price new policies in Maryland, but not to determine eligibility, cancellation, renewal, or rate increases.
Michigan: Insurers in Michigan can use credit to set rates, but can’t use it to deny, cancel, or non-renew a policy.
Nevada: Nevada insurers may use credit information to determine pricing, but not to cancel, deny, or non-renew a policy.
Oregon: Insurers can use your credit only in combination with other rating factors in Oregon, but not to cancel or non-renew a policy.
Utah: Utah insurers can use credit only with other rating factors or to lower rates. Companies can’t use it as the primary reason to cancel or non-renew a policy after 60 days.
Keep in mind that insurance regulations can change. Check with your state’s insurance department for current rules before you shop.
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Here are some options if you don’t want an insurer to check your credit:
Shop with no-credit-check insurers. Ask whether the company uses credit information during underwriting and rating.
Check your state’s rules. If you live in a state that bans or restricts credit-based insurance scores, your credit may not affect your premium.
Compare quotes from multiple insurers. Companies weigh factors differently, so poor credit doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll pay the same rate everywhere.
Consider usage-based insurance. Some companies base your rates on the miles you drive, rather than traditional rating factors. These insurers may be a good option if you don’t drive often.
Ask about discounts. Many insurers offer discounts for things like maintaining a clean driving record, on-time payments, and completing a defensive driving course.
Choose only the coverage you need. If you have an older car and no assets, you may need only minimum coverage. But if you need full coverage, consider raising your deductibles to lower your premium. Just make sure you can afford the extra out-of-pocket cost if you file a claim.
Some companies don’t check credit but may not be available everywhere, offer fewer coverages, or charge higher rates. For example, Alinsco, Cure, and Glacier don’t use credit as a rating factor, but they’re available only in Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan, and Texas.
Here are our top picks for the best car insurance companies for drivers with poor credit.
| User Reviews | 3.8 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 3.9 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $104/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $252/mo |
Dairyland Auto Insurance's score | Industry average | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage options | 3.4 | 3.2 |
| Customer service | 3.6 | 3.6 |
| Discounts | 3.0 | 2.9 |
| Policy transparency | 3.3 | 3.1 |
| Value | 3.3 | 2.9 |
Non-standard insurance companies like Dairyland specialize in high-risk auto insurance for drivers with poor credit, a bad driving record, or who need non-owner car insurance. If you have trouble qualifying with standard insurers, consider a company like Dairyland. Its average monthly rate for drivers with poor credit is $128.
Specializes in coverage for high-risk drivers
Offers FR-44 and SR-22 filings
Uses credit history as a rating factor
Higher rates than standard insurers
| JD Power JD Power data measures overall customer satisfaction and claims satisfaction based on a 1,000-point scale. | 665 |
|---|---|
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $48/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $91/mo |
COUNTRY Financial offers some of the most affordable rates for drivers with poor credit, averaging $57 per month. Although COUNTRY uses credit in most states, it’s available in Oregon and Utah, which limit credit usage. It also offers multiple ways to save, including bundling, teacher and first responder discounts, and its DriverIQ telematics program.
Affordable rates for drivers with poor credit
Multiple ways to save
Available only in 19 states
Occupation discount available only for teachers and first responders
| User Reviews | 3.6 |
|---|---|
| Our Rating Compare.com's ratings are determined by our editorial team. The objective formula used in these reviews weighs several important factors to consider when choosing financial products and services, including customer satisfaction ratings, ease of use, and a number of other components. | 4 /5 |
| Liability Only Liability-only insurance, sometimes called minimum-coverage insurance, pays for bodily injury and property damage to others in an accident the policyholder causes. It does not pay for the insured’s own damages. | $113/mo |
| Full Coverage Full-coverage car insurance generally includes liability, collision, and comprehensive coverage, and may include other optional coverages such as uninsured motorist coverage. Collision covers a policyholder’s repair or replacement costs in case of an accident. Comprehensive covers damages caused by non-accident events. The average quote displayed here reflects policies with the following coverage limits: $50,000 bodily injury liability per person; $100,000 bodily injury liability per accident; $50,00 property damage liability per accident; $1,000 collision deductible; and a $1,000 comprehensive deductible. | $180/mo |
Root Insurance's score | Industry average | |
|---|---|---|
| Coverage options | 3.4 | 3.2 |
| Customer service | 3.4 | 3.6 |
| Discounts | 3.1 | 2.9 |
| Policy transparency | 3.4 | 3.1 |
| Value | 3.5 | 2.9 |
Drivers appreciate the quick claim handling and good service but dislike the high rates and lack of pricing transparency.
If you have a clean record and are a safe driver, but have poor credit, Root may be a good fit. Root uses your driving habits as its primary rating factor. It advertises savings of up to $900 per year, fast claim filing, and the ability to earn up to 10% more in savings with its focused driving discount.
Low rates for safe drivers
Doesn’t use credit as a rating factor
Doesn’t offer insurance to high-risk drivers
Requires a smartphone and a mobile app
Check rates from top insurers and save money in minutes.
No credit check doesn’t automatically mean a cheaper car insurance rate. If an insurer doesn’t use credit information, it may place more weight on factors such as your driving record, vehicle, coverage, claims history, and location when setting premiums.
Credit can significantly affect your auto insurance rates with some companies, though it varies by insurer. The following table shows average rates by credit tier from five major insurers, based on Compare.com data.
Insurance Company | Average Monthly Premium: Excellent Credit | Average Monthly Premium: Good Credit | Average Monthly Premium: Poor Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chubb | $102 | $118 | $240 |
| Amica | $201 | $219 | $282 |
| State Auto | $132 | $151 | $201 |
| Erie | $48 | $65 | $114 |
| Auto-Owners | $34 | $48 | $87 |
Here are answers to common questions people ask about no credit check auto insurance.
No. Insurers use a soft credit inquiry when checking credit for a car insurance quote. Soft inquiries don’t affect your credit score.
It depends. Insurers generally can’t use a credit-based insurance score as the sole reason to deny coverage. But state laws vary. In some states, your credit history may still affect eligibility and pricing.
It can. For some insurers, improving your credit score shows financial responsibility and a lower claims risk, which can lead to a lower car insurance rate.
It depends. No credit check car insurance may be more expensive for drivers with excellent credit. But drivers with poor credit or no credit history may find no credit check car insurance cheaper than a standard policy in states that allow credit as a rating factor.
No. California, Hawaii, and Massachusetts ban insurers from using credit when pricing car insurance. Michigan, Nevada, Oregon, and Utah restrict its use, though the restrictions vary by state.
Data scientists at Compare.com analyzed more than 50 million real-time auto insurance quotes from more than 75 partner insurers in order to compile the rates and statistics seen in this article. Compare.com’s auto insurance data includes coverage analysis and details on drivers’ vehicles, driving records, insurance histories, and demographic information.
All the rates listed in this article have been collected from a combination of real Compare.com quotes and external insurance rate data gathered in collaboration with Quadrant Information Services. Compare.com uses these observations to provide readers with insights into how auto insurance companies determine their premiums.
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Mandy Sleight has over 15 years of insurance knowledge and expertise in auto, home, life, health, pet, supplemental benefits, and other insurance products. She’s a sought-after insurance expert, appearing in Bankrate.com, Moneygeek.com, U.S. News & World Report, Reviews.com, CNET, and other publications, and she's been writing for Compare.com since 2023.
Mandy uses her background and experience working for well-known insurance companies like State Farm and Nationwide Insurance to create engaging and easy-to-understand content that helps readers make smarter insurance choices that have a positive effect on their budgets and finances.
5+ years in communications and content creation
2+ years in insurance content
Matthew's journalism and AppleCare editing experience help him simplify complex insurance information on Compare.com.
Licensed property and casualty insurance agent
5+ years editing insurance content
NPN: 20564519
A seasoned editor, insurance author, and licensed agent, Katie is an expert reviewer fact-checking Compare.com articles.
At Compare.com, it’s our mission to give you the tools to find the best (and most affordable) insurance for your unique needs and budget. We strive to provide information that’s helpful, clear, and unbiased, and we believe that comparing insurance companies should never put you at risk of spam. Our editorial team — which is made up of experienced writers, editors, insurance agents, and data analysts — has spent thousands of hours researching and creating the coverage overviews, side-by-side comparisons, and detailed reviews you see across our site.
While we make money through partnerships with some of the brands we discuss in our articles, our editorial team operates 100% independently, and these partners never influence or affect the topics, reviews, ratings, or recommendations we provide. We never guarantee favorable reviews or mentions in exchange for compensation from any brands or partners, and we uphold strict editorial standards to ensure our content is always independent, truthful, and unbiased.
