11 states where credit score affects car insurance the most

When it comes to being a responsible driver, those behind the wheel know (most) of the consequences that can arise if they're not careful: financial loss, revoked licenses and increases to their auto insurance, and so on. While irresponsible driving is one of many factors that go into auto insurance pricing, many are unaware that credit score is also a determining factor. Related: 2018 auto insurance changes you should know

Got credit?

The most widely used credit scores are FICO Scores, which are calculated using many different pieces of credit data: payment history (35%), amounts owed (30%), length of credit history (15%), new credit (10%) and credit mix (10%). Base FICO Scores have a 300-850 score range — the higher the score, the lower the risk. According to research conducted by WalletHub, people with no credit pay 67% more for car insurance than people with excellent credit, on average. In New Jersey, drivers with no credit pay at least twice as much.

Methodology

In order to determine the impact of consumer credit data on car insurance premiums, WalletHub collected premium quotes from the websites of five of the largest insurance providers in the U.S., based on the total number of insurance premiums issued. While insurers use many variables in pricing their policies, WalletHub obtained quotes for two hypothetical consumers: one with excellent credit while the other has no credit history. A specific zone code was required to receive a quote from the insurance provider websites. For each state in which the company was active, WalletHub chose zip codes where the average household income was closest to the average income for the state as a whole. With this in mind, check out the slideshow below to find out where credit score affects car insurance the most, according to WalletHub. Related: Louisiana appoints task force to address high auto insurance rates