Question 1

How much more do drivers with bad credit pay for car insurance?

Accepted Answer

On average, drivers with poor credit pay 113% more for full coverage than drivers with good credit — about $2,900 more per year. The penalty varies dramatically by carrier: Nationwide raises rates only 91% from excellent to poor credit (smallest penalty); GEICO 133%; Travelers 150%; Progressive 212%; State Farm 236% (steepest). If you have poor credit, switching from State Farm to Nationwide can save $1,500+/year by itself.

Question 2

Which states ban credit-based insurance pricing?

Accepted Answer

Five states prohibit insurers from using credit scores in car insurance pricing entirely: California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Michigan, and New Jersey. In these states, your credit score has zero impact on your premium — which is a significant advantage for drivers with poor credit. If you're moving and have poor credit, these 5 states will give you cheaper rates than 45 other states for the same risk profile.

Question 3

Which insurance company is cheapest for bad credit?

Accepted Answer

Nationwide is consistently cheapest for drivers with poor credit, both because Nationwide's underwriting model penalizes credit less severely AND because their base rates remain competitive. ValuePenguin's 2026 analysis shows Nationwide at $165/month minimum coverage for poor-credit drivers — about 29% below the national average for that credit tier. GEICO and Farmers are also among the cheapest. Avoid State Farm and Progressive if you have poor credit — both penalize credit heavily.

Question 4

How fast can I improve my credit to lower my insurance?

Accepted Answer

Three things move credit fastest: (1) Pay down credit-card balances below 30% utilization (10–40 point improvement in 30–60 days). (2) Dispute and remove any errors on your credit reports — pull all 3 free at annualcreditreport.com. (3) Add positive tradelines via Self credit builder, Experian Boost (adds utility/phone/streaming payments), or Kikoff. Real-world improvement timeline: 'fair' (650) to 'good' (720) typically takes 6–18 months with consistent action. A 70-point credit improvement can save 15–30% on insurance premiums.

Question 5

Can I be denied car insurance because of bad credit?

Accepted Answer

Generally no — major carriers don't deny coverage solely because of credit. They charge more, but they'll write the policy. The exception: combinations of poor credit + bad driving record + lapsed coverage can lead to non-standard market placement (with specialty insurers like The General or Dairyland). If you're getting denied by major carriers, the issue is usually multiple risk factors, not just credit. Specialty insurers will write your policy at higher premiums.

Question 6

Why do insurers use credit scores at all?

Accepted Answer

Insurers argue that credit-based insurance scores are statistically correlated with claim frequency — drivers with worse credit file claims more often, in their actuarial data. Critics argue this functionally penalizes lower-income drivers and creates a feedback loop where poor credit leads to expensive insurance which leads to lapsed coverage which leads to worse credit. The 5 states banning the practice (CA, HI, MA, MI, NJ) accept the discrimination argument; the other 45 accept the actuarial argument.

Question 7

Does paying my insurance premium help build credit?

Accepted Answer

No — most auto insurers don't report payment history to credit bureaus. Paying your insurance on time prevents lapses (which trigger SR-22 in some states and raise future premiums) but doesn't directly build your credit. To build credit, use Self, Experian Boost, Kikoff, Chime Credit Builder, or a secured credit card alongside your auto insurance.

Feature	Nationwide	GEICO	Travelers	Progressive	State Farm
Premium increase (excellent → poor credit)	+91% (smallest)Best	+133%	+150%	+212%	+236% (steepest)
Cheapest tier on poor credit	Yes — Nationwide consistently cheapest for bad creditBest	Strong (still competitive)	Mid-pack	Penalizes heavily — avoid	Penalizes heaviest — avoid
Best for	Drivers with fair-to-poor credit (580 or below)	Drivers with fair credit (650-679)	Mid-range credit (650-720)	Avoid if credit is below 720	Avoid if credit is below 720

Car Insurance with Bad Credit (2026)

Quick Answer

Carrier credit-penalty comparison (excellent → poor credit)

5 states that ban credit-based insurance pricing

What should you do if you have bad credit?

Cheapest for bad credit: Nationwide

Methodology

Frequently asked questions