If your credit has taken a few hits, it can feel unfair to be charged more for car or home coverage because of it. That frustration sends many drivers searching for insurance companies that do not use credit scores when setting rates.
The good news is that some insurers genuinely skip credit, and a handful of states ban the practice entirely. Here is where to look and how to find a fair price.
Insurance Companies That Do Not Use Credit Scores
A short list of insurers is known for leaving credit out of their pricing. As of July 2026, the names that come up most often are CURE, Dillo, Root, and Lemonade.
CURE, short for Citizens United Reciprocal Exchange, is the clearest example. It does not check credit, occupation, or education when setting auto rates, and instead leans on your driving record. That focus can help drivers with thin or bruised credit but a clean record behind the wheel.
Root leans heavily on how you actually drive, often measured through a mobile app, rather than a credit-based score. Availability for each of these companies varies by state, so check whether they operate where you live.
Lemonade is another option worth a look, offering an app-based experience for renters, home, and auto coverage without leaning on a traditional credit-based score. It is a straightforward place to start a quote if you want to keep credit out of the equation.
Lemonade
Lemonade
Insurance that's fast, affordable, and actually feels good. Lemonade uses AI to process claims in seconds and donates leftover premiums to causes you care about. Get renters, home, pet, life, or car insurance — all from one app.
Standout feature
AI claims in seconds. Giveback program donates unused premiums. 2.9M+ customers.
Fees
Varies by policy (renters insurance from ~$5/mo)
Pros
Lightning-fast AI claims processing. Social impact through Giveback program. Beautiful, easy-to-use app (4.9★ App Store).
Cons
Limited home insurance availability (28 states + DC only).
Why Insurers Use Credit in the First Place
In most states, insurers use what is called a credit-based insurance score. It is not the same as the score a lender sees, but it draws on similar data, and studies used by the industry link it to how likely someone is to file a claim.
You do not have to agree with that logic to be affected by it. Where it is allowed, a lower credit-based score can mean a higher premium, even with a spotless driving history.
Because a credit-based insurance score draws on the same report a lender sees, keeping that report clean matters. A monitoring tool like Creditship can help you track your credit and catch errors that might otherwise nudge your score, and your premium, in the wrong direction.
Creditship
Creditship
Get free credit monitoring and concrete advice how to improve your credit from Creditship AI.
Standout feature
AI Credit Coach. AI analyzes your credit report in depth and gives you tailored, actionable steps to raise your score.
Fees
Free
Pros
Free credit report access plus monitoring and alerts
Cons
No credit repair feature
States That Ban Credit-Based Insurance
Some states have decided credit should not factor into your rate at all. As of July 2026, California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan ban credit-based insurance pricing for auto policies.
California set the tone back in 1988 with Proposition 103. Michigan removed credit scoring in 2020 as part of its no-fault reform. If you live in one of these states, your credit is not part of the pricing math, no matter which insurer you choose.
States With Partial Limits
Several more states restrict how insurers can use credit without banning it outright. These include Maryland, Oregon, and Utah, alongside the full-ban states above.
The limits differ by state. Some cap how much credit can affect your rate, and some block insurers from using it to deny coverage or cancel a policy. Bills to add more restrictions are pending in states like Iowa, New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, so the map keeps changing. For a deeper look, see our guide to states where insurance cannot use credit score.
How to Shop When Credit Is a Concern
Even if you cannot avoid credit-based pricing where you live, you can still fight for a better rate. A few steps go a long way.
- Get quotes from at least three insurers, including credit-neutral ones like CURE or Root if they serve your area.
- Ask each company how much weight it puts on credit.
- Look into usage-based programs that reward safe driving.
- Bundle auto and home, or raise your deductible, to trim the premium.
Rates for the same driver can vary widely from one insurer to the next, so comparison shopping is often the biggest lever you have.
To compare several carriers at once without filling out the same form over and over, a marketplace like Insurify lets you line up quotes side by side and spot the credit-neutral options quickly.
Insurify
Insurify
Finding the best insurance shouldn't feel overwhelming. Insurify compares personalized quotes from 120+ top-rated providers in minutes — so you can save up to 50% on auto, home, renters, and pet insurance without the hassle.
Standout feature
Compare 120+ insurance carriers instantly. Save up to 50% on premiums.
Fees
Free
Pros
Compares 120+ carriers in real-time. Save up to 50% on premiums. BBB A+ rated.
Cons
Some users report unwanted communications from third-party providers.
Building Credit Can Still Pay Off
In the many states where credit does count, strengthening it over time may lead to lower premiums at renewal. Better credit can also help with loans, apartments, and other everyday costs, so the effort tends to reach beyond insurance.
Credit-builder tools are made for this. A card like the Self Visa® Credit Card or the Kikoff Secured Credit Card can help you add steady, on-time payment history. Pairing that with the monitoring habit described earlier keeps you aware of errors that could drag your score down. These tools support good habits, but they cannot guarantee a specific rate, and results vary from person to person.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which insurance companies do not use credit scores?
As of July 2026, CURE, Dillo, Root, and Lemonade are commonly cited for not relying on credit-based scores. CURE focuses on your driving record instead, and Root emphasizes actual driving behavior. Availability varies by state, so confirm they operate where you live.
Which states ban credit-based insurance?
California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, and Michigan ban the use of credit in auto insurance pricing. Several others, including Maryland, Oregon, and Utah, place limits on how credit can be used. More states have bills pending, so the rules continue to evolve.
Does checking insurance quotes hurt my credit?
No. When insurers review credit for a quote, it is treated as a soft inquiry, which does not lower your credit score. You can gather multiple quotes without worrying about an impact on your report.
Can improving my credit lower my insurance rate?
In states that allow credit-based pricing, a stronger credit profile may lead to a better rate over time, often at renewal. It is not guaranteed, since insurers weigh many factors, but improving credit can help in several areas of life beyond insurance.
This article is for general education and is not financial advice. Firstcard is a financial-comparison platform and does not sell insurance or issue credit products. Confirm current availability and terms directly with each provider.
