Which Insurance Companies Don’t Use Credit Scores?

While most major carriers use credit-based insurance scores (except in banned states), a few specialized insurers offer auto policies without running a credit check at all, instead relying on factors like your driving history and claims record. GEICO, State Farm, Nationwide, Progressive, Allstate and other leading insurers check credit scores when they're legally permitted.

A few smaller companies operate differently:

• CURE Auto Insurance: Available in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. CURE is unique because it bases its rates solely on your driving record, completely ignoring factors like credit score, occupation, and education level.
• Dillo Insurance: Available in Texas. This regional insurer focuses on serving high-risk drivers, offering coverage without credit checks.
• Root Insurance: Announced plans to eliminate credit scoring by the end of 2025; availability varies by state regulations.
• Lemonade (which acquired Metromile): Offers pay-per-mile coverage in eight states and performs only "soft" credit checks that don't impact your credit score.

While few insurers skip credit checks entirely, you can still find affordable car insurance with poor credit.

If you have high insurance premiums due to poor credit, you can consider usage-based insurance instead. These programs use telematics (devices or apps) to track your actual driving habits and reward safe behavior with discounts. For these providers, the data collected from your driving can often mitigate or outweigh the negative impact of a poor credit score.

In four U.S. states, insurance companies are completely prohibited from using your credit history or credit-based insurance score to set your car insurance rates. If you live here, every quote you receive will be 'no credit check':

State insurance regulations vary and may change. Consult your state insurance department for current requirements.

Several other states have laws that limit how an insurer can use credit, even if it's not a full ban. These states typically prevent insurers from canceling or refusing to renew a policy solely based on a low score, though they may still use it during initial underwriting.

• Maryland allows insurers to use credit scores when setting initial rates but prohibits companies from canceling policies or refusing renewals based on credit history.
• Oregon restricts insurers from canceling or refusing to renew policies based on credit but permits the use of credit in initial underwriting.
• Utah limits credit use to offering discounts rather than increasing rates, and only for the first 60 days of coverage.
• Washington attempted a comprehensive three-year credit ban in 2021, but courts overturned it for exceeding statutory authority.

Our analysis of insurance quotes shows that drivers with poor credit pay about 153% more for car insurance than those with excellent credit, though the impact varies widely by state. For instance, a driver in Wyoming with poor credit pays an average of $4,566 a year, compared with just $787 for a New Yorker with excellent credit. Even among drivers with good credit, costs range from $950 in Maine to $2,974 in Louisiana.

Rates based on MoneyGeek analysis of Quadrant Information Services and state data for sample driver profile. Your actual rates may vary based on individual circumstances.

Drivers with poor credit pay more for car insurance because insurers view them as more likely to file claims or not pay their premiums. The table below breaks down the actual costs by credit level. If you're between 30 and 59 with poor credit, expect to pay anywhere from $771 with Nationwide to $2,102 with State Farm for basic coverage.

Notice how some companies penalize bad credit: Progressive and State Farm increase rates significantly for poor credit scores. Nationwide takes a gentler approach, keeping its rates more stable regardless of your credit situation.

No major insurance company skips credit checks nationwide, but you have options if you have poor credit. If you live in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts or Michigan, you automatically get credit-free pricing. Everywhere else, focus on usage-based programs, discounts and shopping among multiple insurers to find affordable coverage.

No-credit-check car insurance sounds appealing, especially if you have poor or fair credit. Here are answers to common questions about this coverage.

Our data comes from Quadrant Information Services and state insurance departments, analyzing 83,056 quotes from 46 insurers. We used a 40-year-old driver with a clean record, 2012 Toyota Camry and full coverage (100/300/100 limits, $1,000 deductible) across five credit score categories. Learn more about our methodology.