does late payment on car insurance affect credit?

Question

just wondering if a late payment of a bill....say my telephone bill, or car insurance affect my credit?

Answer 1

Most of the time insurance companies and utilities do not report to the credit bureaus on a monthly basis. In most cases the only time you would see something from them is if you left an unpaid bill that went to collections. The best way to know for sure is to check your credit report and see what is getting reported every month. As for any account that is reported monthly I recommend that if you must pay late make sure to still pay within 30 days of the original due date. That is because the only time a "late payment" shows up on your credit is if it was 30 days or more past due. If you are for example 28 days past due this would show as "ok" or a timely payment even if you had to pay a late fee.

There can still be other consequences to paying your insurance late as Echo mentioned, it can increase your premiums, and utility companies can charge you a security deposit but for that to happen with either you would have to pay late more than just once.

Answer 2

Does Insurance Affect Credit

Answer 3

Your car insurance bill for sure. The insurance often base your rates on many factors including your credit score. They are some of the first to rat you out for a late payment cuz they get to charge you more for being a late payer. Cell phone companies are fast rats too, but your local phone company is far less likely to report you for a late payment.

Answer 4

I don't think I've ever heard of an insurance company reporting on a monthly basis
Many utility companies across the country do not report on a monthly basis.

Since those companies don't report on a monthly basis they won't report a late payment.

If your utilities do report on a monthly basis then they will show any late payments you make.

Unless your utilities report on a monthly basis I doubt they or the insurance company would even report if you defaulted.
They would just turn the debts over to collectors and the collectors would report.

If you have lates on your insurance, your premiums may go up.
If you have lates on your utilities, they may require you to pay a deposit.

Answer 5

The answer is no, one late payment wont affect your credit due to the fact that insurance companies and phone/power companies will only report on your credit if the account is charged-off or sent to collections which is usually 60-90 days late.

Answer 6

Most places have a "grace period" before it would start to affect your credit. And even after that it would take a lot more than just one late payment to really screw up your credit

Answer 7

Yes, one of the biggest factors in credit score too.

Answer 8

yes, in a major way

Answer 9

Yeah it might be right

Answer 10

thank you everyone for all the answers