Confused.com credit checks?

[sismile]

I have been using Confused.com a lot recently to get quotes on different cars I considered buying. What I didn't realise was every time I got a quote I had a credit check made on me. I can't see anything on Confused.com to say this would happen and it's only by one company - Royal Sun Alliance (More Than).

 

They made 4 credit searches on me in one hour, several other a couple of days and a rash of credit checks over a couple of weeks. I never gave my permission for these.

 

I'm already a customer of More Than so gave them a call, They claim they do this to see if they can offer monthly payments. I got quotes from 37 insurance companies on Confused.com and only Royal Sun Alliance did the credit checks.

 

RSA refuse to remove the footprints left by these searches. I understand that so many searches within a short period of time can damage your credit rating and I'm very annoyed they can do this without my permission.

[buzby]

They can, but they CANNOT do this without your agreement. I'd complain directly to the Information Commissioner's Office, but make sue you've not overlooked any small print! (At the bottom of a web page).

[sismile]

Found it!

 

Not in the terms and conditions as expected. But tucked at the end of the blurb about privacy. Not exactly where I'd think of looking for it and obviously tucked away for a reason.

 

Credit searches

 

Many insurance and financial services providers operate a credit scoring system and will carry out checks with credit reference and fraud prevent agencies. These checks will be made regardless of the way you request the quotes, and not just because you are using our service. These checks will include electoral roll and credit information. Some insurance checks are registered as general insurance searches and may be viewed by other companies when you apply for credit or insurance, and may affect your credit rating. Often the financial services organisations from whom you request quotes will only do a credit check once you have decided on a particular supplier. Every application you submit for a loan or credit card gets counted towards your credit scoring so you want to keep applications to a minimum for your credit rating. Again, this is not happening just because you are using our service. This will happen regardless of whether you get a quote via the Internet or phone for any of these services.

[sismile]

The thing is all I did was ask for quotes. I never actually went to any of the websites of the insurance companies listed. You'd think they would only do credit checks once you complete the application and apply for insurance. I have just sent an email to Watchdog about this, I'm sure most people don't realise they will get a credit check just by finding out how mnuch it would cost to insure a car you have not even brought yet.

 

Do companies have to pay to carry out a credit check?

[buzby]

Yes - but they often reach agreement with a CRA and pay a block fee up front for unlimited searches (at a cost of around £45,000pa)

[Guest 10110001]

CRA's (Experian is one such) offer a live subscription-based service where subscribers can perform as many credit searches on prospect consumers. Its a common service for retailers offering consumer credit on Category A or Cat C consumer credit licenses. It delivers a credit score - a number - it contains no personal details.

 

A record of each search is logged - and by whom the score was requested by. Having lots of online insurance quotes wont have much overall impact on your ability to obtain credit.

 

Consumers can obtain their own credit report. Its cheaper to do it by post than online.

[shywazz]

Wouldnt worry too much, the check won't affect any rating you might have already built up for urself, I too went through confused . com for my car insurance, hence was hit by companies looking at my file, after i choose the one that suited my needs, i contacted Experian by e.mail about the searches, and there wrote to me, within one week, letting me know the foot prints had been removed, and informing myself that under no cirmcumstances, would the foot prints reflect on any credit ratings. I looked on my file and as informed the searches had been removed.