Though most of us have heard about CIBIL score, there are so many things many individuals are not aware of.
Rajiv Raj Founder & Director, Creditvidya.com | Aug 01, 2016, 08.06 PM | Source: Moneycontrol.com

Awareness about credit score is quite low in India and the few who know about it also might not be aware of the finer details of the process of ascertaining the credit score or its importance and what impacts the credit score of an individual. As we move towards a more digital world, everything is more linked, which means that soon the importance of a CIBIL score will go up while taking a loan; it may impact employment prospects, insurance premiums and so on. Thus being aware of credit score nitty-gritty can be use full.

Q. Are credit report and credit score the same thing?
The first thing that we need to know is that credit report (CIR: Credit Information Report) and credit score are not synonymous. While the credit score is a three digit number or sometimes it can be NA/NH or -1, the credit report is a much more detailed document. The credit report carries the details of all the loans and credit card one holds, it lists personal information, contact and employment details, status of dues, credit enquiries etc. Lenders look at the report and not only the score to get a comprehensive picture about the debt status of an individual.

Q. Is CIBIL the only credit score company in India?
CIBIL is the oldest credit score agency for individuals in India. Since it was the first one and was the only one for a long time it is the most well known and almost synonymous to credit score in India. Apart from CIBIL there are three more agencies that provide credit score for individuals; they are Equifax Credit Information Services Private Limited, Experian Credit Information Company and High Mark Credit Information Services.

Q. Will my score across agencies be same?
No, the CIBIL score against various credit agencies will not be same. There may be a slight difference due to the scoring model of each agency. While the basics of calculating the credit score remains the same, each agency may use a different algorithm for calculating the score which can cause some variation. However if an individual follows the basic tenets of responsible borrowing then his/her score is expected to be good across all agencies.

Q. What impact does settling an account have on the Credit Score?
If one settles an overdue amount by paying a lesser amount then actually what was originally due then it will be reported in the CIR. How this is reported will impact the score either positively or negatively. If it is simply reported as paid then the impact will be positive as the overdue no longer exists. However if the lender reports it as “settled” then it could lower your score. While negotiating with the lender, make sure you clarify this aspect.

Q. Does checking your own score impact in negatively?
When a financial institution asks for the CIR of an individual it is known as a hard enquiry and impacts the score negatively. However, when an individual seeks his/her report it is known as a soft enquiry and has no impact on the credit score whatsoever.

Q. What does NA or NH mean?
A score of NA or 0 means that the individual has a credit history of less than six months which is not sufficient for a credit score for 300 to 900. NH or no history means there is no credit history so obviously no rating can be provided. Score of NA/NH is not a bad thing but may cause hiccups in trying to get a loan.

Q. At what CIBIL Score can I get a loan?
As per the CIBIL website 79% of the loans get approved for a score of 750 and above. Having said that there may be some flexibility as per the rules of the lender, the kind of loan, special tie-up with corporate and so on. Banks may be willing to consider a lower score for employees of a company with they have tie-up or some co-operative banks may be willing to lend at lowers score at higher interest. While a score of 750 and above is generally considered good, there is still some room for flexibility at lower scores and sometimes a score of 750 may also not be sufficient as the applicant may be overleveraged or there may be some negative comments in the report.

Hopefully the above discussion has helped you in getting better insight into the credit process. As stated earlier the importance of this statistical tool is increasing as we move towards a more credit driven and digital economy.

Source : http://goo.gl/a7sCtz