Experian is one of the credit rating firms, recognised by the SEBI and the RBI. Like other credit bureaus, Experian maintains a record of all transactions and uses this information to compile a credit summary. Read on to learn more about Experion’s credit score and how to improve it. But first, let’s understand what a credit inquiry is.
What is a credit inquiry?
A credit inquiry is a request by a financial institution to get a copy of your credit report from a third-party organisation. Lenders make hard inquiries, while consumers who want to check their personal credit score use soft inquiries.
What is Experion credit information report?
The Experian Credit Information Report, often known as the Experian CIR, is a compilation of many pieces of data, including a track of credit facilities, personal details, lines of credit, card payments, borrowings, transactions, and bank inquiries.
Experian’s Central Information Repository, which is known as the Experian CIR, will have a copy of every piece of information that was contributed by an organisation that is a member of Experian. It comprises all of the documented financial data for any consumer, such as the kind of borrowed money, date of the borrowing, remaining amount, monthly payments, and default payments, if there have been any.
In addition to that, the report provides details on the timestamps of any customer-related inquiries that were made by lenders. Records about past credit claims submitted by the applicant, including the total credit sought and the kind of credit agreement asked for, together with any other relevant information, are also collected.
What is Experian credit score?
Credit scores are based on an individual’s credit history, which includes both current and historical loans and credit inquiries generated from financial institutions. Experian credit scores are a numerical summary of this information.
The Experian CIR includes a three-digit credit score that summarises the report’s data. A better score indicates that you are eligible for a higher line of credit and increases the odds that lenders will provide you credit. When payments are completed on time, your credit score may improve.
How frequently is Experian CIR updated?
The commitment of banks and other financial institutions to provide Experian with customer data on a regular basis is being honoured. In addition, different institutions exchange data on different days of the month. As soon as banks or other financial institutions contribute data to the Experian CIR database, the Experian CIR is updated.
Online access to Experian credit reports
People may pay a fee of Rs 399 to view their Experian credit reports online. You will be required to do nothing more than fill out an application online to verify your identity, after which you will be inquired and asked to reveal information about your credit cards, loans, and other financial accounts. Your Experian credit report is therefore shown to you on the screen after you have finished the necessary procedures. A copy of the report will also be sent to you via email.
You will be required to provide some documentation for the validation to be completed. These papers include proof of identification (such as a voter ID card, a passport, or a PAN card), as well as a proof of address (such as a recent financial statement, a phone bill, an energy bill, a buy/selling deed, a licence/rent deed, or a passport).
Is it crucial that I review my credit report?
Whether you want to buy a vehicle or a home, you should check your credit score to see if you’ll be able to get financing. Having a strong credit score gives you the confidence to approach a bank or financial institution with a lending, credit card, or vehicle insurance premium with a good mortgage rate in mind.
It’s also possible that the report contains mistakes that are lowering your score. You have the option of contacting the authorities and requesting that they remedy any mistakes before it’s too late.
How frequently may I see my credit report?
You should examine your credit report once every three to six months to ensure that the punctuality with which you have paid your expenses throughout this time period has effectively been reflected in your report. This will, as a result, bring about the required modifications in the individual’s credit score.
Guidelines for improving Experian credit score
If your Experian rating is poor, your chances of obtaining credit when you need it from a major bank may also be minimal, especially if you need the money immediately. In order to prevent finding yourself in such a scenario, it is important to raise your credit score by adhering to the following guidelines:
- You need to get in the habit of making on-time payments on your loan and credit card dues.
- Keep a modest credit usage ratio, ideally, one that is less than 30 per cent of the maximum credit amount that is accessible to you.
- Do not cancel any of your previous credit accounts since doing so might hinder your ability to create a solid credit history.
- Maintain a consistent check on both your credit summary and your credit score.
- If you discover any errors in your credit summary, you are required to promptly notify the relevant credit agency and have the errors rectified.
- Do not apply for several loans or credit cards in a short period of time since this might give the impression that you are desperate for credit and lower your creditworthiness.
Advantages of Experian credit score
- Experian will combine all of the data that pertains to your credit and will create a report that will assist banks and other financial organisations in better understanding your creditworthiness.
- When customers examine the report, they are able to determine their credit score as well as the credit amount that they may anticipate receiving from lenders depending on their score.
- In the event that their score is poor, they have the option of working to improve it and delaying any major purchases until such time as their score has improved.
- Before making an application for a credit facility, customers may also verify their credit reports for mistakes and get such mistakes fixed. By proceeding in this manner, unneeded confusion on the part of the lenders may be avoided.