State insurance regulators and other organizations have scrutinized the use of credit scores since the insurance industry adopted the methodology in the 1980s. Research in other jurisdictions clearly demonstrates credit scoring is discriminatory, and an investigation by the Alaska Division of Insurance concluded, “unequal effects exist on consumers with varying income and ethnic characteristics. In the aggregate, consumers that reside in higher income/high percentage Caucasian zip codes may be less impacted by the use of the consumer’s credit history.” In keeping with its statutory mandate (AS.21.36.120) to protect the Alaska consumer against unfair discrimination, the division recommended curbing the practice to protect the public.

Some Alaskans have poor credit for reasons beyond their control—those who went through a divorce; seasonal workers; those who had serious medical emergencies; or those with unforeseen problems in their businesses or careers. There are many Alaskans without credit histories at all: rural Alaskans in a cash economy; members of religious groups that forbid the use of credit (neither a borrower nor a lender be); and many older Alaskans who distrust credit and instead pay cash. Is it fair to deny insurance to a 30-year-old woman with a clean driving record simply because a divorce changed her credit status? Is it fair to raise the premiums of a 67-year-old man with a clean driving record whose medical bills affected his credit history? The CS addresses these important concerns.

For that matter, credit scores reflect much more than your debt and payment history. Just having credit checked too often can result in a worse credit score. Losing health insurance, seeking credit counseling, paying debt early, using a debit card, or having a Nordstrom’s card all are known to hurt a person’s credit score, and therefore increase the cost of insurance. The CS removes these truly unfair elements from consideration, while allowing insurance companies to use what they consider a valuable tool.

Lack of information is another fundamental problem with credit scoring today. Without this bill, neither consumers nor state regulators currently have access to scores or how information is manipulated to create those scores. The insurance industry is unwilling or unable to articulate how or why, thus we cannot know with certainty whether discriminatory factors are used in determining the scores. There is simply no explanation for how the ‘black box’ can be effective in light of a recent study showing tremendous inaccuracies in the credit reports used to calculate scores. The version before the House requires the formulas–and the data behind them–to be filed with the Division of Insurance, which can evaluate how and whether they really work. It protects insurers’ investment in developing the data and models, while letting the division educate consumers about what goes into the scores.