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If you’re a good driver, you pay lower car insurance rates, right? Wrong. Although many drivers think that the only factor involved in determining their car insurance rates is driving history, there are actually quite a few variables that go into determining car insurance, including your credit score. And that’s what many residents in Texas are finding out.

That’s right, it’s affected your job, loan rates, and even choice of house or apartment, but now your credit score can also have a significant impact on your auto insurance quotes. Although not all auto insurance companies use credit scores to determine car insurance rates, Dallas drivers with less than perfect credit should be checking their car insurance rates against their neighbors’ rates. Why? Because in Dallas auto insurance rates for drivers with bad credit can up to 35 percent more than drivers with good credit. Thirty-three out of the 35 largest auto insurers in Texas charge more for drivers with poor credit. The three largest insurers — State Farm, Allstate, and Farmers — all hike up prices for low scores, according to the Dallas Morning News. If you’re paying high auto insurance premiums in order to avoid paying a lot out of pocket in the event of an accident, you could be coughing up a significant portion of your income to your insurer thanks to your credit score.

Developed as a way to determine if a person is credit worthy, or will pay money back that is owed, the credit score has been used to determine what amount of interest someone looking for a line of credit should be charged. Many have complained that the use of credit scores in the auto insurance agency is unethical since the score has little to do with what causes auto insurance premiums to rise. Instead, auto insurance premiums rise when people have more accidents. This is the reason that you can’t get an insurance policy without first disclosing your driving record.

According to the Dallas Morning News, some Texas groups are banding together to stop the use of credit scores in determining auto insurance rates. However, while the credit score is still being used to hike up prices, there are some options for those with less than perfect credit. Because not all insurers use credit scores to determine auto insurance rates, going to one of these companies is often your best bet. Another option is to cash in on all your other discounts, such as those you receive from being a safe driver or a good student. But most of all, it’s important that you stay insured, no matter how much your car insurance costs, since going uninsured can mean major fines.