By the time you’re ready to buy insurance, it’s too late to do much about your credit score.

However, one’s credit score can directly impact the price you pay for insurance in states that allow credit scores to be figured into the premium equation, says Hyacinth Tucker, owner of The Tucker Insurance Agency, Crofton, MD. The agency represents a complete line of Allstate insurance products in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia. In Maryland, for example, credit scores cannot be used in determining the price for property insurance, but Virginia and D.C. allow the practice. All allow the use of credit scores as a factor in rates for vehicles.

“The difference between a low credit score and a high one can mean a premium difference of 30% over six months,” says Tucker. “But there is no point at which we’ll outright reject someone.”

Allstate converts the credit scores a consumer is familiar with into a range of between 1 (the best) and 16 (the worst). She does not have access to an individual’s score beyond the proprietary number, so she cannot counsel people on how to improve their scores.

Credit ratings rank near the top of considerations for the rate a consumer will be quoted, but the No. 1 consideration is the number of claims someone has had. After claims and credit, other considerations include the number of traffic violations and vehicles to be insured (for vehicle insurance), the length of time with the current provider, one’s home address and the desired deductible.

“Someone who has no claims, no tickets, lives in the suburbs and has been loyal to the current provider will get a lower rate, but the difference (in premium) won’t make the person who doesn’t fit all of those criteria say, ‘Oh, my gosh!’, Tucker says. “If you live in Baltimore city where there are a lot of carjackings, you’ll definitely get a higher rate.”

And if your current credit score is preventing you from getting an attractive rate, the pain will subside if you can get your financial house in order. Credit checks are conducted every two years on existing clients, and downward adjustments are made to those policyholders who have increased their creditworthiness. Those who have fallen the other way are not affected, she says.

So don’t let your bad credit score prevent you from getting the insurance you need to protect your assets and to be in compliance with state and federal law. If your credit isn’t so hot, work on it now and ask your agent to run your credit again in a year.

“We’re seeing a lot of not-so-great scores, but we look at other discounts and special offers to make it more affordable,” Tucker says. “It never hurts to ask your agent how you might qualify for a lower rate.”