Why you should check your credit score.

Realize the importance

The importance of credit scores has been spreading beyond your ability to pay down a mortgage. The score influences your ability to get credit cards, buy a car, even rent an apartment.

Firms once responsible for keeping credit scores secret now eagerly market them to consumers. Even if you're appalled at the notion of buying back your own credit information, the expense may be justified. Here's why:

• Your credit score is a key factor in determining your access to credit, and the interest rate you'll be charged.

• The list of uses for credit scores is growing. Auto- and homeowners-insurance companies are looking at credit scores to gauge the likelihood of customers' future claims, and setting premiums accordingly. More employers are screening job applicants by credit score. Some landlords consult them before renting.

• Identity theft can be devastating emotionally and financially. Checking your credit score, as well as your credit files, could be your earliest indication of a problem.