Glossary term
Soft inquiry
Soft inquiry: A credit-report pull that does not affect your credit score and is not visible to lenders. Insurance quotes use soft inquiries.
Where this term matters
Guides and entries on this site that use the term.
Guide
How Credit Affects Auto Insurance Rates
What a credit-based insurance score is, how it differs from a credit score, how much it moves premiums, and why insurers are allowed to use it.
Guide
How to Compare Auto Insurance With Poor or No Credit
A comparison method tuned for credit-sensitive drivers: identical coverage, five quotes including non-standard and usage-based, direct credit questions, and timing around score changes.