CLEVELAND -- Every driver in Ohio must have auto insurance. That's the law.

According to Troubleshooter Chris Caswell, if your credit rating isn't up to par, you may pay a higher policy rate.

Specialist Tim Miller said credit reports help companies predict their losses.

"There certainly is a correlation between your credit and what you're going to pay for insurance," he said.

Caswell said the procedure is called scoring, which is becoming a common practice in the insurance industry.

"Somebody who has a pattern of being habitually late on payments, that would come back as a lower score," said Miller of Insurance Service Agency Inc. "Therefore, they're going to pay a higher rate of insurance."

Caswell asked if this was fair, because it makes people who can't afford to pay their bills pay a higher insurance rate.

But Nancy Deevers of Consumer Credit Counseling said that you can write the credit bureau about your report.

"At any time, when the credit report is in question, you have the opportunity to defend yourself, to explain what the issues are," Deevers said.

Caswell said that it's still up to the consumers to choose who will carry their auto insurance. So, if someone is charging you higher rates, you have the right to go somewhere else.

For help with your bills, call Consumer Credit Counseling Services at (216) 781-8624. You can also visit the Web site. The service is free.