How to Get Personal Loan with Low CIBIL Score - A Guide

Learn Ways to get Personal Loan with Low CIBIL Score

Have you ever faced unexpected expenses or a big-ticket purchase such as a car or home, but fell short of immediate funds? A personal loan is a popular option to bridge this gap, owing to the flexibility of usage for everything from medical emergencies to your dream holiday. Prior to applying for a personal loan, it is essential to understand key factors such as credit scores and their impact on loan approvals so that you can make informed borrowing decisions.

Before moving on to credit or CIBIL scores, their importance in loan applications, and whether it is possible to get low-credit personal loans, let us take a look at this financial product in more detail.

A personal loan is a type of unsecured loan provided by financial institutions for personal use. Unlike secured loans, such as a home loan or car loan, personal loans do not require you to offer any collateral. This makes the financial product more accessible for individuals who may not have substantial assets to pledge. However, the absence of collateral means that lenders look at factors such as your ability to repay and creditworthiness to grant approval and decide loan terms such as interest rates. Your CIBIL score is one of the biggest indicators of your creditworthiness, i.e., how likely you are to repay the loan.

A low CIBIL score can make it challenging to secure a personal loan, as lenders perceive it as a potential risk. Some lenders may still offer loans to individuals with lower scores, but these borrowers may face higher interest rates or stricter repayment terms. In certain cases, the lender may require a co-applicant or guarantor. To improve your chances of loan approval at competitive interest rates, it is advisable to work on enhancing your credit score before applying.

What Is CIBIL Score and How Is It Calculated?

Ranging from 300 to 900, a credit score is a 3-digit numeric representation of your credit history. Credit scores generated by the leading credit information company in India, TransUnion CIBIL, are commonly referred to as CIBIL scores. Credit bureaus collect information related to your borrowing and repayment activities, including credit card usage and past loans. This information is analysed to generate a credit report and a score. The key factors that affect CIBIL score calculation include:

• 30% weightage is for payment history. You must be paying your bills and EMI loan obligations on time.
• 25% weightage is for credit exposure. Your credit utilisation ratio must be less than 30%.
• 25% weightage is for credit type and duration. You must not have numerous credit lines and must have maintained a mixed portfolio.
• 20% weightage is for factors like credit report inquiries and the number of credit lines taken simultaneously.

Importance of Credit Score in Loan Approvals

Your credit score plays a crucial role in the approval of personal loans. Lenders look at credit scores to assess the risk involved in lending money, among other factors such as age and income. A higher credit score suggests a reliable borrower with a history of timely repayments, increasing the chances of loan approval and lower interest rates. Conversely, a lower score can lead to loan rejections or higher interest rates due to the perceived higher risk of default.

However, there are certain options you can explore to get the funds you need despite having a low score. In this later section, we will see ways to get low-credit score loans.

Steps to Get a Personal Loan with a Low CIBIL Score

Even though it is a challenge, you can still get a personal loan with a poor credit rating by taking the measures listed below:

1. Show Evidence of Income to Support Loan Repayments

You may have a low credit rating but with a hike in salary or possibly having an additional income source can make the lender more favourable to your loan application. Moreover, if you can show evidence that you have a secure job with a steady income flow, the likelihood of your loan getting approved increases too. Do note that you may be subjected to a higher rate of interest.

2. Consider Applying for a Low Personal Loan Amount

Your lender may perceive you as a high-risk candidate if you ask for a high personal loan amount with a low CIBIL score. From the lender’s point of view, your probability of defaulting on the loan repayment is higher.

If the amount of the personal loan is lower, the lender may be more inclined to grant the loan request. Also, the repayment of a lower amount will be far easier.

3. Apply for a Joint Loan or Get a Guarantor

If you have a low CIBIL score, then getting a co-applicant or guarantor with a good credit rating can help you get the personal loan faster. With permission from your co-applicant or guarantor, ensure that the KYC formalities are completed along with the necessary signatures on the relevant forms.

When the lender sees a co-applicant or guarantor with a good CIBIL score on your loan application, it definitely helps towards getting a better deal.

4. Resolve Errors in Your Credit Report

You may be having a hard time getting a personal loan on a low CIBIL score. However, it is possible that there may be misreporting or errors on your credit report. In most cases, this happens because your record hasn’t been updated with the latest information.

While it is not really your fault, mistakes such as these can cause unwanted issues. To get ahead of the issue, regularly check your CIBIL score. If you find any errors, ensure that you report them to the relevant authorities and resolve them quickly. Ultimately, it will also work favourably by raising your credit score making you a worthier candidate for a personal loan.

5. Request Your Lender to Consider Your Case with an NA or NH in Your Credit Report

An inactive credit period in the last 36 months or absence of a credit period during the same period of time is marked by an NA or NH on your credit report. This translates into you not having a credit score at all in your CIBIL report.

Speak to your prospective lender and explain why there is a period of credit inactivity. It is possible that the loan will be approved with a higher interest rate.

A lender would consider your credit history before giving you a personal loan. This is why a low CIBIL score could make it difficult to secure one. That said, personal loans for people with low CIBIL scores are available, and you can get one by following the steps below.

A personal loan can be a tremendous help when you need funds in a pinch. But before such a loan is sanctioned, you will have to go through various checks the lender performs. You can use the personal loan eligibility checker to get an estimate of the personal loan amount you are eligible for.

Among the first checkpoints that your application will have to cross is your credit or CIBIL score. But what is a good CIBIL score? And is a personal loan for people with low CIBIL scores not available at all?

While it may not be as easy to get a personal loan with a low CIBIL score, you may succeed in getting one with some effort.

But first, let’s get an understanding of the different CIBIL score ranges and what they mean.

What Are the Different CIBIL Score Ranges?

The table below outlines the significance of various CIBIL score ranges and their corresponding likelihood of loan approval:

Eligibility for a Personal Loan with a Low CIBIL Score

Your CIBIL score is a significant part of personal loan eligibility. That said, other factors also play a key role in your loan application being approved.

• Use a personal loan eligibility checker to get an assessment of the loan amount you can avail of and the EMIs that you can expect to pay.
• Check your CIBIL score. This can be easily done online. A medium to good score increases the chances of a personal loan being sanctioned. With a low score, you may still be eligible to get a loan but at a significantly higher interest rate.

Your best bet of getting a personal loan for a low CIBIL score is to try with the NBFCs, because they have more flexible eligibility criteria when compared to banks. If you have defaulted on a loan in the past for genuine reasons, be sure to explain that to the lender. As long as the reason is justifiable – for example, a medical emergency – lenders may consider offering you a personal loan at a lower interest rate.

Factors That Affect Your CIBIL Score

Several factors contribute to your credit score, the most significant being your credit repayment history.

Consistent and timely payments of instalments positively impact your score, showcasing your reliability in meeting financial obligations.

Additionally, maintaining a low credit utilisation ratio, ideally below 30%, is crucial for a healthy credit score.

Regularly reviewing your credit report is essential to identify and rectify any errors that may adversely affect your score, such as incorrect default listings or inaccurately reported loans.

Furthermore, the age of your credit accounts plays a significant role in determining your creditworthiness. Lenders often prefer individuals with longer credit histories, as it reflects stability and responsible credit management.

Therefore, it's advisable to establish credit accounts early and maintain them responsibly to ensure a favourable credit score, which enhances your chances of accessing credit facilities at favourable terms in the future.

Importance of CIBIL Score for Personal Loans

Your CIBIL score is an indication of your creditworthiness. The Credit Information Bureau (India) Ltd., also referred to as CIBIL is one of the credit agencies authorised by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to calculate this score for an individual.

A valid CIBIL score falls in the range of 300 to 900, with 900 indicating most creditworthiness. The higher your score, the higher the chance that your personal loan application gets approved.

Your CIBIL score depends on your repayment record on your existing debts. Timely payments on all your outstanding debts like your credit cards, loan EMIs, etc. ensure that you have a high score. However, defaulting on loan repayment results in a score reduction. Personal loans for CIBIL defaulters are more likely to be rejected than for someone with a healthy credit history.

A high CIBIL score of 750 or more makes you an ideal candidate for any type of loan. Conversely, a personal loan for a CIBIL score of 550 or less may lead to rejection or a higher interest rate as you may be considered a ‘high-risk’ borrower, depending on the lender’s policy.

The lender will also consider your capacity to repay the loan which is determined by not just your credit score, but also other factors like bank balance, and job security.

Options for Getting a Personal Loan with a Low CIBIL Score

Getting a personal loan with a low CIBIL score might be easier if you opt for a secured personal loan. As seen previously, secured loans require collateral such as a house or a car. The asset can be seized by the lender in case of loan default. Since the risk is reduced for the lender, they may be willing to consider a low-credit personal loan. However, it is important to consider this option carefully as you risk losing your collateral if you are unable to repay the loan.

With unsecured loans, you do not have to risk an asset, but they come with stricter eligibility criteria. While it is possible to get an unsecured personal loan for a low CIBIL score, depending on your overall eligibility, you may get higher interest rates or lower loan amounts.

How to Get an Urgent Loan with a Low CIBIL Score in India?

Getting a personal loan with a low CIBIL score in India can be quite challenging. It may result in loan rejection or higher interest rates, as it indicates a higher credit risk. At SMFG India Credit, the minimum CIBIL score for a personal loan is 750. It is advisable to improve your CIBIL score to 750 first, before seeking a loan from any financial institute. In emergency situations, you can ask a close family member who has a stable income and a good CIBIL score to be the primary applicant.

Conclusion

While these measures can certainly help you get a personal loan even with a bad credit score, you still need adequate funds to repay it on time. If you default on the loan, your CIBIL score will plummet further down.

Alternatively, if you are having trouble getting a personal loan, you can also consider a loan against property.