If a lender offers you pre-approval for car finance, it’s a good provisional indicator that they will lend you a pre-determined sum of money according to terms and conditions.
But what is pre-approval for a loan, and how can you secure it?
What does it mean to get pre-approval for car finance?
If you’re pre-approved for a loan, it means the lender conditionally agrees to lend you the money according to the preliminary information that you’ve given them.
This information can include personal information, details about your employment, and your address details. Once this information is provided, the lender will perform a car finance soft credit check, which won’t impact your overall credit score. They will then decide whether or not to offer you a pre-approved loan.
Receiving pre-approval for a loan is a good indicator that you’ll secure car finance. However, it’s not a guarantee.
After the initial soft credit search, the lender will perform a hard credit check. This involves a deeper dive into your credit profile, as well as confirmation of your ID and documentation checks. Be aware that a hard credit check does impact your overall score.
Depending on the results of this search, the lender can decide whether or not to pre-approve you for car finance. If you are pre-approved, the lender will outline the terms and conditions of a potential loan.
Does everyone get pre-approved for car finance?
Not everyone will get pre-approved for car finance. Whether you are pre-approved or not depends on your personal circumstances, as well as the lender’s review of your credit rating and the ID documents you provide.
If you aren’t pre-approved for car finance, it won’t show up on your credit score. You can also take a few simple steps to help improve your chances of securing pre-approved car finance should you choose to reapply. This can include everything from improving your credit score through to reducing your loan amount and researching lenders to find one that works for you.
What are the benefits of pre-approval?
Greater confidence
If you’re pre-approved, it’s a good indicator that you’ve been deemed creditworthy by a lender.
As such, you can go into your search for car finance with greater confidence and reduced stress. It also reduces your chances of getting rejected and harming your overall credit score.
Greater clarity
Once you know which kinds of loans and interest rates you qualify for, you can better compare lenders and establish which finance agreement meets your needs.
Better bargaining
You may also be able to improve your bargaining options over the price of a vehicle, because you’ll know how much you can afford to spend.
Depending on the lender, you may also be able to secure better interest rates, too.
Find car finance with My Car Credit
If you’ve still got questions about the pre-approval process for car finance, get in touch with our friendly team today on 01246 458 810 or email us at enquiries@mycarcredit.co.uk.
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