Your Credit Card Options With A Poor Credit Rating

Your Credit Card Options With A Poor Credit Rating

by Michael Strauss

Having bad credit is never a good situation to face, however, for the one fourth of UK borrowers that face adverse credit, there is hope. Credit markets have become extremely competitive as more and more companies are looking to tap into ever-increasing credit balances being carried by consumers. This competition has helped make credit card application processes more efficient, rates and terms more advantageous, and products for bad credit borrowers more available.

Amazingly, many borrowers with bad credit are actually finding credit card offers within a few percentage points, or less at times, of offers made to borrowers that have excellent credit. As the market for cards tailored for excellent credit borrowers becomes more saturated, card providers have started to turn their attention to the large and growing segment of the population that have experienced some type of adverse credit.

The higher risk posed by bad credit borrowers has limited some lenders from aggressively pursuing this audience in the past. However, market factors have forced them to do so in today's market. Many credit card providers are marketing themselves as a leading provider to borrowers with bad credit.

Bad credit borrower do have to realize there are some protections that companies still regularly use to reduce their risks of offering credit. Most card companies require some type of up front or annual fee for cards used by these borrowers. This is a way to help cover the costs of a higher risk of non-repayment of card debt by spreading the risk out over the bigger group. Some companies also offer smaller credit lines and limit daily spending amounts. However, as with other components of cards for bad credit borrowers, these features have been improved significantly in favor of the borrower.

Finding and obtaining a credit card with bad credit is very simple in the internet-driven economy of today. Bad credit borrowers, like those with excellent credit, can often fill out an application online and receive an instant approval decision. Card processing is also fast. Another advantage of the current credit environment is that an influx of independent loan and card brokers has given card shoppers an easier way to compare cards and offers. Brokers collect the best offers from various companies and present those to consumers after collecting basic information and background details. This has also increased card competition, and simplified finding a good credit card offer for bad credit borrowers.