Now they can get you out of a ticket. Thirty-six states now allow drivers to show electronic proof of insurance coverage during a traffic stop, according to the Property Casualty Insurance Association of America (PCI).
A late payment can stay on your credit report for up to seven years. This is the standard time limit for most items. Only a bankruptcy can stay longer -- up to 10 years in some cases. But for late payments, seven is the magic number. You can think of your credit reports as a record of your previous debt payments.
Creditors usually report late payments to credit bureaus when you run 30 days or more past due. Late payments seriously damage your credit score and make it difficult to get credit, as well as saddle you with high interest rates. Late payments can stay on your credit report for years unless you can get them removed.