New Delhi, May 19 -- Your credit score is not just a three-digit number. It is a direct reflection of your financial integrity, repayment discipline and one of the most critical factors that influence your borrowing power. Whether you submit applications for a credit card, personal loan, card loan, home loan or any other form of credit, lending institutions closely check and monitor your credit score to determine the level of risk associated with lending to you. Even more so, your credit score can dictate the interest rates that are offered to you.

All credit card companies generally follow a risk-based pricing model while taking a call on interest rates. To put it simply, credit card users with a strong credit score and a healthy histor...