Unsecured loans may be the perfect option for those that need a loan but do not have anything to put up as collateral for the loan. With secured loans, people who have things such as a house or even a car have the assets to obtain a secured loan, agreeing that they will lose said asset should they default on the loan. An unsecured loan does not rely on any of these assets as collateral and is simply a written agreement between two or more parties that is made official by the signatures of both parties.

An unsecured loan can be as basic as an agreement between members of a family that borrow or loan money. If the borrower writes the lender an I.O.U., this simple borrowing of money has now become an official unsecured loan. In this case if the borrower should default on the loan, it can have many more repercussions than one may initially think. There may come to be hard feelings between the two parties and cause much tension in the family. The lender will have no real course of action except to take the matter to small claims court, if it was for a substantial amount.

Another popular type of unsecured loan is that which comes in the form of a credit card. These cards are given to the customer with a set amount as a credit limit, the amount of money that the customer is allowed to spend. In exchange for the card, the customer then agrees to pay back the money with additional interest charges, within a certain period of time. The credit card does not need anything to be placed up as collateral it is a simple written document between the customer and the credit card company, outlining all details of the agreement. This is not the only written agreement between the customer and the company however. Every time the customer purchases something and uses their credit card to pay for it, they must sign the cashier's slip. This is a further agreement that the customer will repay the money they just borrowed. Default on an unsecured loan such as a credit card can end up with the account being turned over to collections and the customer's credit history being very negatively affected.

Banks also provide unsecured loans in the same manner as credit card companies. The only difference is that instead of cards, checks are given or money is deposited directly into the customer's account. Before approving an unsecured loan, banks and credit card companies will both review a person's credit history and their current financial situation. These are the two main factors that you will want to concern yourself with when applying for these types of unsecured loans. Being employed is very helpful, as this proves that you will have money coming in the future that will help you to repay your debt. Having a good credit history also goes a long way in obtaining an unsecured loan so be sure to fix any mistakes and repay debts that appear on your credit report.