Most people know that if you have a good credit score, you get good interest rates and better offers on new loans and credit. Those with a history of being late on their payments, a large balance on their credit cards, or a bankruptcy on their record know that their low credit score means bad credit or no credit offers. Bad credit means you get the short end of the stick on car, mortgage, and other loans.

Fix your credit, you know, and all these things change for the better. But fixing your credit has more benefits you might not have known about too. Here are four of those great benefits you might not have known about:

Lower insurance premiums. Insurance companies have learned that, statistically, a higher credit score means more responsibility and less accidents. Less accidents mean fewer claims, which means more profit for the insurance company. So those who have good credit get good insurance rates and those with bad credit...well, don't. This includes health, auto, dental, and even home owner's insurance. It can mean a difference of hundreds and even thousands of dollars a year.

Lower deposit requirements. Many apartment managers, landlords, and those who offer leases will check your credit before deciding to rent you a place. Some long-term car and furniture rental places do the same. They will often have lower deposit requirements for those with better credit or offer other incentives. Likewise, utility companies (including cable TV and internet) will offer free setup and monthly billing without deposit requirements if you have good credit, whereas they often charge large, up-front deposits if you don't. Since often a "deposit" is a relative term, it could mean money you give them and never see again.

A better job. Many employers now use background checks and credit checks on potential new employees. They use this information to decide whether the person is qualified for the job (security reasons) and whether you will be reliable and honest with them. Sometimes the credit report is only to verify past employment, but often the credit score is considered as part of your eligibility for hire.

Lower fees and charges. Many institutions charge fees that are based on your credit score and their expected outlay in manpower and other things to care for your account if you are unreliable. Banks, clubs, and more will consider your credit an indicator of how often they will have to work with you to care for basic things on your account with them. This means you may not be eligible for "free checking" or other offers at some banks. Many times, they'll require a "minimum deposit" and processing fees if your credit is not that great. This is in addition to any late payment fees, undisputed accounts, or other things you have to deal with.

Just the four things listed here can mean big money you have to spend just because your credit is bad. So cleaning up your credit, or keeping it good to start with, is an important part of a healthy financial life in more ways than you might have thought.