A credit history provides you with all of the information in your credit file collected by the credit bureaus and by consumer reporting companies. This information is also sold to third parties that are interested in lending consumers money and want to analyze their credit and payment history, such as lenders, banks and credit card companies.

Such items as open and closed credit cards, past collections, current and past home loans, auto loans, student loans and even some of your monthly utility bills can all be included in your credit history. Your credit history also includes records of any company that has accessed your credit information, also called a credit inquiry.

Your Credit history is then also reviewed and scored, leaving you with a credit score that lenders and banks look at to determine your potential approval and potential interest rates.