Hastings Direct has signed a deal to have Equifax supply their credit checking.

Hastings will use Equifax credit information solutions to judge the credit worthiness of new customers applying to pay their premiums by instalments. Hastings will also use ID fraud solutions to validate the identity of new customers.

Hastings Direct director of information systems & services James Fairhurst said: "We need a streamlined process that manages our risk without affecting the customer experience, and Equifax is helping us achieve this.”

Equifax Consumer Information Solutions sales director Laurence Hamilton said: “We worked closely with Hastings Direct to implement a credit policy that best suited its business."