The BIK, or Credit Information Bureau (Biuro Informacji Kredytowej), is a registry containing historical data on loan customers. The BIK receives information from banks, cooperative credit unions and loan companies. Credit history in the BIK also includes information about our installment purchases and credit card limits.

Both positive and negative information is collected. Simply put, it is an inter-bank forum through which banks inform each other about the financial condition and timely repayment of their borrowers.

The report is important because our credit history is one of the components taken into account when analysts make decisions. Thus, it can both increase and decrease the chance that we will be granted a loan. If the debts incurred are paid regularly and without delays our rating, the so-called scoring, will be favorable and increase the chance of receiving a loan. If the liabilities are not paid on time our score will be negative and the chance of getting a loan will decrease.

How can I check my BIK?

To download a BIK report, you need to create an account at https://www.bik.pl/. To do so, you need to fill out a form, confirm your identity and make an identification transfer. You then make a payment for a package of reports or a single report.

You can also download a BIK report for free no more often than every 6 months, but keep in mind that the waiting time for such a document is longer than for the paid version (up to a month), and the information it contains is limited to the requirements imposed by law.

To summarize

  • BIK stands for Biuro Informacji Kredytowej – Credit Information Bureau
  • It is a registry containing the repayment history of borrowers’ liabilities
  • BIK history translates in a real way into the scoring and risk assessment of a transaction by a given bank or institution