Associated Banc-Corp has successfully upgraded its credit risk assessment system from FICO Auto Score 8 to FICO Auto Score 10. The bank implemented a dual processing approach during the transition, leveraging it to validate the predictive benefits of the new model, enhance underwriting accuracy, and improve borrower assessment.
This strategic adoption positions Associated Bank to make smarter and faster lending decisions within a dynamic credit landscape. The move aims to accelerate the bank’s ability to assess borrower credit readiness without compromising loan volume.
Steven Zandpour, executive vice president and Head of Consumer and Business Banking at Associated Bank, stated, “The implementation of FICO Auto Score 10 is a game-changer for our risk and sales teams. It empowers us to make faster, more predictive credit decisions and has already accelerated our loan approval rates. FICO Auto Score 10 gives us the agility to assess borrower terms with greater precision, without sacrificing loan volume. We’re especially excited by the early improvements in predicting future delinquency, particularly for thin-file and bankruptcy-prone segments.”
Associated Bank utilized a dual processing method, simultaneously pulling both FICO Auto Score 10 and FICO Auto Score 8. This allowed for real-time comparison of borrower results against origination and account management strategies. This approach significantly reduced traditional implementation timelines by several months while validating the new score’s predictive power and maintaining operational continuity. Preliminary analysis from this dual processing and subsequent account management reviews has indicated several benefits, including a higher percentage of borrowers scoring in top tiers, stronger predictive separation for underserved profiles (such as thin-file applicants and bankruptcy-prone segments), and early indicators of increased approval rates. Full delinquency validation is anticipated within 18 months.
Shams Blanc, vice president of Auto Scores at FICO, commented, “Associated Bank’s rapid adoption of FICO Auto Score 10 is a powerful example of how financial institutions can lead with agility and innovation. By leveraging dual processing, lenders can accelerate implementation timelines and validate predictive improvements in real time, without disrupting operations. This kind of forward-thinking approach is exactly what today’s credit landscape demands, and we’re proud to support Associated Bank in delivering smarter and faster lending decisions.”
FICO Auto Score 10 is designed with recent credit data to provide enhanced risk separation, particularly for mid-band and thin-file borrowers in the auto lending sector. The score aims to outperform previous versions in predicting defaults, especially among prime thin/new-to-credit and subprime segments, thereby helping lenders approve more loans while mitigating costly charge-offs. The model maintains the familiar 250–900 score range, reason codes, and compliance readiness that lenders expect.
