As a result, when you applied for a loan, which bureau your lender contacted could impact whether you got the loan or not. You can always request to see your credit report, but not everyone has access to your personal credit history. Federal law specifies who can obtain a copy of your report and how it can be used. Landlords can access it if you grant permission in applying for a lease. Employers may use it when they are considering you for employment, and even for promotion.
Insurance companies can access it when underwriting certain policies.
Courts and the federal government can access it with a subpoena or when you apply for certain licenses. Since they don't always know you personally, these institutions use your overall credit history as a record of your past credit performance and to predict your future behavior.