WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Six credit rating agencies agreed to pay a total of more than $49 million in civil penalties to settle U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission charges they broke recordkeeping rules, the regulator said on Tuesday.

Moody's Investors Service, S&P Global Ratings, Fitch Ratings, HR Ratings de Mexico, A.M. Best Rating Services and Demotech each admitted to significant failures by the firms and personnel to maintain and preserve electronic communications, the SEC said.

Moody's and S&P agreed to pay $20 million each, while Fitch agreed to pay $8 million, the SEC said. A.M. Best will pay $1 million, HR Ratings de México agreed to pay $250,000 and Demotech will pay $100,000.

The SEC has hit dozens of firms with fines for failing to maintain records, largely in connection with employees' use of text messages and messaging apps such as WhatsApp.

Lawyers for the firms did not respond immediately to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Jasper Ward and Chris Prentice; Editing by Eric Beech and Stephen Coates)