What is a C.L.U.E. report, and why should you see it?

What is a C.L.U.E. report?

A C.L.U.E. report is a database of claims on auto insurance and home insurance over seven years. The Fair and Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA) entitles you to one free copy of a C.L.U.E. report per year.

Owned and operated by LEXIS-NEXIS, the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange is not well known outside the insurance industry. It’s a way for insurers to track claims that have been filed against your home and auto insurance.

While useful, the report isn’t universal. Francis Doyle, senior vice president of insurance for AAA Northeast, says the C.L.U.E. report isn’t as reliable as you might think.

"It's one piece of a puzzle that's used by many companies, but not for every customer. This is all data shared from one insurer to another. For example, if an insurer is looking at a customer, they have a whole host of underwriting reports that they're looking for," he says.

Doyle added that insurance companies voluntarily share data for the C.L.U.E. report. However, it’s not a complete picture since some companies don’t share data.

When you pull your report, you will see a detailed breakdown of your insurance history. Even claims where no money was paid out, or incidents where you were not at fault, will appear on the record.

C.L.U.E. data	What it represents
Policy number	The specific insurance policy tied to the claim.
Date of loss	The exact date the damage or incident occurred.
Type of loss	The nature of the claim (e.g., fire, flood, collision).
Insurance company	The name of the provider that handled the claim.
Amount paid	The total monetary payout provided by the insurer.
Zero payout claims	Claims filed where no money was paid, or you were not at fault.

How do you use a C.L.U.E. report?

You can use a C.L.U.E. report to check your claims history and the claims history of the property for errors before insurers use that information to price your policy. Review every listed claim, confirm the dates and payment amounts are correct, and dispute any inaccuracies with LexisNexis so they do not unfairly affect your insurance rate.

You are legally permitted to order reports for yourself, your property, or someone over whom you have legal authority, such as a minor. LexisNexis accepts requests through the following channels:

Phone: Call 888-497-0011
Email: [email protected]
Mail: LEXIS-NEXIS Consumer Center, ATTN: FACT Act Dispute Request, P.O. Box 105108, Atlanta, GA, 30348

After getting your hands on a report, the first thing you want to do is comb through it to ensure there are no inaccuracies.

Insurers submit claims data monthly to the reports, but remember, it’s voluntary. This means some claims might not appear.

Resolving the inaccuracies might help with your premiums. If there are too many claims, you move into a higher-risk category and could potentially pay more.

After checking for errors and disputing and resolving any that appear, you can make the report available to interested parties. For example, you could add it to your home listing so that potential buyers get a full picture of the house's history.

How does the C.L.U.E. report affect insurance?

A C.L.U.E. report affects insurance because insurers use past claims to judge risk and set rates for home and auto policies. More claims on your report can make you look riskier to insure, leading to higher premiums or making it harder to qualify for coverage.

Derek Spellman from the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance says insurers usually use past claims data to determine insurability and set current and future rates.

"From an insurance perspective, the report collects and relays claims history to insurers, enabling the companies to access consumer claims information when underwriting or rating an insurance policy. In the insurance industry, these reports are used generally to underwrite and rate new policies," Spellman says.

Why would you want a C.L.U.E. report?

You would want a C.L.U.E. report to see what claims are tied to your name, car or home, and make sure the information is accurate, or to review claims associated with a home you’re buying. It can help you catch false claims, understand why your insurance costs more and give buyers a clear history when selling a home.

If you’re the home buyer, you can ask the seller to pull the property’s C.L.U.E. report. Since you don't own it, you can't request it, but they can. It would help see work done involving an insurance claim, such as a fire or flood damage.

Spellman says his office doesn’t usually recommend consumers pull their C.L.U.E. report often.

"We generally don't advise consumers about how often to take a look at their consumer disclosure report, as it depends on their own circumstances," he said.

Checking the C.L.U.E. report is nowhere near as vital as checking your credit report yearly. Credit history is another way most insurers gauge a person’s risk. The more issues in your credit history, the more you’ll likely pay for insurance. However, getting a look at your C.L.U.E. report isn't a bad idea; it's free and you could catch a major error.

FAQ: C.L.U.E Report

Can a C.L.U.E. report stop me from getting homeowners insurance?

Yes, a C.L.U.E. report can make it harder to get homeowners insurance if it shows several recent or costly claims. Insurers use the report to judge risk, and a property or person with a heavy claims history may face higher rates, fewer coverage options or extra underwriting review.

Should I check a C.L.U.E. report before buying a house?

Yes, asking the seller for the home’s C.L.U.E. report before buying can help you spot past insurance claims tied to the property. It can reveal damage from fire, water, theft or weather events and help you ask better questions before closing.

What should I do if my C.L.U.E. report is wrong?

If your C.L.U.E. report has incorrect information, file a dispute with LexisNexis right away. Include the claim details you believe are wrong and any documents that support your case. Correcting errors can help prevent inaccurate claims history from affecting your insurance rates.