Understanding Clue Reports: Auto Insurance Claims Insights

A CLUE report is a historical record of your car insurance claims, used by insurance companies to assign your rates. CLUE stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange and is a database that allows automobile and homeowners insurance providers to exchange information about claims for loss of property. The report contains up to seven years of personal-auto and personal-property claims history. It includes the amount the company paid, the date of loss, type of loss, and the amount paid. It also includes information such as insurance policy numbers, claims numbers, and the names of your insurance companies.

What is a CLUE report?

A CLUE report, or Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange report, is a historical record of insurance claims made by an individual. It is used by insurance companies to determine rates and assess risk when providing insurance policies. The report is generated by LexisNexis, an analytics company, and contains up to seven years of personal auto and property claims history. This includes the type of loss, date of loss, amount paid, insurance policy numbers, claims numbers, and names of insurance companies.

Insurance companies submit a CLUE report whenever they start, deny, or pay out a claim. This allows other insurance companies to access an individual's claims history and make decisions about future insurance policies. The information in a CLUE report can impact insurance rates, with a higher number of past claims potentially leading to more expensive rates.

Individuals can request a free copy of their CLUE report through LexisNexis to review its accuracy and dispute any errors. It is important for individuals to periodically review their CLUE report to ensure that it is accurate and to understand how it may impact their insurance rates.

How to get a CLUE report

A CLUE report is a historical record of your auto insurance claims, used by insurance companies to assign your rates. It contains up to seven years of personal-auto and personal-property claims history.

You can get a free copy of your CLUE report through LexisNexis. You are allowed one free CLUE report each year. You can request your report in the following ways:

• The LexisNexis website
• By phone: 1-866-312-8076, 1-800-458-9197, 800-456-6004, 866-897-8126, or 800-869-0751
• By email: [email protected]
• By mail: LexisNexis Risk Solutions Consumer Center, P.O. Box 105108, Atlanta, GA, 30348-5108

When requesting your free CLUE report, you can ask for a personal property report or an auto report. If you need both reports, you may order them at the same time. Extra copies can be ordered for a fee.

How does a CLUE report affect insurance rates?

A Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) report provides a history of insurance claims made on a specific property or vehicle over the past seven years. It is used by insurance companies to determine coverage and premiums. The more claims listed on a CLUE report, the higher the insurance rates are likely to be.

The CLUE report is generated by analytics firm LexisNexis and contains a variety of information, including the policyholder's personal information, the date of losses and claims, the type of loss, whether the claim was denied, and the amount paid if the claim was approved.

Insurers use the CLUE report to assess the likelihood of future claims being filed. For example, a claim relating to theft could indicate that a car may be stolen again, while claims for fire damage might mean a home is in a wildfire zone. This information is used to determine coverage and rates.

While more claims generally lead to higher premiums, some claims can indicate future repairs are less likely and result in lower rates. For instance, a claim for a new roof or replacement tires could suggest that these areas are now in good condition and less likely to require further work.

It is important to review your CLUE report for accuracy and dispute any errors, as this can impact your insurance rates. Consumers have the right to request a free CLUE report for their property or vehicle each year.

How to use a CLUE report

A CLUE report is a database of auto insurance and home insurance claims over seven years. It is a useful tool for insurance companies, real estate agents, buyers, and sellers. Here are some ways to use a CLUE report:

• Identify potential insurance liabilities: Real estate agents and buyers can use the CLUE report to identify any potential insurance liabilities associated with a property. For example, claims related to water damage, foundation issues, or mould may cause buyers to reconsider the property due to concerns about maintenance costs and high insurance premiums.
• Make informed purchase decisions: Buyers can use the CLUE report to learn about the property's history and make informed decisions. A report with multiple claims can help prepare buyers for potential issues that may arise during a home inspection.
• Facilitate a smooth sales process: Sellers can review their CLUE report to understand how past claims may impact the sale of their home. They can also dispute any incorrect information in the report before putting their house on the market, ensuring a smoother sales process.
• Dispute erroneous claims: If you notice a sudden increase in your insurance premiums without filing any new claims, there may be an error on your CLUE report. Contact LexisNexis to dispute the claim, similar to how you would dispute an error on your credit report. LexisNexis has 30 days to resolve the issue with your insurance company.
• Add personal notes: You can request LexisNexis to add personal notes to your CLUE report. For example, if you made a claim related to a swimming pool but have since removed it, this information can be useful for future insurance companies.
• Monitor claims history: The CLUE report allows you to keep track of your insurance claims history. This can be helpful when switching insurance companies, as your new insurer will have access to your previous claims information.
• Verify accuracy: It is important to review your CLUE report periodically to ensure the accuracy of the information. Insurance companies use the report to calculate your rates, and incorrect or unrelated information can result in higher premiums.

Common information in a CLUE report

A CLUE report, or Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, is a record of your insurance claims history. It is used by insurance companies to determine your insurance rates. The report contains common information, including:

• Personal information such as name, date of birth, and gender.
• Description of the property, including the property address for homeowner claims or specific vehicle information for auto claims.
• Cause of loss or claim on the personal property or car.
• Amount and status of each claim, including the amount paid and whether the claim was denied or paid out.
• Type of policy (e.g. condo, flood, fire, homeowners, mobile home, earthquake, bodily injury, collision, medical payment, comprehensive).
• General information, such as the policy number, claim number, and the name of the insurance company.

The CLUE report deals only with insurance claims and does not include sensitive personal information such as your Social Security number, banking, or credit card information. It is important to review your CLUE report for accuracy and dispute any errors or inaccuracies.

Frequently asked questions