How Does a CLUE Report Affect Insurance?

If you plan on shopping for new insurance, knowing what's in your CLUE report is important. sabthai/Shutterstock

Insurance companies rely on Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (CLUE) reports when determining pricing. A CLUE report, which provides information about insurance history, is available to all insurance companies.

But what’s in a CLUE report? Can a consumer request the report? CLUE reports can be a significant factor in establishing your home or auto insurance premium. It can also be used when evaluating whether to purchase a home or auto. Here’s all you need to know about CLUE reports.

What Is a CLUE Report?

A CLUE report contains the history of all insurance claims on a vehicle or specific property.

The CLUE report is maintained by LexisNexis, an American data analytics company headquartered in New York.

LexisNexis provides risk, legal, and business management solutions through various products. These include databases like the CLUE report.

According to LexisNexis, 90 percent of home insurance underwriters use the CLUE report to help determine premiums.

Auto insurers use the CLUE report as well. LexisNexis reports that 99.6 percent of the auto industry contributes claims activities to the CLUE report. That makes it the most comprehensive claims history database in the United States.

Information Contained in a CLUE Report

A CLUE report contains various items, including basic information regarding the policyholder, as well as information about specific claims.

Some information on the report includes:

• insurance company
• policyholder personal information
• policy number
• type of loss
• if the claim was denied

It will also describe the property covered and the amount paid for any losses incurred.

There is no other information, such as credit reports, criminal records, or legal judgments, that is incorporated in a CLUE report.

Your losses will remain in the CLUE report for seven years.

How Does an Insurance Company Use a CLUE Report?

Insurance companies use the CLUE report to assess risk. They can see what risks are associated with them by an insured’s claim history.

A property or vehicle with a history of claims may be considered a higher risk. This could potentially lead to higher premiums for the consumer. A CLUE report can influence an insurance company’s decision to offer coverage, the terms of the policy, and the premium amount.

But just like frequent claims may lead to higher premiums, a clean CLUE report that shows no or minimal losses can positively influence premiums and potentially lead to lower rates.

What Law Permits CLUE Reports?

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) designates individuals who can obtain a report like the CLUE. The FCRA doesn’t directly mention the CLUE report, but it covers “consumer reports.” This is any written, oral, or other communication by a consumer reporting agency.

It refers to:

• credit standing
• credit capacity
• creditworthiness
• character
• general reputation
• personal characteristics
• mode of living

This information can be used to serve as a factor in establishing consumers’ eligibility for credit or insurance to be used for personal, family, or household purposes.

Credit bureaus like Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion come under this act. LexisNexis is permitted to report under the FCRA as well.

Who Can Order a CLUE Report?

There are three groups of individuals who can order a CLUE report.

As a property owner, you can request a report for your own property for free, once every 12 months. But you can’t request a CLUE report on another person’s property. If you’re planning on purchasing another property and want to see the report, you must ask the current owner to request one for you.

As a prospective buyer, a CLUE report will give insight into the property’s claim history, helping them make an informed decision. This is especially important if there is an “attractive nuisance” on the property, like a swimming pool.

Insurance companies can also access CLUE reports. They use it as part of their underwriting and rating process. With the report, they will determine whether your property or auto is right for them to insure. It also helps them establish a premium.

A lender may access CLUE reports to assess the risk associated with a property.

Can You Change an Erroneous CLUE Report?

It’s important to order a CLUE report. Errors can occur. If you see an invalid claim or an incorrect loss payment, you should contact LexisNexis and report the problem. LexisNexis will then contact the insurance company on your behalf. They will ask the insurance company for clarification and notify you of the results within 30 days.

There may be a correct claim on the CLUE report, but you feel the item needs an explanation. You can submit a personal statement that LexisNexis will add to the report.

An example of needing to supply a personal statement is a liability claim for a dog bite. If you no longer have the dog, you should provide that information in your CLUE report.

How Consumers Order CLUE Reports

You can obtain a CLUE report from LexisNexis by speaking to a customer representative at 1-888-497-0011. You can also visit its website. For additional information, follow the instructions of its online request form. It will give you information relating to specific states.

Importance of Knowing Your CLUE Report

If you plan on shopping for new insurance, knowing what’s in your CLUE report is important. You may think you don’t have claims, but you should check to ensure there are no errors.

Although the CLUE isn’t used for renewing existing policies, it is used for new policies.

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