Guide to the insurance claims history report (CLUE)

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Getting a CLUE report is one way to make sure you don’t have any last-minute home insurance coverage issues when buying a new home.

Imagine you found your dream home. Your credit score is excellent and you were able to secure a low rate on your mortgage.

Then, days before you’re scheduled to close, you find out you can’t get homeowners insurance. You learn your so-called dream home is uninsurable because the previous owner has a lengthy history of homeowners insurance claims.

That issue could be avoided if you requested a CLUE report before agreeing to buy the home.

Key Takeaways

A CLUE report is a way for insurers to check for insurance claims on autos and property over seven years.
Insurance companies considers CLUE report and review this information when deciding on whether to give you a homeowners policy.
You can request for a CLUE report online, via mail, or by directly contacting LexisNexis.
If you’re buying a home, make sure to check the CLUE report on the property. Review any claims to see what insurance-related work has been done on the property over the past few years.

What is a CLUE report?

Every cookie you eat these days leaves a crumb on the path of your life. In the credit world, it’s your FICO score and credit report. In the insurance world, it’s the CLUE report.

A CLUE report — Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange — is a compilation of claims on autos and property over seven years. Insurance companies review this information when deciding on whether to give you a homeowners policy and when setting your rates.

How does a CLUE report work?

Owned and operated by LEXIS-NEXIS, CLUE is a way for insurers to track auto, home and renters claims.

It’s important to remember that the report, while helpful, isn’t universal. While it’s a glimpse into a home’s claims history, insurance companies don’t have to provide the data to CLUE. So, a CLUE report may not include a complete home claims picture.

Homeowners insurance companies provide the following information for the CLUE report:

Policy number
Insurance company’s name
Date of loss
Type of loss
Amount that the homeowners insurance company paid for the loss

Types of claims you may find on CLUEs report:

Contamination
Damage to other people’s property
Dog bite
Earthquake
Fire
Flood
Freezing water
Hail
Liability
Lightning
Medical payment
Slip/fall
Smoke
Theft/burglary
Vandalism
Water damage
Wind
Workers compensation

How to get a CLUE report

The claims history report — the CLUE Report — is relatively easy to get. LEXIS-NEXIS accepts requests for CLUE reports online, via email and snail mail or over the phone.

Here are ways to request a copy:

Online: https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/
Call: 888-497-0011
Email: consumer.documents@lexisnexisrisk.com
You could also request a copy from a homeowner

There are a host of security questions that you must answer to confirm your identity.

You can order a report for yourself/your property or someone over whom you have legal authority, such as a minor.

Thanks to the Fair And Accurate Credit Transaction Act (FACTA), you’re entitled to one free copy of your report per year.

When you apply for homeowners insurance, your insurance company will request a loss history report to determine whether you, the buyer or the seller have filed any claims during the past seven years. The database also includes damage reports that were later closed when the owner made the repairs.

QuickTake

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Before you know it, your kitchen is on fire

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How can I check my home insurance claims history?

If you’re buying a home, you may want to ask the seller to pull the CLUE report on the property. You can then review any claims and see what insurance-related work was done on the property in recent years. Follow these simple steps to get your CLUE reports from LexisNexis:

Requesting your CLUE report online
Submitting a request by downloading a form and sending it to them via mail
Order the report over the phone at 866-312-8076

Loss history reports alert insurance companies to properties that potentially carry more risk than they are willing to assume. They also give consumers another tool to make good purchasing decisions.

Do home insurance claims follow you?

Yes, most home insurance companies provide information to the CLUE report, so your claims history follows you. Your home’s claims history also influences rates — even if the claims were before you owned the home.

Claims going back up to seven years will be on the CLUE report. Keep in mind that while the CLUE report won’t contain inquiries to a home insurance company, insurers may have their own records.

So, if you called a home insurance company about a potential claim but wound up handling the issue yourself, an insurer may still have that communication on your records.

Buying a house with an open insurance claim

You can buy a home with an open claim. Having an outstanding claim shouldn’t stop you from selling your house, nor should it stop anyone from buying it.

Here are two options if you want to buy a home with an open insurance claim.

The first option — and the easiest — is to lower the selling price and sell it “as is.” This is a pro for both parties:

The seller gets out of the hassle of having to have any damage repaired.
The buyer gets a deal on the property.

In this situation, the house seller would keep the insurance claim money because the price was lowered on the house. They would still have to get a reputable professional to give a quote to reflect the actual cost to fix the issues.

One con in that scenario is that the new homeowner may appear to be getting a deal, but really they have to put up money out of their own pocket to get the damages fixed.

Another, more complicated, option is to transfer the claim to the new homeowner. In that case, all hassle is removed from the seller, which is a bonus for that party. The pro for the new homeowner is that they can find their own contractors and feel comfortable with the work.

A con in either scenario is that there’s still an insurance claims history on the house that will go on the CLUE report and likely increase home insurance rates temporarily.

Make sure you can insure your home

It pays to educate yourself about home insurance when you’re seeking affordable coverage. Here are some ways you can help yourself:

Find out the rules regarding home insurance renewals in your state. Some states exercise control over when an insurer can refuse to renew your policy. In Texas, for example, an insurer can’t refuse to renew your home insurance policy unless you’ve made three non-weather-related claims within the past three years.
Consider paying for small losses out of your own pocket. Insurers take notice of customers who submit many small claims. If someone breaks into your house and steals your new TV, it might be better to buy a new one at your own expense. That’s especially true if you’ve had a claim or two within the past three years.
Think twice before you call your agent or insurance company. If you’re considering filing a claim but aren’t sure, wait to make that call. The minute your insurer’s customer service representative logs your call, the insurer opens a file on that issue that it will track through its computer system.
Shop around for coverage. Don’t get discouraged if your insurer denies a policy based on previous claims or the rates are simply unaffordable. Obtain insurance quotes from at least three other insurers so you can compare premiums and coverage options. Insure.com provides an annual ranking of the Best Home Insurance Companies.
See if your state has a Fair Access to Insurance Requirements (FAIR) Plan if you can’t get a home insurance policy. FAIR plans were created in the late-1960s to make property insurance more readily available to people who can’t obtain it from private insurers because their property is considered “high risk.”
Raise your deductible and bundle policies. Consider raising your deductible to lower your premiums. Also, most companies give you a discount if you insure both your car and home with them.
Check your credit record. In addition to your past claims history, most states allow insurers to use your credit history when deciding on a policy and setting rates.
Order a copy of your credit record periodically. This will ensure it doesn’t contain mistakes that could prevent you from obtaining a home insurance policy or lead to higher premiums. See how your credit history affects your auto and home insurance premiums.

Do home insurance companies share claims history?

Yes, insurance companies share any information related to insurance claims on your CLUE report. Insurers use this information to assess the risk when someone applies for an insurance policy. The database is extensive, containing information about all the claims you’ve made in the past seven years and claims that were filed on the property even before you lived there.

Can insurance companies see previous claims?

Yes. Insurance companies can see previous claims on a property using the CLUE report. Insurers consider claims history in their underwriting process, and if there was a claim on the property in the past, it could lead to a higher premium offer from an insurer.

Can you look up insurance claims on a house?

Only homeowners and insurance carriers are allowed to request an official CLUE report. You can ask the property seller for a copy of the CLUE report to learn about the property’s claims history. LexisNexis is a research company that maintains the CLUE database and most home insurance companies contribute to it.

How much does a CLUE report cost?

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act allows consumers to get a free copy of the CLUE report every year upon request. And if you need a CLUE report on a property you are planning to buy, you’ll have to ask the owner to request it.

Frequently asked questions about clue report

Are insurance claims public record?

Yes, insurance claims are public record, but not everyone can see them.

The insurance company and the policyholder can request and receive copies of claims. Realtors and prospective buyer for a property can also request to see your insurance claims. Unrelated parties — those other than the insurer, homeowner, realtor or prospective buyer — can’t access these documents.

How is a CLUE report generated?

Homeowners and insurers are the only ones who can request a CLUE report. But you might be able to get your hands on one from the home seller to know more about the property’s claim history.

How do CLUE reports affect your homeowners insurance?

A CLUE Report can either positively or negatively impact your homeowners insurance. LexisNexis stores this information for review and the insurance company will check your history with LexisNexis to get a better idea of how healthy your home is. Each insurer follows their own methodology which determines how different outcomes may be used in determining your insurance premium.

How long do claims stay on a CLUE report?

Claims stay on a CLUE report for five to seven years from the date filed.

How to get a clue report online?

You can request for a free copy of your CLUE report online by visiting the official website of LexisNexis or by contacting at 866-312-8076.

How to find insurance claims on a property?

You can find out about the insurance claims on a property by using the CLUE report or seller’s disclosure reports, that holds all the information of any previous claims that have been filed over the last five years.

Sources:

Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance. “Frequently Asked Questions about CLUE” Accessed May 2022.

The National Association of Realtors. “What is a CLUE report.” Accessed May 2022.

Susan Manning contributed to this story.

Shivani Gite

Contributing Writer

Shivani Gite is a personal finance and insurance writer with a degree in journalism and mass communication. She is passionate about making insurance topics easy to understand for people and helping them make better financial decisions.