Things to know before buying your next home

How does someone know if they are being told the truth about the history of a house? Has the home had many claims reported on it because of natural disaster damage? Will the seller of the home disclose all the repairs done through insurance? These are all valid questions and the only way to find out is to obtain a C.L.U.E report, the bad news is, only the owner of a home can obtain the report. Before you buy your next home, especially in Florida or other natural disaster magnet states, ask the seller for a C.L.U.E. report.


Attention Home-Owners...Did you know that when you call and ask questions that some insurance companies will log it on your C.L.U.E. report? This tactic makes other insurers not want to do business with you. You can order your free C.L.U.E. report once a year just like you can with your credit report. If something on your report turns up false, you can challenge it. Visit to order your C.L.U.E. report or call toll free 1-866-527-2600. You will have to fill in some blanks and give your social security number so be prepared. Afterwards though, you can check out your personal auto and homeowners report. There is a charge if you need a homeowners report on more than one address.

Below are some of the FAQ's about C.L.U.E. reports, followed by the answers to those questions.

• What is CLUE?
• What information is included in a C.L.U.E. report?
• Is there any other information besides loss history in the database?
• How long is loss history kept in the C.L.U.E. database?
• Who contributes to the C.L.U.E. database?
• Who has access to C.L.U.E.?
• Can I order a C.L.U.E. report on property I want to purchase?
• How can I obtain a copy of my C.L.U.E. report?
• How can I correct erroneous information on my C.L.U.E. report?
• Can C.L.U.E. reports distinguish between an inquiry and a claim?

What is C.L.U.E.?
C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) is a claims history database created by ChoicePoint that enables insurance companies to access consumer claims information when they are underwriting or rating an insurance policy.

What information is included in a C.L.U.E. report?
The report contains consumer claim information provided by insurance companies. It includes policy information such as name, date of birth, and policy number, claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid, and a description of the property covered. For homeowner’s coverage, the report includes the property address and for auto coverage, it includes specific vehicle information.

Is there any other information besides loss history in the database?
Only loss history information is stored in the database. No other sources of data, credit reports, criminal records, civil lawsuits, legal judgments are incorporated into C.L.U.E. reports.

How long is loss history kept in the C.L.U.E. database?
The database contains up to 5 years of personal property claims history.

Who contributes to the C.L.U.E. database?
Only insurance companies that subscribe to C.L.U.E. can submit loss data and access C.L.U.E. reports. Consumers can access C.L.U.E. reports on themselves and their own properties.
Some companies choose not to subscribe to C.L.U.E. Losses filed with nonparticipating companies will not appear on a C.L.U.E. report.

Who has access to C.L.U.E.?
Insurance companies that contribute loss data to C.L.U.E. can withdraw information from the exchange. In addition, some insurance agents, with the authority of the company they represent, can withdraw data.

Can I order a C.L.U.E. report on property I want to purchase?
No. Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, C.L.U.E. reports can only be accessed by the owner, insurer or lender for the property. However, you can request that the current owner of the property order a C.L.U.E. report.

How can I obtain a copy of my C.L.U.E. report?
Under the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act you can request a copy of your C.L.U.E. report from ChoicePoint Consumer Disclosure, P.O. Box 105108, Atlanta, Georgia 30348-5108, or call toll free 1-866-527-2600.

How can I correct erroneous information on my C.L.U.E. report?
If you discover an error on your C.L.U.E. report, an invalid claim report or an incorrect loss payment, for instance, you can contact ChoicePoint directly and report the problem. ChoicePoint will then contact the insurance company on your behalf and ask for clarification on the matter. The company has 30 days to respond to ChoicePoint and provide evidence that the information on the C.L.U.E. report is accurate. ChoicePoint will follow-up with the insurer after 20 days if the company does not respond and again after 28 days without a response. If the company does not respond within 30 days, ChoicePoint will remove the information from the database.

Can C.L.U.E. reports distinguish between an inquiry and a claim?
C.L.U.E. reports indicate losses by type. Consumers should be aware that contacting their company or their agent to discuss an actual loss might be considered reporting a claim, even if the company does not end up making a claim payment. This is because when a loss occurs, the policy requires the company to take specific actions within specified time frames. Consumers should be specific as to whether they are filing a claim or only making an inquiry.
For instance, a consumer may contact his/her agent to report an event, such as a broken water pipe and to determine the extent of coverage in order to decide whether or not to go forward with the claims process with the company. The insurer might not indemnify the consumer for this loss for a variety of reasons; the amount of damage may be below the deductible; the consumer may decide to pay for the damage, or there may be no coverage for such a loss under the terms of the policy.
If the consumer filed an actual claim and the insurer made no loss payment on this claim, this information would be recorded by the company and may appear on a C.L.U.E. report.
An inquiry is generally regarded as a call by a consumer to a company representative or agent to discuss terms of coverage including the extent of coverage on a specific loss. Many insurers are working on ways to inform their policyholders about the important distinction between a claim and an inquiry.