Clue is more than just a 20th-century board game. It’s also an important thing to know when it comes to owning a home and securing insurance. What is C.L.U.E.? The term stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, and it’s a type of claims history database.
Essentially, CLUE is a free tool that helps you look into the history of a property going back 7 years. This information is used by underwriters to rate insurance policies. Whenever you’re buying a house or looking into a new insurance policy, your CLUE report matters. In this guide, we’ll explore what exactly a CLUE report is and why it’s important to homebuyers.
What Is In a CLUE Report?
What’s included in a CLUE report? Essentially, it’s a home history report. It’s intended to provide insurance company names and policy numbers, as well as any claims that might have occurred in the past.
The report will also list the dates of these claims, the amounts paid for any losses, and whether or not the claim was approved. What types of claims are commonly listed? These are the most common:
- Weater-related losses
- Fires
- Theft
- Vandalism
- Water damage
- And more
However, it’s important to note that the CLUE report doesn’t indicate how exactly the home was affected or the area of the home affected. For example, if there was a theft, it won’t say specifically what was stolen and from where. This is information that the homeowner would have.
What happens if the report is blank? Sometimes the CLUE report can be blank if the homeowner either didn’t make any claims in the past 7 years or if the home was covered by an insurance company that doesn’t participate in the program.
Why Does Clue Matter?
Why is CLUE so important? The simple reason is so you know the history of your new home. Buying a home is a big decision. You want to know a lot about the history of the house to make sure you know what you’re getting yourself into.
That home that looks so perfect when you visited might not be as perfect behind the scenes. A CLUE report could indicate that the home recently had a big repair, extensive damage, or another problem within the last 7 years. Depending on the extent of the damage, this could be a serious deterrent from purchasing this property.
Get a CLUE
How do you get your own CLUE report? If you’re considering a new property, it’s a smart idea to review the clue report. However, there’s a catch. Only the current homeowner can get the CLUE report. That means you’ll need to request the report from the owner you’re purchasing from.
Most sellers already have the CLUE report ready to share with prospective buyers when starting the selling process. This is a sign that they’re confident in their property and it’s current condition.
If you’re looking for a CLUE report on your current home for insurance purposes, you can get one a year through the online CLUE database. This report should be free unless you need more than one request per year. It’s important to keep a close eye on your CLUE report to ensure everything is accurate and up-to-date.
Understanding a Home’s CLUE Report
Finally, realize that a CLUE report is not the same as a home inspection. It’s important to have any prospective property inspected before making a purchase to ensure you know the current condition since things can change quickly. Always conduct your own home inspection before buying a home, but using a CLUE report is also a great supplemental tool.
Now that you know what CLUE report is, you’re ready to start the homebuying process with confidence. This is one of the many important pieces of the home buying puzzle, and it tells one side of the property’s story.