Checking a House's Insurance Claims History (CLUE Report) Before You Buy in Washington (2026)

Short answer: A CLUE report shows the insurance claims filed on a house over roughly the last seven years: the date and type of loss and what the insurer paid. Insurers use that history when they decide whether to cover a home and at what price. As a buyer, you can’t order the report yourself. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner (OIC) says the owner has to request it. So ask the seller for it during your inspection period, compare it with the disclosure form, and start getting insurance quotes early.

This is general information, not legal or insurance advice. Coverage and pricing depend on each insurer, so ask your agent or broker how they treat a property’s claim history.

What a CLUE report is

CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) is a claims-information report from LexisNexis, a consumer reporting agency. The OIC says it generally holds up to seven years of personal auto and property claims. An insurer submits to it when it starts, denies or pays out a claim.

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Based on: Washington OIC, CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) page. The "not on the report" column follows from what the OIC lists; confirm details with the report itself.

Why it matters when you buy

The OIC says an insurer may pull a CLUE report when you apply or ask for a quote. It uses your own claims history, or the claims history at that specific property, to decide whether it will offer coverage and how much you’ll pay. Its page on how insurers set home rates adds that some insurers charge more based on the number or types of claims, and some may cancel coverage over them.

That matters before closing. The CFPB says lenders generally require proof of homeowners insurance, and it suggests getting written quotes from several companies and showing them to your loan officer to confirm they meet the lender’s requirements. If a past claim makes coverage harder to get or more expensive, you want to know while your inspection contingencies is still open, not the week of closing.

The OIC’s homeowner guide also says an insurer may ask about past "occurrences," meaning a loss that wasn’t reported, or one that was reported but never became a claim. So the report isn’t the whole story. The seller’s disclosure and your inspection fill in the rest.

How to ask for it

1. Ask early. The OIC says the owner has to request a CLUE report on the property. Ask through your agent when you make your offer or right after mutual acceptance, and put the request in writing.
2. The seller orders it free. The OIC says the Fair Credit Reporting Act entitles a person to a free copy. The seller can request it on the LexisNexis consumer site or by calling 866-312-8076. The CFPB’s list of consumer reporting companies includes LexisNexis C.L.U.E. under personal property insurance.
3. Ask for the property section. The report has the seller’s personal details on it, so it’s reasonable for them to share only the claims for this address.
4. Get quotes at the same time. Don’t wait for the report to start shopping for insurance.

A seller doesn’t have to agree. If they decline, your inspection, the disclosure form and the insurance quotes carry more weight.

Compare it with the seller disclosure

Washington’s seller disclosure form (Form 17) asks several questions that line up with common home claims. A claim on the report is a reason to reread the matching answer and ask for repair records.

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Based on: RCW 64.06.020 (Form 17 seller disclosure statement), sections 4 and 7; Washington OIC CLUE page.

RCW 64.06.020 currently has two versions on the Legislature’s site: one marked effective until January 1, 2027, and one effective January 1, 2027. The questions quoted here appear in both. If your sale runs across the new year, check which form is being used.

Then give your inspector the list. Point them to anything the report or disclosure mentions, like a past roof leak or water in the basement. See what a standard home inspection covers.

Water claims and the coverage you buy

Water losses are the claims buyers most often want to understand. Two coverage points from the OIC’s homeowner guide are worth knowing:

• A homeowners policy doesn’t cover flooding. Flood insurance is a separate policy. See our guide to buying a home in a flood zone.
• A sewer backup or sump pump overflow endorsement is optional. It covers a sump pump overflow, or a sewer line backing up because of an issue off your property.

If the house had a basement water claim, ask your agent or broker whether you want that endorsement and what it costs.

Your own claims history counts too

The OIC says insurers look at your claims history as well as the property’s. If you’ve had home or auto claims, you can order your own free report and check it for errors before you shop. For a mistake, the LexisNexis Consumer Center is at 888-497-0011. The OIC says LexisNexis verifies with the insurer that reported the item and gets back to you within 30 days, and you can add an explanation that will show on future reports. For help with an insurer, the OIC’s Consumer Advocacy line is 800-562-6900, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

Keep the timing straight with your earnest money and contingency deadlines. For everything else between offer and keys, see the closing process.

FAQ

What is a CLUE report on a house?

CLUE stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange. It’s a claims-history report from LexisNexis, a consumer reporting agency. The Washington Office of the Insurance Commissioner says it generally covers up to seven years of home and auto claims. For a home, it lists the date and type of loss, what the insurer paid, and the property address.

Can I get the CLUE report for a house I’m buying?

Not on your own. The Washington insurance commissioner’s office says that if you need a CLUE report on a property you’d like to buy, the owner has to request it. Ask the seller to order their free report and share the property section during your inspection period.

Why does a home’s claims history matter to a buyer?

Insurers can look at a property’s claim history when deciding whether to offer coverage and at what price. The commissioner’s office says some insurers charge more based on the number or types of claims, and lenders generally require proof of homeowners insurance before closing. A report that shows a water or roof claim is also a reason to ask what was repaired.

Does asking my insurer a question create a CLUE claim?

According to the commissioner’s office, insurers submit to CLUE when they start, deny or pay a claim, and LexisNexis advises them not to report it when you only call with a question about coverage or your deductible. Separately, the commissioner’s homeowner guide says an insurer may ask you about past occurrences, meaning losses you didn’t report or that didn’t turn into a claim.

What if the CLUE report has a mistake?

Whoever’s name is on the report can dispute it with the LexisNexis Consumer Center at 888-497-0011. The commissioner’s office says LexisNexis checks with the insurer that reported it and sends the results within 30 days. You can also add an explanation that appears on future reports. For help with an insurer, the commissioner’s Consumer Advocacy line is 800-562-6900.

Talk it through with a local agent

Peter Kim and Odigo Real Estate Club can help you ask for the right records early and keep insurance from becoming a last-minute problem, with 25+ years combined experience, 593+ closings, and 122 five-star Zillow reviews. See our home buying services.

Odigo Real Estate Club · REAL Brokerage, WA #112064 · 16108 Ash Way, Suite 201, Lynnwood, WA 98087 · (425) 409-3823 · Mon–Sat 9 AM–6 PM, closed Sunday

Sources

• Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, CLUE (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) (up to seven years of claims; when insurers report; report contents; how insurers use it; disputes at 888-497-0011 with results within 30 days; free report at 866-312-8076; owner must request a property report; Consumer Advocacy 800-562-6900), https://www.insurance.wa.gov/insurance-resources/auto-insurance/credit-and-insurance/clue-comprehensive-loss-underwriting-exchange , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, How insurance companies set homeowner rates (some insurers charge more or cancel based on the number or types of claims), https://www.insurance.wa.gov/insurance-resources/home-insurance/how-home-insurance-works/how-insurance-companies-set-homeowner-rates , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, A consumer’s guide to: Homeowner insurance (PDF) (claims and occurrence history; sewer backup or sump pump overflow endorsement; flood not covered), https://www.insurance.wa.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/homeowner-insurance-guide.pdf , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Consumer Disclosure: Submit a Request Online (consumer report request form; Consumer Center 1-888-497-0011), https://consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com/request , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, List of consumer reporting companies (LexisNexis C.L.U.E. listed under personal property insurance), https://www.consumerfinance.gov/consumer-tools/credit-reports-and-scores/consumer-reporting-companies/companies-list/ , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Shop for homeowner’s insurance (get written quotes from several companies; confirm with your loan officer; flood insurance is separate), https://www.consumerfinance.gov/owning-a-home/close/shop-for-homeowners-insurance/ , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, What is homeowner’s insurance? Why is homeowner’s insurance required? (lenders generally require proof of homeowners insurance), https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ask-cfpb/what-is-homeowners-insurance-why-is-homeowners-insurance-required-en-162/ , accessed Nov 3, 2026.
• Washington State Legislature, RCW 64.06.020 (seller disclosure statement form; version effective until Jan 1, 2027 and version effective Jan 1, 2027), https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=64.06.020 , accessed Nov 3, 2026.

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