Ok, here comes more Insurance babble.
What is C.L.U.E.? Well, it’s not a board game, that’s Clue.
C.L.U.E. stands for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange. “That’s Nice. So what is it?”
Simply put, it is a network of information used by your Insurance Co. to report losses. This information is shared by other Insurance Companies. The claim you reported to your Ins. Co. last year that allowed you to fix your car door when “Some idiot” swung his car door in the parking lot will be shared by your Ins. Co. with every other Ins. Co.

Yep! they are going to know.

Does “The Insurance Agent” have a problem with this? Absolutey not.  “The Insurance Agent” (and most Insurance Companies) believes that you should be rewarded with lower Premiums for limiting your losses.  I do have a problem with  in-accurate information.  Let’s look at an example.

Say you have a 3rd. car. It is 10 years old. You keep it in good running shape but it’s not worth much so you are saving some of your outrageous premiums $s.by not buying comprehensive and collision coverage (good decision on your part). Well it is Fri. Night you just picked up a pizza for the kids. Hey! some idiot ripped off my mirror. Is it covered or not?   “I know, I will call my Insurance Co.” “Hey, I may get lucky and get to talk to a cute lizard with a nice accent” … “Just kidding”.  “Can you help me? Some one just hit my car mirror. I would like to report a loss” (after checking your policy) “I’m sorry Ms. Policy Holder, but you have not purchased this coverage on your older car.”  You are ok with that. You know why you decided not to buy this type of coverage. 

A year from now, you are checking out some new insurance for your car. Your have just been informed that you have in fact had a loss to your car.  “Hey, No. No. No.  my insurance co. never paid a dime.”  What happened? 

Here is what probably happened. The person, with whom you spoke with, entered the  damage to your car as a “Loss”.

There is a distinct difference between an “Inquiry” regarding what your specific policy will pay for and a “Loss”.

Losses should appear on “Your” C.L.U.E. report. Inquires should not.

“Here it comes. Now he is going to tell me how this would never have happened if I only used the services of an Independent Insurance Agent.”

“Nope, It’s late and we are both tired” It can happen but let’s take a look at the probabilities.

Ask yourself some questions. When I make that call, who am I talking to?  Is it some one who knows me?  Is it some one that I have ever spoken with before? Is it someone who can take the time to listen to me or some one who is thinking about the next 10 calls that are flashing in?   Is it some one that I just helped to make their mortgage payment when I paid my Insurance Premium?

But, you get the picture.  Just be sure that whom ever you are talking to understands what you want to do.

Hopefully, at this point you are thinking “If I report a loss that is covered by my policy but is less than my deductible, does this show up on My C.L.U.E. report?

Yes!

‘Nuff said!