I get it, for 25 years you've dutifully paid your homeowner's insurance and never made a claim.  Your neighbors just had some vendor knock on their door, had them view their roof from the street and now they're replacing their roof from the (I love this one) - hail damage.  Atlanta is an area where we haven't had moisture for ten years and suddenly, intermittently in the same town, wherever a homeowner was home that day, their roof has hail damage.  What a coincidence.  Hey, just get the check from your insurance company and go on that vacation you deserve.

Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange or CLUE is a database that records claims for insurance companies, pretty similar to CARFAX reports.   All of your home insurance claims are listed and kept for 5 years.  Everything is there, the date, type of loss, such as mold remediation.  If an insurance company decides that a CLUE report is too risky he can refuse to insure that home.  That means the lender won't lend to the prospective buyer of your home unless they can find an independent who will charge them (pardon the pun) through the roof.

Buyers and sellers should order the report and just deal with it up front as it's not insurmountable but may cost you in your sales price or some other concession as the buyer will have higher rates for some time to come.

Jim Crawford REMAX

RE/MAX Greater Atlanta  770-238-0122 Direct

Or  888-992-5546 Toll Free Office

Atlanta Real Estate & Atlanta Homes for Sale

 
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18 Comments on Get a CLUE – Watch Out For Claims Against Your Homeowner’s Insurance.

NOV
13
419,222 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Good advice. I usually call an insurance agent to check it out and give a quote well in advance.

7:41pm • #1
606,512 Points 80 Featured Posts Outside Blog

GITA BANTWAL, REALTOR BUCKS COUNTY, PA HOMES (ReMax Centre Realtors)  Thanks Gita.  I think sellers need to be careful how many claims they make.  It really needs to disclosed or can be requested to by the buyers.  They may feel a home with many claims is a 'Lemon!'

7:47pm • #2
199,301 Points 7 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Jim, be careful what you turn in to the insurance man....i't could be held against you later. I know insurance companies are checking on homes.  This is another question to ask potential sellers.

8:20pm • #3
180,955 Points 12 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Jim - It's similar to the injuries that occur in stores, an opportunity to "cash in."

8:27pm • #4
226,452 Points 26 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Jim - I have seen the opposite happen too.  A buyer once had too many claims on his previous property that he had a heard time getting an insurance company to insure him on the home he was trying to purchase.

9:57pm • #7
1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Jim, I heard of the CLUE report some time ago and was a little surprised.  I'm sure a lot of home owners are not aware of it and I believe there is a lot more information in the CLUE report than just claims.  Whenever you call and simply ask a question about a claim, it goes into the CLUE report and I was also told that you should not call an insurance co. to ask them anything unless you absolutely need to.  This information can be used against you as stated above in your post.

10:56pm • #8
606,512 Points 80 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Nick Pappas (Associate Broker e-Pro REMAX MADISON, ALABAMA)  Nick, I don't think most agents are aware of this either.  I come across a lot of issues because I refer out a lot of work.  It is interesting what happens on so many deals that sours them.  This is one of those issues.

11:01pm • #11
NOV
14
106,758 Points

Hello Jim, great points here.  On the selling side when my client is financing the purchase, our Financing Addendum has a small box to check if the buyer wants to ensure their home purchase will have a reasonable insurance premium or, the buyer can be excused from the purchase.  For a Cash Buyer I use the full-blown Insurance Addendum.  No reason to be forced to purchase a lemon!  John

2:01pm • #12

Jim Crawford  Atlanta Real Estate,  RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

Hello Jim, Thank you for the information, I was not aware of the database. 

 

 

RE/MAX Champions Realty Columbus Ga

4:41pm • #14
NOV
15
2 Featured Posts

Jim: Thanks for the reminder for buyers. I checked my own CLUE report and found an erroneous claim on there from a truncated address on my same street. I had the claim removed an it saved me about $180 a year on my home owners policy. Everybody should check!

1:33am • #16
NOV
17

Jim: Thanks for the info. I had no idea that this existed or that multiple claims from a prior homeowner would effect the new owner.

6:58pm • #18
606,512 Points 80 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Kim Curran (RE/MAX Unlimited of Northern Virginia)  Kim, it has been around for a while, but it has been put to use recently.

7:13pm • #19

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Jim Crawford ~ Atlanta Real Estate-ABR E-PRO

Atlanta, GA

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RE/MAX Greater Atlanta

Address: REMAX Greater Atlanta, 1585 Holcomb Bridge Road, Roswell , GA, 30076

Office Phone: (770) 238-0122

Cell Phone: (770) 664-9516

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Atlanta real estate broker associate, real estate columnist for www.RealtyTimes.com, real estate speaker. Real estate marketing, Internet marketing for real estate, real estate coaching Feedjit Live Website Statistics


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