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- Your insurance history report summarizes your past policies, coverage dates, lapses, claims and cancellations — and insurers use it to set your rates and assess risk.
- The quickest way to get your history is to contact your previous insurer and request a “letter of experience” showing your coverage and claims record.
- Your CLUE report is a separate document that contains your claims history specifically — maintained by LexisNexis and available to you for free once per year.
- Coverage gaps raise red flags with insurers and can result in higher premiums or fewer carrier options, even if you were never in an accident.
- Errors in your report can cost you money — reviewing your history before you shop lets you catch and dispute inaccuracies that could unfairly inflate your premium.
What is a car insurance history report?
A car insurance history report is a record of your past auto insurance policies, including coverage dates, any lapses in coverage, claims filed and policy cancellations. Insurers use this information during the underwriting process to determine your eligibility for coverage and to set your premium.
Think of it as the insurance equivalent of a credit report — it tells your new insurer how you’ve managed coverage in the past. Drivers with a clean, continuous history typically qualify for lower rates, while gaps in coverage, frequent claims, or cancellations for non-payment can signal higher risk and lead to higher premiums.
Your insurance history is pulled from several sources, depending on what the insurer wants to see:
- Letter of experience: Provided by your previous insurer(s), confirming your coverage dates and claims record
- Motor vehicle record (MVR): Maintained by your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles, showing traffic violations and accidents
- CLUE report: A national claims database maintained by LexisNexis
How to get a copy of your insurance history
The fastest and most direct way to obtain your insurance history is to contact your previous car insurance company and request a letter of experience — a document confirming your coverage dates and claims history.
Most insurers can generate this quickly and provide it in writing. If you’ve had multiple insurers over the years, you may need to request a letter from each one.
What if you can’t remember who insured you?
Contact your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Many states maintain records of registered insurance policies tied to your vehicle or driver’s license. The DMV can also provide a copy of your motor vehicle record, which documents tickets and accidents on file.
If you need proof of insurance for a specific time period — for a court, a lender, or another official purpose — only your former insurer can provide that documentation. Your CLUE report covers claims, not proof of active coverage.
What is a CLUE report and how does it affect your rates?
A CLUE report — short for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange — is a detailed record of insurance claims you’ve filed on your home or auto policies over the past seven years. It is maintained by LexisNexis, a data analytics company and is one of the primary tools insurers use to assess your claims history when you apply for new coverage.
Below is a table showing how the CLUE system works.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. You file a claim | Your insurer reports it to the LexisNexis database |
| 2. You apply for new coverage | Your new insurer pulls your CLUE report |
| 3. Claims are reviewed | At-fault accidents, amounts paid and claim frequency are all visible |
| 4. Inquiries are recorded | Even if a claim was never paid, an inquiry may appear |
That last point is worth noting: If you called your insurer to ask about filing a claim but ultimately didn’t — that inquiry can still show up in your CLUE report and may affect how a future insurer views your risk profile.
How to get your free CLUE report: Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you’re entitled to one free copy of your CLUE report per year. You can request it directly from LexisNexis:
- By phone: 866-312-8076
- Online: consumer.risk.lexisnexis.com
If you find an error — such as a claim attributed to you that you didn’t file, or incorrect dates — you have the right to dispute it directly with LexisNexis.
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How insurers use your insurance history to set your rates
Insurers treat your insurance history as a window into how likely you are to file future claims. A record of continuous coverage, no at-fault accidents and few or no claims typically earns you lower rates. A spotty history has the opposite effect.
Here’s what raises red flags during underwriting:
- Coverage lapses: Even a short gap in coverage can increase your premium because insurers view uninsured drivers as higher risk
- At-fault accidents: These follow you for three to five years and can significantly raise your rate
- Frequent claims: Multiple claims in a short period suggest a higher risk, regardless of fault
- Policy cancellations for non-payment: This is one of the most impactful negative marks an insurer can see
- SR-22 requirements: A court-mandated SR-22 filing signals a serious driving offense and limits your carrier options
What you can do: Maintaining continuous coverage — even at minimum levels — during periods when you’re not driving protects your insurance history and keeps your future rates lower.
Frequently Asked Questions: Car insurance history reports
How far back does an insurance history report go?
Your CLUE report covers claims from the past seven years. Your MVR typically goes back three to five years, depending on your state. Letters of experience from individual insurers can cover the full period you were with that company.
Can I check my own insurance history without it affecting my rates?
Yes. Requesting your own CLUE report or MVR is considered a “soft inquiry” and does not affect your insurance rates or credit score. You should review both before shopping for new coverage.
What happens if there’s an error in my insurance history?
Errors can unfairly raise your premium or cause you to be declined. If you find inaccurate information in your CLUE report, dispute it directly with LexisNexis in writing. For MVR errors, contact your state DMV. For incorrect policy records, reach out to the insurer that submitted the inaccurate data.
Does a lapse in coverage always raise my rates?
In most cases, yes. Even a short gap signals to insurers that you went without coverage, which they factor into your risk profile. The longer the lapse, the greater the potential rate impact. Some insurers are more lenient than others, so it’s worth comparing quotes from multiple carriers if you have a lapse in your history.
Do I need to provide my insurance history when getting a new policy?
Typically, no; insurers pull your records directly from the CLUE database and your MVR. However, there are situations (such as switching insurers mid-policy, moving to a new state, or applying for commercial coverage) where you may be asked to provide a letter of experience from your previous insurer to confirm your history.
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