But CLUE reports - short for Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange - are secret no longer. Under the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003, consumers now can order, for free, two detailed reports covering five years of claims on their home and car policies.

The CLUE database is maintained by ChoicePoint of Alpharetta, Ga., which allows consumers to order each of the two types of CLUE reports online within seconds, review them immediately and, if needed, request any incorrect information be fixed.

Ordering your CLUE report can be just as important as obtaining your credit report, given the thousands of dollars many families spend each year to insure their homes and automobiles. The reports are used with other information to set rates and approve coverage.

Because the reports are such important tools for insurance companies, it is critical that consumers fix any errors and, in some cases, add statements to their reports. For example, if your dog bit a neighbor who filed a claim for medical costs on your homeowners insurance policy, you could request that a statement indicating you no longer own the dog be included in your CLUE report.

Already, CLUE reports are becoming an important tool for savvy consumers, said Chuck Jones, ChoicePoint spokesman.

For example, a number of home buyers now are making offers on homes contingent upon receiving a favorable CLUE homeowners report from the home seller, Jones said.

"This is something a lot of home buyers want to see well in advance of closing now," he said.

Why are CLUE reports important to home buyers? They detail the type and magnitude of damage to homes that can cause future costly repair headaches or make the house prohibitively expensive to insure. In some cases, a costly claims history on a home may make it difficult for a buyer to even obtain coverage at all.

CLUE reports, for example, may document whether a property has had water damage or a faulty roof and the extent of the damage.

Jones said home buyers may want to consider providing a copy of a property's CLUE report to their home inspector to ensure problems documented in the reports have been fixed.

Ultimately, CLUE reports demonstrate why it may be a good idea to keep deductibles on your homeowners and automobile insurance policies high and avoid filing claims if at all possible. Many consumers do not realize insurance companies simply do not like people who file a lot of claims, even small ones. Insurers also are not crazy about covering homes with a history of expensive claims such as those involving water, which can lead to costly problems such as toxic mold.

CLUE reports also serve as a warning that anything you tell your insurance agent - even if you end up not filing a claim - could be shared with your insurance company and others, said Tena Friery, research director of the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. So if you aren't going to file a claim on a damaged roof and instead elect to pay to repair the damage yourself, you may want to think twice about calling your agent.

Friery also said it is important for consumers to order and review their CLUE report before shopping around for a homeowners or automobile policy.

"Our concern is that so many people don't know CLUE reports even exist, yet information can end up being included in these reports that is totally inaccurate," she said.

Most people learn about CLUE reports only after they are quoted an extraordinarily high insurance premium or they are denied insurance altogether, she added.

"CLUE reports can be as important as credit reports. Think about it. If you can't get auto insurance, how are you going to drive to work?"

lesley@sltrib.com

Get a CLUE

What it is: A detailed

report covering five years of claims. CLUE reports are available on both home and car policies.

Why you should get it: The reports are used by most insurance companies to set rates and even

determine whether they want to extend coverage at all.

How to get it: To order a free CLUE report, log on to http://www.choicepoint.com

or call 866-312-8076.

Consumers may request two additional free

reports: An employment history report details your past work history, 866-312-8075, and a tenant history report listing homes and apartments you have rented 877-448-5732. All reports include

information collected only in the past five years.