What you need to know about the CUE database

What is the CUE database?

CUE stands for the Claims and Underwriting Exchange, a database made up of incidents that can then be reported to insurance companies; these may or may not lead to an insurance claim.

It is managed by the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB) and is the UK general insurance industry claims register. CUE was introduced in 1994 to keep prices down for honest policyholders by preventing fraudulent or multiple insurance claims.

CUE benefits insurers as they can use it to calculate insurance costs by analysing claims history. It stores all insurance claims that a customer has made over the last six years, whether that be car,  motorbike, home, personal injury or travel insurance policies a customer has held.

The claims shown can be anything from personal injury or theft, to more minor incidents that may have been reported such as a damaged motorcycle indicator light.

Who supplies the information?

Insurers supply the CUE database with information so that a record of a customer’s claim and notification history is accessible.

How does the information on the CUE database affect my insurance?

Insurers may look at the CUE database in order to work out the right price for your insurance. Information on the database, as well as the vehicle, your age, location and other factors including are used when giving a quote.

The CUE database is also used by insurers in the event of a claim, to ensure previous information which the customer disclosed is correct.

If the information revealed that a previous claim had not been disclosed, the insurer will not pay out on the current claim.

This is why it is so important to be honest about past claims when purchasing insurance. Your insurer could find out by using the CUE database which would cause problems when making a claim in the future.

The benefit for the customer of having their information logged on the CUE database is that with the prevention of fraudulent claims, the cost of insurance is reduced.

What happens if I do not report an incident?

The CUE database contains information supplied by insurance companies, therefore some customers prefer to keep incidents quiet from these companies and not report them, especially if they see it as a minor case.

However, even in the smallest of cases these incidents should be disclosed, if the customer is found deliberately withholding information; this is seen as committing ‘non-disclosure’ or ‘mis-representation’ that may have an impact on the validity of your policy.

How can I request my information from the CUE database?

In order to see the information the CUE database has about you, simply make a free data subject access request using the Motor Insurance Bureau’s (MIB’s) subject access form.

On the form you are given the option to receive your information by email or post, whichever is best for you.

I didn’t end up making a claim but reported an incident and now it’s on the CUE database, what can I do?

Once an incident has been reported it is recorded on the CUE database, no matter how big or small the case, it will appear within the customer’s information for the next six years.

Unless it is felt the claim or notification on a customer’s CUE document is incorrect, the claim or notification will stay on the database for six years. This may or may not affect a quote, dependant on whether the insurer feels there is added risk involved because of the incident.

It is best to have all claims and incidents reported on the CUE database in order to avoid committing ‘non-disclosure’ and facing the consequences of doing so.

The best way to is to use an insurance broker when you next obtain insurance. This is because you can explain to a real person the incident and expand on the circumstances so this can be put into context, which could save you money on your premium.

Why are incidents reported if no claim is made?

Insurers benefit from all information being recorded on the CUE database, even if no claim was made as a result, as it helps understand the risk involved in insuring a customer.

An example of this would be if a motorcycle has been damaged during an attempted theft and the damage was repaired by the customer so no claim was made. The insurer may still see this notification as a future risk as the motorcycle is obviously a target for thieves in the area.

How can I request for an incorrect entry on the CUE database to be removed?

If you wish to get in contact with the Motor Insurance Bureau regarding a complaint, or any other query relating to the CUE database, simply call 0345 1652803 or email dataprotection@mib.org.uk.

Alternatively, if you feel the information stored on the CUE is incorrect you can contact the insurer that you believe has supplied the wrong data.

What if I don’t know the exact dates or costs?

If you do not know the exact dates and/or costs of a claim or incident, you should ask your insurer at the time of the incident claim for this information. This will then ensure all information about you held on the CUE database is accurate.