The short version
- An estimate audit is a line-by-line review of your estimate for missed operations, before you submit it.
- I tell you what is missing and why it is supportable, and I write the supplement for it.
- It works on CCC ONE and Mitchell estimates, for hail, collision and PDR files.
- An estimate audit is $120 per file. For an audit-only pack, contact Storm Rider and a package is built for your shop.
- Christopher Johnson does every audit. 17 years writing estimates, writing hail since 2021.
What an estimate audit checks
I go through the file line by line against the photographs and the repair the vehicle needs.
Most of what gets missed on an estimate is small. A clip that breaks when the trim comes off, a scan, a kit of seam sealer, a door that has to come off for refinish coverage. On a long hail file, those are easy to leave off, and the shop pays for them anyway when the work gets done. These are the things I look for:
- Access operations and R&I the repair requires
- Single-use clips and retainers, each on its own line with a part number
- Pre and post repair scans and system diagnosis
- Materials such as seam sealer, panel bond adhesive, corrosion protection and NVH damping material
- Adjacent panel repair, blends and clear coat
- Operations the database does not include
For more on how R&I and small parts get missed, read You're Doing a Lot of This Work for Free.
What estimate scrubbing finds, from a real estimate
These lines are from a CCC ONE estimate I wrote for Extreme Hail & Collision on a 2025 Honda CR-V Hybrid. They are the kind of lines an audit finds missing.
| Line | Oper | Description | Qty | Price $ | Labor | Paint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 57 | * SINGLE USE ITEMS * | 1 | ||||
| 60 | Repl | LT Cowl trim clip yellow (91560SZWJ01) | 1 | 6.57 | ||
| 61 | Repl | RT Cowl trim clip yellow (91560SZWJ01) | 1 | 6.57 | ||
| 62 | Repl | LT Cowl trim clip green (91560SZW003) | 1 | 0.50 | ||
| 63 | Repl | RT Cowl trim clip green (91560SZW003) | 1 | 0.50 | ||
| 64 | Repl | LT W/S pillar trim lower clip (91560SZW003) | 1 | 0.50 | ||
| 65 | Repl | RT W/S pillar trim lower clip (91560SZW003) | 1 | 0.50 | ||
| 66 | Repl | LT W/S pillar trim upper clip (91561T20A01) | 1 | 7.48 | ||
| 67 | Repl | RT W/S pillar trim upper clip (91561T20A01) | 1 | 7.48 |
| Line | Oper | Description | Qty | Price $ | Labor | Paint |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 142 | VEHICLE DIAGNOSTICS | |||||
| 143 | Rpr | Pre-repair scan | 1.0 M | |||
| 144 | Rpr | Post-repair scan | 1.0 M | |||
| 145 | MISCELLANEOUS OPERATIONS | |||||
| 146 | Subl | Hazardous Waste Removal | 1 | 8.00 | ||
| 148 | Repl | E-Coat Application | 1 | 30.00 | 1.0 | |
| 152 | Refn | Corrosion Protect/Cavity Wax Repaired Panel (Per Panel) | 0.3 | |||
| 153 | Refn | Corrosion Protect/Cavity Wax Weld on Panel | 1.0 | |||
| 154 | Repl | Self Leveling Seam Sealer (1 Kit) | 1 | 83.68 | ||
| 155 | Repl | Panel Bond Adhesive (1 Kit) | 1 | 84.86 | ||
| 156 | Repl | NVH Damping Material (1 Kit) | 1 | 84.42 | ||
| 157 | Repl | Clean and Prep for Delivery | 1 | 85.00 | 1.0 | |
| Note: NOT INCLUDED IN ANY DATABASE OPERATION | ||||||
How a hail audit or estimate audit works
Send the estimate
Upload the estimate you plan to submit, from CCC ONE or Mitchell, with the photographs of the vehicle on the upload page. For a hail audit, include the dent counts by panel.
I review it line by line
I go through the file against the photographs and look for operations, parts and materials that should be on it and aren't.
I list what is missing
Each missed operation, with the reason it is supportable.
I write the supplement
The missing operations are written as a supplement in your CCC ONE or Mitchell and placed in the drive. Your shop sends it to the carrier.
Estimate audit pricing
Audits are priced separately from estimates and supplements.
- Estimate audit$120Per file. Estimate scrubbing and hail audits are the same service at the same price.
- Audit-only packAskA shop that wants a pack for audits only can contact Storm Rider, and a package is built for that shop.
- Estimate or supplement$150One credit per file, down to $115 per file with a 100 pack. The first file is free.
See all pricing.
Related services
If you would rather have the file written than audited, these are the services that write it:
- CCC ONE estimates: estimates written in your shop's own CCC ONE or Mitchell account.
- Collision supplements: supplements for collision and hail files, written against a short carrier estimate or after teardown.
- PDR estimate writing: insurance estimates for PDR companies.
- Remote auto estimating services: everything Storm Rider Solutions writes, in one place.
Questions shops ask about estimate audits and hail audits
What is an estimate audit?
An estimate audit is a line-by-line review of a repair estimate for missed operations, done before the shop submits it. Storm Rider Solutions reviews the file and tells the shop what is missing and why it is supportable.
What is estimate scrubbing?
Estimate scrubbing is another name for an estimate audit. The estimate is gone through line by line before it is submitted, looking for operations, parts and materials that should be on the file and are not.
What is a hail audit?
A hail audit is an estimate audit on a hail file. Hail files are long, and the lines that get missed are usually small ones: access operations, R&I, single-use clips, scans and materials.
How much does an estimate audit cost?
$120 per file. A shop that wants a pack for audits only can contact Storm Rider Solutions, and a package is built for that shop.
Do you change the estimate during an audit?
No. I review the file and list what is missing and why it is supportable, and then I write the supplement for the missing operations.
What do I send for an estimate audit?
The estimate you plan to submit, from CCC ONE or Mitchell, and the photographs of the vehicle. For a hail audit, include the dent counts by panel. Send everything on the upload page.
Upload the estimate and the photographs. For an audit-only pack, contact Storm Rider at 401-203-5823 or Admin@stormrsolutions.com.