Insurance claims guide
How insurance supplements work — and why you'll probably need one.
A supplement is an updated repair estimate submitted to your insurance company after the shop does a proper inspection. It's the most important document in your hail claim — and it's the document most first-timers don't even know exists.
Why the first estimate is always too low
Insurance adjusters inspect vehicles in imperfect conditions. Sometimes they're at a CAT site (a parking lot with dozens of claims running simultaneously) in bright sunlight, which hides dents. Sometimes they're working from photos on their phone. Sometimes they never see the vehicle in person — they estimate from your submitted photos. Under any of those conditions, 20-40% of dents get missed.
This isn't a conspiracy. It's how the industry operates — speed over precision on the initial inspection. The system assumes a supplement will catch the rest.
What a proper shop inspection looks like
When your vehicle comes into our shop, we pull it under LED line-board lighting — a bank of striped fluorescent tubes whose reflection reveals every deformation in the metal. Dents invisible in sunlight become obvious under the line board. We map each panel individually, count by dent size (dime / nickel / quarter / half-dollar), and classify per the CCC ONE matrix.
That detailed count becomes the supplement. It gets submitted with photos showing each documented dent, formatted in the exact same software the adjuster uses.
The approval process
The adjuster reviews our supplement, typically within 1-2 business days. They may ask follow-up questions or request specific photos — we respond same-day. Once approved, your claim total is updated and insurance pays the shop directly.
Most hail claims require at least one supplement round. Some severe damage claims require two rounds. Occasionally an adjuster pushes back hard on a specific line item and we have to defend it — that's rare but it happens, and that's why experienced shops matter.
Your role in the process
Simple: authorize us to talk to your insurance company by signing our work authorization. That's it. We handle the supplement writing, submission, questions, and negotiation. You'll get text updates at each milestone. You don't need to understand CCC ONE, you don't need to learn insurance lingo, you don't need to be on calls.
Related: Will my rates go up? · What's a deductible? · Total-loss threshold
Supplement FAQ
What customers ask about the supplement process.
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Why are supplements so common on hail claims?
Because initial inspections underestimate damage by 20-40% on average. Adjusters work quickly, in outdoor or photo-based conditions, without the LED line-board lighting that makes dents visible. Every shop re-inspects properly and finds more damage. That difference becomes the supplement.
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Who pays for the supplement?
Your insurance company. Supplements are additional covered work under your existing claim — your deductible doesn't reset, you don't pay extra. The supplement just updates the total that insurance owes the shop.
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How long does supplement approval take?
Typically 1-2 business days per round. Most hail claims need one round of supplement; complex ones sometimes need two. Approval usually comes back quickly when the supplement is well-documented with photos and written in CCC ONE format.
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Do I need to do anything during the supplement process?
No. The shop writes the supplement, submits it to the adjuster, answers questions, negotiates approval. You'll get text updates but you don't need to be on any calls. This is exactly what shops like us are for.