What an estimate audit is
An insurance estimate audit in Ohio is a written, line-by-line review of the adjuster’s estimate. We compare it with the property, your photos and any contractor bids, then flag what is missing, under-measured or underpriced. You get a clear picture of where the gap sits and roughly how large it is.
The audit doesn’t start a formal process, and it doesn’t commit you to anything. It is simply a second, independent read of the numbers by someone who prices Ohio repairs for a living, written so you and your adjuster can follow each point without a translator. You can use it to go back to the adjuster, support a supplement request or decide whether to demand appraisal.
What we look for
- Scope: rooms, slopes or elevations left out; items repaired that should be replaced
- Measurements: roof squares, wall areas and flooring quantities that don’t match the property
- Pricing: unit prices out of step with local Ohio labor and materials
- Depreciation: applied to labor, or applied too heavily for the item’s age
- Overhead and profit: omitted on jobs that need a general contractor
- Code items: required upgrades missing from the estimate
An illustrative example
For example, a Toledo-area homeowner receives a hail estimate for two roof slopes and new gutters on one side. An audit shows the carrier measured 18 squares when the roof is 26, left out drip edge and ice-barrier required by code and depreciated labor. The figures are illustrative, but the pattern is common: the gap is often a handful of specific, documentable items rather than a vague “the estimate is too low.”
How to use the results
Ask for a supplement
Many adjusters will revise an estimate when shown specific, well-documented errors. A clean audit gives them something concrete to approve.
Move to appraisal
If the carrier won’t budge, the audit becomes the foundation of the appraisal valuation. See appraisal demand representation for how that next step works.
Seek legal advice
If the review reveals a coverage denial disguised as a pricing dispute, an Ohio attorney can advise on your options. Ohio has no first-party bad-faith statute giving policyholders a private claim, but the Ohio Supreme Court recognizes a common-law bad-faith tort when an insurer lacks reasonable justification for how it handles or pays a claim. The Ohio Department of Insurance sets claim-handling standards in Ohio Administrative Code 3901-1-54.
Common gaps we find in Ohio estimates
Some patterns show up again and again. Older homes in Cleveland, Cincinnati and Zanesville are priced as if they were built last decade, with plaster, slate and custom trim swapped for cheaper modern equivalents. Roof estimates skip steep-pitch and high-roof charges on two-and-a-half-story houses. Basement finishes are scoped without the drywall, trim and flooring that were actually there. Overhead and profit is left off jobs where a roofer, a plumber, a drywall crew and a painter all need to be coordinated. None of these is exotic, and each one is easy to document once it is spotted.
What to send us
The carrier’s full estimate (PDF, not a summary), payment letters, your policy declarations, photos and any contractor bids. The more complete the file, the more useful the audit. The appraisal readiness checkup lists the documents most often needed.
Questions about estimate audit
How is an estimate audit different from appraisal?
An audit is a review and report you can use however you choose; it has no binding effect. Appraisal is a formal process under your policy that ends with an award setting the amount of loss. Many owners start with an audit and decide afterward.
Can I send the audit to my insurance adjuster?
Yes. Many owners use the audit to request a supplement, pointing to specific missing items and measurements. Adjusters commonly respond better to concrete line items than to general objections.
What estimate formats can be audited?
Most carrier estimates are written in Xactimate or a similar program, and those are the easiest to review line by line. We can also review contractor bids and summary estimates, though detail may be thinner.
Is it worth auditing a small claim?
It can be, especially if you suspect a measurement or depreciation error that is easy to correct. If the potential gap is very small, an audit may help you decide not to spend more on the dispute.