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ADAS calibrations that show up as supplements mid-repair are frustrating for customers and shops alike. They’re also preventable.
The reality is that the calibration was almost always going to be necessary. It just wasn't identified until the repair was already underway, the original estimate was already approved, and the customer was already expecting their vehicle back on a certain date.
From there, the sequence is familiar. The shop writes a supplement, the adjuster requests documentation, the vehicle sits waiting for approval, and the customer gets a call they weren't expecting. Every step adds time, ties up bay space, and creates friction that didn't need to exist.
Pre-authorization changes this by identifying every required calibration before the estimate is written. The work goes on the original submission, approval comes back with the rest of the repair plan, and your team can schedule calibrations alongside body and paint work from day one.
This post will walk through why ADAS work is uniquely prone to supplements, what a pre-authorization workflow looks like in practice, and how to build documentation packages that get approved on the first submission.
Why ADAS work creates supplement problems
ADAS calibration requirements are uniquely prone to showing up as supplements rather than on the original estimate, and it’s because they’re getting missed during the initial assessment. There are a few reasons for this.
First, ADAS-equipped vehicles don't always look the part. Two identical-looking Honda CR-Vs from the same model year can have completely different ADAS configurations depending on trim level and factory options. Without VIN-specific research, estimators are working from assumptions about what the vehicle is equipped with rather than verified data.
Second, the connection between visible collision damage and ADAS calibration requirements isn't always intuitive. A windshield replacement almost always requires forward-facing camera calibration so that’s easy to keep in mind, but structural repairs can affect sensor mounting geometry even when the sensors themselves appear undamaged. These connections aren't obvious from a visual inspection.
Third, many shops still identify calibration requirements reactively. They wait until a pre-scan reveals fault codes, a technician notices a damaged sensor during disassembly, or a post-repair scan flags systems that need attention. By that point, the estimate has already been written and approved, the repair is underway, and any additional ADAS work requires a supplement.
Each supplement creates a chain of delays. The shop has to document the additional requirements, submit to the insurer, wait for review, respond to any follow-up questions, and then schedule the work. According to Revv's 2025 Industry Benchmark Report, 77% of shops experience friction with insurance on ADAS-related claims, so reducing some of that friction is possible if the work is identified and authorized before the repair begins.
What pre-authorization looks like in practice
Pre-authorization goes beyond a single step, requiring a workflow that happens between vehicle intake and repair start. The goal is to identify every required ADAS procedure and get it approved as part of the original estimate. The process has four components.
1. VIN-specific identification
This is the foundation. Before anyone writes an estimate, you need to know exactly what ADAS systems the vehicle is equipped with. A VIN decode will tell you which features are installed on that specific vehicle.
VIN-specific identification answers the questions that visual inspection and general reference guides can't. Does this particular vehicle have adaptive cruise control or blind spot monitoring, for example? Each of these systems has its own calibration requirements based on the type of repair being performed, and missing even one means a supplement later.
The key is running this research before the estimate is written, not after. When calibration requirements are identified at this stage, they go on the original estimate alongside the body and paint work. There's no supplement. There's no delay.
2. Pre-scan diagnostics
VIN decoding tells you what systems the vehicle is equipped with. Pre-scanning tells you what condition those systems are currently in. Together, they provide a complete picture.
A pre-scan will reveal existing fault codes that indicate calibration needs, system malfunctions that go beyond calibration, and baseline data that can be compared against post-repair scans. This data also serves as documentation showing the vehicle's condition at intake, which protects your shop from liability for pre-existing issues.
Pre-scanning every vehicle that enters your shop should be standard practice regardless of pre-authorization goals. But when combined with VIN-specific ADAS identification, pre-scan data strengthens your case for calibration work by providing diagnostic evidence that supports the OEM requirements you're citing.
3. OEM documentation assessments
Identifying required calibrations is only half the job. You also need to show why they're required. OEM documentation provides the manufacturer's stated requirements for calibration after specific repairs, and it's the foundation of any pre-authorization request.
For each required calibration, your documentation should reference the specific OEM procedure or position statement that mandates the work. When insurers can see the specific OEM source behind each line item, questions about necessity drop significantly.
The challenge is that OEM requirements are spread across multiple sources, which can include service manuals, position statements, and technical service bulletins. They also change frequently. Having a reliable, current source for this information is critical for building pre-authorization packages quickly. (More on that in a minute!)
4. Complete initial estimates
With VIN-specific identification, pre-scan data, and OEM documentation in hand, your estimator can build an initial estimate that includes all anticipated ADAS work alongside the collision repair plan.
Each calibration should appear as a separate line item with clear descriptions. Separate your diagnostic work (pre-scan, post-scan) from calibration procedures, and separate different calibration types from each other. Adjusters are more likely to approve charges they can clearly understand, and bundling calibration work into vague line items invites questions.
Include OEM procedure references directly on the estimate. When an adjuster can see that the forward-facing camera calibration is required per a specific Toyota TSB following windshield replacement, the approval process is straightforward. When the estimate just says "ADAS calibration" with a dollar amount, expect follow-up.
How pre-authorization changes your economics
The financial impact of pre-authorization extends beyond avoiding supplement delays.
Cycle time improves because vehicles aren't sitting in your bay waiting for supplemental approvals. When calibration work is authorized upfront, you can plan it into the repair schedule from the start, allocating bay time, scheduling technicians, and coordinating with sublet providers if needed.
Capture rate increases because calibrations are identified during estimating rather than discovered mid-repair. When requirements surface as supplements, some of them inevitably get dropped due to time pressure, customer frustration, or the hassle of going through the approval process again. Pre-authorization eliminates that leakage.
Insurance relationships improve because your submissions are complete and well-documented on the first pass. Adjusters learn to trust estimates from shops that consistently submit thorough, OEM-backed documentation. Over time, this can lead to faster approvals and fewer questions on future claims.
And perhaps best of all, customer satisfaction goes up because repairs stay on schedule and the final bill matches the original estimate. Supplements create an uncomfortable conversation where you have to tell a customer their car will cost more and take longer than expected. Pre-authorization avoids that conversation entirely.
Common obstacles of ADAS pre-authorization and how to handle them
Even with a strong pre-authorization process, some situations will require adjustments.
“Suggested” ADAS calibration guidelines
Not all calibration requirements are definitive. OEM procedures sometimes use language like "calibration may be required," which leaves room for interpretation.
When the language is ambiguous, document why you're recommending calibration based on the specific repair context, and include the OEM language in your documentation so the insurer can see the source. When in doubt, calibrating is the safer choice from both a safety and a liability perspective.
Insurers with specific submission requirements
Some insurers have specific submission requirements. Different carriers may want documentation formatted differently, require specific labor operation codes, or have their own processes for handling ADAS claims.
Understanding the requirements of your most common insurance partners and tailoring your submissions accordingly reduces friction. This is an investment in the relationship that pays off over time.
Complex repairs
Complex repairs may reveal additional requirements during disassembly. Even the most thorough pre-authorization process can't anticipate every scenario.
When hidden damage reveals additional calibration needs, your pre-authorization documentation provides a foundation. You can reference the original VIN decode and pre-scan data while documenting the newly discovered damage, making the supplemental approval faster because the adjuster already has context from the initial submission.
Integrating pre-authorization into your workflow
Pre-authorization works best when it's a standard part of your intake process rather than an extra step that gets skipped when the shop is busy. The goal is to make it automatic: every vehicle gets a VIN decode and pre-scan, every estimate includes identified ADAS requirements, and every submission goes out with OEM documentation attached.
For most shops, the biggest barrier isn't willingness but time. Manual research into VIN-specific ADAS configurations and OEM procedure requirements can take an hour or more per vehicle. When you multiply that across your monthly volume, the research burden becomes significant, which is exactly why many shops default to the supplement approach even though they know pre-authorization is better.
Revv eliminates that bottleneck. Our platform instantly identifies all required ADAS calibrations from any VIN, pulls current OEM procedure requirements based on the estimated repairs, and generates the documentation needed for insurance submission.
What used to take an hour of manual research happens in seconds, making pre-authorization practical even for high-volume shops. With CCC and Mitchell integration, calibration line items flow directly into your estimating platform, so the pre-authorization package is built as a natural part of the estimating process rather than a separate workflow.
Book a demo to see how Revv can help your shop pre-authorize ADAS work on every vehicle and eliminate the supplement cycle.
