# 04 Rates and money: labor, paint materials, sublet, fees, what insurers pay for

Research date: 2026-10-17. Scope: public US data, 2025 to 2026. Downloaded files were not executed. No forms were submitted.

## Already in our folder

Source folder: `research/vive/3-insurers/` and `docs/05-sources.md`. This file does not repeat these items.

- **MA Labor Rate Advisory Board report, 22 Dec 2025.** File: `raw/ma_labor_rate_advisory_board_HD5573.md`. Insurer-paid weighted average: $49 body, $49 refinish, $55 mechanical, $46 structural, $50 frame. The range is $43 to $55 body. Shop posted mean is $68 body, $67 refinish, $98 aluminum, $108 mechanical, $84 structural, $85 frame. The sample is 476 shops.
- **RI 2024 insurer prevailing rates.** Bulletin 2024-10. The 2025 values came only from MA report Appendix F. See the correction below.
- **VT Act 32 report, Dec 2025.** Shop body rates are $60 to $84, with a mean of $67. The insurer-paid mean is $60.50 for 2024.
- **Who Pays for What survey rows in `shop_evidence.csv`.** The rows cover 2023 to 2026: scans, seatbelt inspections, refinish FPB, sand and buff, the 2026 frame pre-measure and final verification, jig rental and blend time.
- **Labor-rate cuts.** The CRASH fall 2025 survey says that 1 in 4 shops had an insurer cut its rate. The Fender Bender poll says that 57% saw State Farm cut its rate. P&C Specialist reports cuts of up to 20%.
- **Other items.** The State Farm OPUS ADAS MAP program is in the folder. So is the New England Automotive Report MA survey, where 85% of shops are paid $40 to $59. The Prospect v State Farm trial ruling of Apr 2025 is there, plus the CRASH insurer report cards.
- **CCC Crash Course 2026 headline numbers.** TCOR is $4,818. The calibration rate is 28.3%. Total loss is 23.1%. In the Q4 2025 data, 51.5% of calibrations were on a supplement.
- **State labor-rate rules.** `state_rules.csv` covers NJ, NY, PA, MA, VT, CT, NH, RI and ME.

## Summary table

| Data item | Public? | Latest value, date, geography | Source URL | Confidence | How Revv uses it |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National weighted labor rates by category | Yes free | CY2025 US. Mean $67.46. Body $64.44. Frame $80.15. Mechanical $127.14. Paint labor $64.10. The year-on-year change is +2.9%. | https://www.cccis.com/reports/crash-course-2026 (Figure 44) | High | Default rates when a shop has no profile. Flags a rate below the national mean. |
| National paint supply rate per refinish hour | Yes free | CY2025 US. $42.53 per hour. +3.2% on 2024 ($41.20). | Same as above, Figure 44 | High | Default P&M rate. Benchmark to show that an insurer P&M cap is low. |
| Labor rate trend, 2026 | Yes free | H1 2026 US. Labor rates +1.5% year on year. Part prices about +8%. | https://www.cccis.com/news-and-insights/posts/crash-course-2026-mid-year-update | High | Context for supplement notes. |
| Shop posted labor rates, national, monthly | Yes free (headline). Local search is paid. | Sep 2026 US. Body $85.56. Refinish $84.65. Frame $116.78. Mechanical $161.63. The YoY change is +6.7%, +5.6%, +6.4% and +12.7%. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/labor-rate-index-shops-that-raised-rates-moved-from-below-to-above-national-averages | Medium. The data is self-reported, so there is selection bias. | Shows the gap between posted and paid rates. Use it in negotiation text. |
| RI insurer prevailing rates, 2025 final | Yes free | Bulletin 2025-5, 24 Oct 2025, RI. Share-weighted Class A body is about $54.44 for 14 filers. Class B is about $52.64. Mechanical runs $59 to $122. Aluminum runs $55 to $125. | https://dbr.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur696/files/2025-10/INS_Bulletin%202025-5%20Auto%20Body%20Labor%20Rate%20Survey%20Results.pdf | High | Per-insurer rate table for RI. Insurer-by-insurer comparison. |
| RI 2026 survey | Partly | Bulletin 2026-2 lists the insurers that must survey. Reports were due 1 Sep 2026. No 2026 results are published yet. | https://dbr.ri.gov/sites/g/files/xkgbur696/files/2026-04/ins-Bulletin%202026-2%20-%20Auto%20Body%20Labor%20Rate%20Survey%20effective%20May%202026.pdf | High | Watch for the 2026 results bulletin. Expect it about Oct to Nov 2026. |
| CA insurer labor rate surveys | Yes free | CDI posts each insurer's survey under Ins. Code 758(c). Numbers were not pulled. The documents sit behind page buttons. | https://lrssearch.insurance.ca.gov/ | High that it exists. Values not checked. | Highest-value public source for CA insurer rates by area. Next step: a manual pull. |
| Hawaii labor rate survey | No current public data | Only a 2016 NABR Honolulu survey launch was found. No 2025 to 2026 state or insurer data was found. | https://www.nationalautobodyresearch.com/nabr-launches-vrs-labor-rate-survey-in-honolulu-hawaii | High that nothing current was found | None. |
| NY and PA labor rate data | No | No state survey exists. The NY S8350 study bill is not enacted. | (see state_rules.csv) | High | None. |
| Insurer rate surveys in lawsuits | Partly | NY App Div 2d Dept, 23 Sep 2026. State Farm did not produce its prevailing-rate survey. The court reversed summary judgment. The shortfall is $6,548.38. | https://www.nycourts.gov/reporter/current/3dseries/2026/2026_05431.shtml | High | Supplement text: ask the insurer to produce the survey behind its rate. |
| Average repairable severity, CCC | Yes free | CY2025 US. $4,818, +1.7%. H1 2026 US: about $4,821, +0.6%. Self-pay average is $1,941. | Crash Course 2026 and the mid-year update | High | Sanity check for estimate totals. |
| Average repairable severity, Mitchell | Yes free | Q2 2026 US. ICE $4,955. BEV $5,684. PHEV $5,022. MHEV $5,033. | https://www.mitchell.com/insights/article/auto-physical-damage/plugged-in-ev-collision-insights-q2-2026 | High | Severity by powertrain. |
| Parts and labor split | Yes free | CY2025 US, CCC, by vehicle age. Parts share of TCOR is 44%, 43%, 41% and 36%. Labor share is 35%, 36%, 37% and 43%. The age groups are current year, 1 to 3, 4 to 6 and 7+ years. Labor hours per claim: 26.7. Parts per claim: 13.0. | Crash Course 2026, Figures 35, 43, 46 and 37 | High | Benchmark the mix of each estimate. |
| Average scan fee, CCC | Yes free | Latest quarter in the CY2025 series: $149.10 per claim with a scan. | Crash Course 2026, Figure 32 alt text | Medium. The value is from the image alt text. The image label is blurred. | Benchmark the scan line. |
| Average calibration fee, CCC | Yes free | Latest quarter in the CY2025 series: $485.56 per claim with a calibration. | Crash Course 2026, Figure 32 alt text | Medium, for the same reason | Benchmark the calibration sublet. |
| Average calibration cost, Mitchell and Enlyte | Partly. The report is gated. The press coverage is free. | CY2025 US. $688 per estimate when a calibration is present. Calibrations were on 34.7% of estimates. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/enlytes-2026-trends-report-tracks-climbing-calibration-costs-uneven-parts-inflation-and-a-repair-rate-reversal | Medium-high | Second benchmark. Shows the spread between CCC and Mitchell. |
| Scan and calibration penetration | Yes free | Q1 2026 US. Scans on 74.8% of appraisals, calibrations on 29.9%. DRP: 89.8% and 40.6%. 47% of calibrations are on the first estimate. 83% of scans are on the first estimate. | CCC mid-year update | High | Prompt to add the calibration on the first estimate. |
| Calibration vendor list prices | Yes free, from vendor sites | 2026, Western WA vendor. Static camera, radar or BSM: $450 list or insurance rate. SAS: $185. Customer pay: $200 dynamic, $350 static. Pre-scan or post-scan: $47.50, which the vendor calls the "State Farm approved rate". | https://absoluteadas.com/pricing | Low. One small vendor. The State Farm claim is the vendor's own. UNVERIFIED. | Example only. Do not use it as a benchmark. |
| Who Pays: scanning and calibration, 2025 edition | Yes free. Download after a name and email form. | Pub. Jan 2026 US. Of shops that negotiate: pre-scan 92% and post-scan 93% paid always or most of the time. In-process scan 28%. Calibrations 90%. DTC research time 21%. Safety inspections 32%. | https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2026/01/15/who-pays-for-what-40-of-shops-not-charging-tor-dtc-research | High | Supplement priority and win odds per line. |
| Who Pays: refinish 2026 | Yes free, after a form | Report March 2026, US. Feather, prime and block: 42% paid always or most of the time. It was 45% in 2025 and 22% in 2015. 26% say insurers never pay it. Extra blend time: 20%. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/who-pays-for-what-survey-more-shops-shift-priming-duties-to-painters-as-insurers-push-back-on-blend-time | High | Refinish line suggestions. |
| Who Pays: frame and mechanical 2026 | Yes free, after a form | Report June 2026. 473 shops in 49 states. Battery D&R 80%. Total-loss admin fee 75%. R&I of electrical parts 70%. Transport to sublet 70%. Clear personal data 37%. Parts cart storage 33%. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/who-pays-for-what-survey-the-frame-and-mechanical-procedures-shops-get-paid-for-most-often | High | Missed-line checklist with payment odds. |
| Who Pays: body 2026 | Yes free, after a form | Report Sep 2026, US. Bumper defect repair: 13% paid. 49% never bill it. Steering column inspection: 35%, down 6.1 points. Airbag or SRS inspection: 43%, down 5.5 points. | https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2026/10/01/who-pays-for-what-shows-more-shops-recognize-not-included-replacement | High | Body line suggestions. |
| Who Pays: scanning, aluminum and shop supplies 2026 | Not yet | The survey was open in Oct 2026. The report is due Dec 2026. It will include hazardous waste and shop supplies. | https://www.crashnetwork.com/collisionadvice/03choosereport.php | High | Pull the report when it is published. |
| Total-loss admin and storage, Who Pays | Yes free, after a form | 2026 US. Admin fee paid 75%. 79% of shops itemize total-loss charges. 21% charge a flat fee. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/who-pays-for-what-survey-total-loss-admin-fees-are-paid-75-of-the-time-itemized-charges-far-less | High | Total-loss bill template. |
| Storage fee cap, OK | Yes free | Effective Nov 2025, OK. Total-loss storage is capped at $39 per day for days 1 to 10. After that it is $75 per day. Admin labor is capped at 4 hours. Shops are suing. | https://www.autobodynews.com/news/insurer-files-brief-defending-oklahoma-storage-fee-cap-challenged-by-body-shops | High | State rule check on storage lines. |
| Storage rules, CA | Yes free | Effective 1 Jan 2026, CA. New "presumptively unreasonable" storage fees. One example: a fee above 50% of the daily rate if the car leaves within 4 hours. | https://www.bar.ca.gov/storage | High | State rule check on storage lines. |
| Typical storage amounts | Partly | 2025 OK examples from an insurer brief: $250 per day, and $150 inside or $100 outside per day. These are anecdotes, not averages. | Same OK article | Low as an average | Do not use as a benchmark. |
| Hazardous waste fee amount | No reliable public average | NY Circular Letter 1993-7 requires insurers to itemize paint hazardous waste costs. CA 16 CCR 3357 allows an itemized charge. No national dollar average was found. | https://www.dfs.ny.gov/industry_guidance/circular_letters/cl1993_07 | High for the rules. No data on amounts. | Rule reference only. |
| Wheel alignment and other sublet averages | No | No public 2025 to 2026 insurer-paid average was found. | none | n/a | Gap. Shop data is necessary. |
| P&M caps by insurer | No | No public per-insurer cap list was found. Vendor blogs give ranges such as "$40 to $60 an hour". These are not sourced data. UNVERIFIED. | https://estimateoptimizer.com/blog/paint-material-pricing-ccc-one-invoice-finish-time | Low | Do not use. Use the CCC $42.53 instead. |

## Notes with quotes

### 1. Labor rates

**CCC national weighted averages for 2025.** This is new. The text is in Figure 44 of Crash Course 2026, published 31 Mar 2026. Figure title: "CCC National Industry Average Labor Rates per Labor Category 2020-2025".

| Year | Mean | Body | Frame | Mech | Paint labor | Paint supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $62.72 | $59.93 | $74.13 | $116.16 | $59.57 | $39.07 |
| 2024 | $65.56 | $62.59 | $78.04 | $122.42 | $62.27 | $41.20 |
| 2025 | $67.46 | $64.44 | $80.15 | $127.14 | $64.10 | $42.53 |

Quote from the report: "The mean Labor rate (the weighted average across all labor types) saw a 2.9% increase in 2025, the lowest rate of increase since 2021." These are rates on estimates that pass through CCC. They are close to what insurers pay. They are not shop posted rates. https://www.cccis.com/reports/crash-course-2026

**CCC mid-year update, 15 Oct 2026.** Quote: "average part prices remained approximately 8% higher year-over-year through early 2026, while labor rates increased by 1.5%." https://www.cccis.com/news-and-insights/posts/crash-course-2026-mid-year-update

**NABR LaborRateHero index, Autobody News, monthly from Jul 2026.** These are shop posted rates. Sep 2026: "NABR's September national average was $85.56 an hour for body... Refinish stood at $84.65... frame at $116.78. Mechanical was $161.63." Jun 2026: body was $86 and mechanical $163. The Jun 2025 values were $81 body and $146 mechanical. Disclaimer: "NABR's data comes from labor rates shops post themselves, rather than rates negotiated with individual insurers." A MA board letter dated 17 Nov 2025 cites "8,020 responses" to the NABR survey. That letter gives an $81 national average and a $69 DRP average. https://www.autobodynews.com/news/labor-rate-index-annual-growth-rebounds-to-new-highs-in-august-as-rates-stay-flat and https://www.mass.gov/doc/lucky-papageorg-recommendation/download

**The gap.** CCC body is $64.44 for 2025. NABR posted body is $85.56 for Sep 2026. The gap is about $21 per hour. This gap is the core of a labor-rate supplement.

**RI Bulletin 2025-5, 24 Oct 2025. This is the final 2025 data.** Class A body or sheet metal, then mechanical:

- Progressive, 32.70%: $55. Mechanical $70.
- GEICO, 10.39%: $55. Mechanical $62. Note: "gives adjusters discretion to make reasonable adjustments."
- Allstate, 10.00%: $50. Mechanical $59. Aluminum $80.
- Amica: $53. Aluminum $55.
- USAA: $55.
- Liberty: $53.
- Auto Club: $58. Frame $60, mechanical $73, aluminum $87.
- Travelers: $55.
- Farmers: $57.
- Nationwide: $56.
- MAPFRE: $52.
- Selective: $63. Frame $78, mechanical $122, aluminum $125.
- Main Street: $50.
- Ohio Mutual: $65. Mechanical $73.50, aluminum $109.

Voluntary filers: Arbella $53, NLC $56, PURE $61 with aluminum structural at $125, Quincy $48, and the RI Auto Plan $52.

**Correction to our folder.** MA report Appendix F lists a single value per insurer, for example Progressive $54. These values match the average of Class A and Class B in the final bulletin. Our `shop_evidence.csv` RI 2025 rows use the Appendix F numbers. The share-weighted Class A body rate is about $54.44. Class B is about $52.64. This is our own calculation from the bulletin.

**CA CDI labor rate survey search.** Quote from the site: "This website allows any member of the public to view and download current labor rate surveys that have been reported to the Department by insurance companies." Company pages exist, for example Farmers at https://lrssearch.insurance.ca.gov/surveyRates/3/79. The values were not pulled.

**NY lawsuit.** Prospect Auto v State Farm, App Div 2d Dept, 23 Sep 2026, 2026 NY Slip Op 05431. The court called State Farm's prevailing-rate argument "wholly conclusory and unsubstantiated" because State Farm never produced the survey. This is a newer, appellate ruling. It is a different motion from the Apr 2025 trial ruling in our folder. https://www.insurancebusinessmag.com/us/news/risk-compliance-legal/state-farms-missing-rate-survey-revives-body-shops-6500-underpayment-claim-591630.aspx

**Who Pays frame report, June 2026.** Its contents list says it includes "labor rates for body, frame and mechanical" and "materials invoicing". This is a free download after a name and email form. We did not download it. UNVERIFIED: the actual values.

### 2. Paint and materials

- The CCC national paint supply rate is $42.53 per refinish hour for CY2025. It was $41.20 in 2024. This is the only rigorous public national P&M number that we found.
- No state publishes P&M rates. RI bulletins publish labor only.
- The Who Pays refinish report, March 2026, lists "refinish materials" in its contents. UNVERIFIED: the values.
- NY DFS Circular Letter 16 (1997) addresses how insurers calculate P&M allowances. It is old but still public guidance. https://www.dfs.ny.gov/industry_guidance/circular_letters/cl1997_16

### 3. Scans, calibrations and sublet

- **CCC, CY2025.** The alt text of Figure 32 says "average scan fees increasing from $129.80 to $149.10" and "average calibration fees increasing from about $188.00 to $485.56". The series runs from 2017-Q1 to 2025-Q4. Calibrations were on 28.3% of appraisals. For current-year vehicles the rate was 43.7%.
- **Enlyte and Mitchell, 2026 trends report.** Quote: "an average cost of $688 per estimate when a calibration was present... Calibration penetration... reaching 34.7% of estimates in 2025, up from 12.1% in 2022."
- **Mitchell's Ryan Mandell, RDN, 27 Mar 2026.** Quote: "the average cost of calibrations is roughly about $600." https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2026/03/27/mitchell-shares-tariff-and-industry-related-trends-effecting-repair-costs-2026-predictions
- **Name collision.** revvhq.com is an ADAS calibration software company that uses the name "Revv". It publishes ADAS pricing and reimbursement content, for example https://www.revvhq.com/blog/price-your-adas-calibrations. This is a brand risk for our product name.

### 4. Who Pays for What: access and latest editions

The survey runs 4 times a year. It covers "nearly 100 different 'not-included' procedures". It reports the 8 largest insurers, split by DRP or non-DRP and by region. https://www.crashnetwork.com/collisionadvice/02moreinfo.php

The report download page shows these editions:

| Report | Date | Pages | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Body Labor Operations | Sep 2026 | 72 | "Download for $0.00" |
| Frame and Mechanical | Jun 2026 | 66 | $0.00 |
| Refinish Operations | Mar 2026 | 84 | $0.00 |
| Scanning and Calibration, with aluminum and shop supplies | "Coming Dec 2026" | about 73 | $0.00 |

Access: the reports are free after a name, email and industry form. The CRASH newsletter costs $248 per year and is separate. https://www.crashnetwork.com/collisionadvice/03choosereport.php

Reuse terms: no license for commercial reuse was found. UNVERIFIED. Revv should cite the percentages and link to the source. Revv should not copy the reports.

Margin of error: "a minimum of plus or minus 4.5% on questions involving all respondents." Payment percentages count only shops that negotiate for the item. https://autobodynews.com/news/who-pays-for-what-survey-frame-and-mechanical-procedures-get-paid-when-shops-ask

### 5. Storage, admin and hazardous waste

- **Oklahoma.** Quote: the cap "limits storage fees for total loss vehicles to $39 a day for the first 10 days (and $75 a day after 10 days). It also caps billable administrative labor for total loss vehicles at four hours." Shops are suing. Oklahoma Farm Bureau filed an amicus brief on 1 Sep 2026.
- **Virginia.** Miller v Progressive, Va. Ct. App., 2 Jun 2026. A shop can try to recover storage from an insurer under quantum meruit. https://law.justia.com/cases/virginia/court-of-appeals-unpublished/2026/0535-25-4.html
- **Who Pays.** Quote: "the share paid all or most of the time has risen from 46% in 2015 to 74% or more for the past three years" for the total-loss admin fee. Anderson says that some insurers use "bill collection agencies to go after shops after-the-fact" on storage.
- **Hazardous waste.** We found no public average amount. The 2026 shop supplies results come in Dec 2026.

### 6. Severity and the parts and labor split

- **CCC, CY2025.** "Preliminary average total cost of repairs (TCOR) is $4,818 for 2025, an increase of 1.7% over 2024." The TCOR for cars 6 years old or newer is $5,721. Labor hours per appraisal are 26.7, down 0.8. Aftermarket parts are 22.7% of part dollars. OEM parts are 63.5%. https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2026/04/10/ccc-report-shows-shift-to-drp-and-ai-appraisals/
- **CCC, H1 2026.** TCOR is "approximately $4,821... only 0.6% above the first half of 2025."
- **Mitchell, Q2 2026 US.** "average repairable severity for BEVs was $5,684 compared to $4,955 for ICE alternatives." https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/claims-severity-gap-between-repairable-bevs-and-ice-vehicles-hits-record-low-302851699.html
- **Split.** These are CCC figures for 2025. Parts plus labor make up about 78% to 80% of TCOR. The rest, about 20% to 22%, is paint materials, sublet and other costs. This remainder is our own calculation, not a CCC number.

## Gaps and next steps

1. Pull the CA CDI insurer surveys by hand for the largest 8 insurers. This needs button clicks on the public site.
2. Download the free Who Pays Frame report of Jun 2026 for its labor-rate and materials pages. This needs the name and email form, so a person must do it.
3. Watch for the RI 2026 results bulletin, Oct to Nov 2026. Watch for the Who Pays scanning and shop supplies report, Dec 2026.
4. No public source exists for alignment sublet prices, P&M caps by insurer or hazardous waste fee amounts. Revv must collect these from shop estimates.