A monthly commission audit checklist you can finish in 20 minutes

Start with what is missing

Compare the policies you wrote in the period against the policies that appear on the statement. A policy that never shows up costs you the full commission, which makes it worth more attention than any small variance.

Then check the percentage, not the dollars

Divide commission paid by premium on each line. Rates should cluster tightly by product. Outliers are either the wrong schedule or renewal treated as new business.

Review every negative line

Each chargeback should tie to a specific lapse, cancellation, or rewrite you can name. If you cannot name it, ask.

Confirm the period covered

Two statements covering the same period, or a gap between periods, both hide money. Track periods sequentially per carrier.

Log what you found — even when it was clean

A record of clean months is what lets you say confidently that a discrepancy is new. Without it, every dispute starts from scratch.

• Unpaid policies you expected
• Rate variances above your tolerance
• Unexplained chargebacks
• Payments for policies you do not recognize
• Period coverage gaps or duplicates