Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

What the job really is

Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

At a glance

• Sector: Business & Financial
• O*NET-SOC code: 13-1032
• O*NET job zone: 3 — medium preparation
• Work sample tasks on file: 7
• Tools and technologies listed: 12

What you actually do

Work sample tasks recorded for this occupation:

• Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
• Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
• Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
• Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
• Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
• Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
• Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.

Tools and technology

Adobe Acrobat, Disassembler software, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Word, A-T Solutions Easy Street Draw, App Software Associations AppTrak.net, Compact digital cameras, Computer laser printers

What employers expect you to already be comfortable with.

Where this job leads

Related occupations — the usual moves up and sideways:

• Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
• Automotive Body and Related Repairers
• Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics
• Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
• Automotive Engineering Technicians
• Cost Estimators
• Appraisers and Assessors of Real Estate
• Insurance Claims and Policy Processing Clerks

Getting in

O*NET assigns this occupation job zone 3 (medium preparation). The related occupations above are the realistic routes in and out.

Find openings

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Check this against the source

O*NET OnLine: Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage — the authoritative public-domain profile this page is derived from, including the full task list, reported skills and the wage estimates for your region.

Derived and rewritten from the public-domain O*NET database (U.S. Department of Labor / Employment and Training Administration). Figures are observations, not promises — always confirm salary, licensing and visa requirements with the employer and the relevant authority.