What Do Auto Damage Appraisers Do (including Their Typical Day At Work)

Job Description

Auto Damage Appraisers 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. They also evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.

Other tasks include:

• 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.

We asked Auto Damage Appraisers how satisfied they are with their job. Here is what they said.

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65% of them said they were satisfied with their job and 32% said they find that their job makes the world a better place or helps to make someone else’s life better.

Typical Day At Work

On a daily basis, Auto Damage Appraisers estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair. They examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.

A typical day for an Auto Damage Insurance Appraiser will also include:

• Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
• 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.
• Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
• Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.

We asked some Auto Damage Appraisers a few questions to find out what else does their work day look like. Here is what we found.

	Do you have telephone conversations everyday in this job?	100% said yes
	How important is it to work in a team in this job?	11% said very important
	Do you have group discussions everyday in this job?	89% said yes
	Do you talk or work with customers everyday in this job?	45% said yes
	Do you have to deal with angry customers everyday in this job?	22% said yes
	Do you have to make decisions everyday in this job?	99% said yes

Other responsibilities

Besides their typical day, Auto Damage Appraisers also determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle. They may also evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.

On a weekly to monthly basis, Auto Damage Appraisers Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs. They might also Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.

In addition, they Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.

Although specific duties may vary, many of them Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.

To some Auto Damage Appraisers, it is also their responsibility to Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.

Working life

More than 40 hours per week

Regular schedule like a 9 to 5

In a typical work week as an Auto Damage Insurance Appraiser, you can expect to work more than 40 hours per week.

Is this right for me

People who are suitable for this job tends to like following set procedures and routines. They like working with data and details more than with ideas..

They also like work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They like working with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery.

You can read more about these career personality types here.

Explore other careers

http://www.bls.gov/OOH/business-and-financial/claims-adjusters-appraisers-examiners-and-investigators.htm

http://www.claim.org/index.cfm

http://www.napia.com/

http://www.theinstitutes.org/