Hiring Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

What do insurance appraisers, auto damage do?

• 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.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 13-1032.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.

O*NET Job Zone 3, SVP (6.0 to < 7.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Disassembler software, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint for this role.

What do insurance appraisers, auto damage get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for insurance appraisers, auto damage in 34 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $60,020 to $99,670 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $78,450. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 13-1032.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for insurance appraisers, auto damage in this build is $99,670. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $19,934 to $29,901 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a insurance appraisers, auto damage search fill?

23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.