What You'll Do

  • Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
  • 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.
  • Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
  • Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
  • Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
  • Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.

Essential Skills

Writing 3.75/5
Speaking 3.75/5
Reading Comprehension 3.5/5
Active Listening 3.5/5
Critical Thinking 3.38/5
Time Management 3.25/5
Judgment and Decision Making 3.12/5
Social Perceptiveness 3.0/5
Service Orientation 3.0/5
Active Learning 2.88/5
Coordination 2.88/5
Persuasion 2.88/5

Career Fit Overview

Use this summary to understand the kind of profile this role rewards. It helps you judge whether this career looks like a stronger match than your current role, a nearby move worth exploring, or a broader path to compare more seriously.

Top passions

  • Organizer: Bringing order to data and processes satisfies you.
  • Maker: Building and fixing energizes you. You like tangible results and practical tools.
  • Leader: Taking charge and moving ideas forward motivates you.

Common styles

Attention to Detail, Integrity, Dependability, Cautiousness, Self-Confidence

Want a personal read on fit? Take the free assessment and compare this career to your current role, nearby alternatives, and broader stronger-fit options.

Key Abilities

This career demands strong capabilities in the following areas:

Oral Comprehension 4.0/5
Oral Expression 4.0/5
Written Comprehension 3.75/5
Problem Sensitivity 3.75/5
Written Expression 3.62/5
Speech Recognition 3.5/5
Speech Clarity 3.5/5
Deductive Reasoning 3.25/5

Technologies & Tools

A-T Solutions Easy Street Draw Adobe Acrobat App Software Associations AppTrak.net Cost estimating software Disassembler software Email software Information Services Inc. CCC Pathways Appraisal Solution Meridian Technologies SurePoint Microsoft Excel Microsoft Office software Microsoft Outlook Microsoft PowerPoint Microsoft Windows Microsoft Word Mitchell International Mitchell WorkCenter NCH Software Express Invoice Solera Audatex Estimating Swan River Software Estimiser Pro Vertafore ImageRight Web browser software

Work Environment & Strengths

Common Strengths for This Career

  • Attention to Detail (High importance: 4.69/5)
  • Integrity (High importance: 4.42/5)
  • Dependability (High importance: 4.37/5)
  • Cautiousness (High importance: 4.35/5)
  • Self-Confidence (High importance: 4.03/5)

Want to see how YOUR strengths align with this career?

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How to Become One

This career typically requires vocational school, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. Some specialized training or certification may also be required.

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Also Known As

This career is known by many different job titles across industries. Here are all the variations:

Appraisal Specialist Appraiser Auto Body Appraiser Auto Body Repair Estimator Auto Collision Estimator Auto Damage Insurance Appraiser Automobile Appraiser (Auto Appraiser) Automobile Body Estimator (Auto Body Estimator) Automobile Damage Appraiser (Auto Damage Appraiser) Automobile Damage Estimator (Auto Damage Estimator) Automobile Damage Field Appraiser (Auto Damage Field Appraiser) Automotive Body Shop Estimator (Auto Body Shop Estimator) Automotive Claims Adjuster (Auto Claims Adjuster) Automotive Estimatics Inspector (Auto Estimatics Inspector) Automotive Estimator (Auto Estimator) Body Shop Estimator Claims Appraiser Collision Appraiser Collision Center Estimator Collision Estimator Collision Repair Estimator Commercial Field Inspector Damage Appraiser Field Appraiser Field Auto Damage Adjuster Field Automobile Adjuster (Field Auto Adjuster) Field Automobile Damage Appraiser (Field Auto Damage Appraiser) Field Inspector Field Property Loss Specialist Insurance Appraiser Material Damage Adjuster Material Damage Appraiser Outside Physical Damage Appraiser Physical Damage Appraiser Property Field Inspector Reinspector Total Loss Claims Adjuster Vehicle Condition Assessor Vehicle Damage Appraiser

Career Fit FAQs

Is this career a good fit for me

This page shows the role itself. To see personal fit, use the assessment to compare your interests, motivations, and strengths against this career and against the role you are in now.

Can this help if I want to stay in my field

Yes. Many people use career pages like this to compare nearby roles in the same field and see whether they need a full switch or a better-fit version of the work they already know.

What should I compare first

Start with the daily tasks, the preparation level, and the work-style signals on this page. Then use the assessment to see whether this role looks like a stronger fit than your current role or just a different title.