Inspect the damaged car
Look over the body panels, frame and mechanical parts to find out how far the damage reaches.
Career profile
Auto Damage Appraiser
Auto damage appraisers estimate car repair costs, and insurance adjusters settle claims using that figure.
If you enjoy cars and also enjoy showing someone how you reached a number, this job brings those interests together.
A day in the life
Price the parts and labor
Add up the repair cost from parts prices and labor guides to build your estimate.
Compare estimates with the shop
Set your estimate beside the body shop's, then talk through the costs in dispute to settle them.
Weigh repair against car value
Measure the repair cost against the car's value before the crash to judge if fixing makes sense.
Photograph damage on mobile appraisals
On mobile appraisals, photograph damage and log car details in an app tied to the estimate.
Quick facts
Training after high school
United States · 2025–2035
$78,240/year
United States · May 2025
8.7% decline
United States · 2025–2035
Quick orientation
Preparation, pay & outlook
Preparation
Training after high schoolA postsecondary nondegree award is typical; relevant repair-shop experience is another route.
Pay
$78,240/yearNational median for insurance appraisers, auto damage; equivalent to $37.61/hour.
Outlook
8.7% declineEmployment is projected to shrink, with about 700 openings per year nationally.
Fit, tradeoffs & changing tools
You might like this if…
- You like checking details before accepting a total.
- You can discuss a disagreement without making it personal.
- You enjoy learning how vehicles fit together.
Things to weigh
- Deadlines can press while repair costs are still disputed.
- Field work brings driving and inspections in changing weather.
Where AI may help
Some estimating systems use artificial intelligence (AI) to turn damage photos into draft repair lines, including predicted labor hours and parts choices.
What people still lead
Appraisers review and complete estimates, considering the particular vehicle and repair options. That work requires understanding what each proposed repair involves.
What we can’t predict yet
How much estimate writing remains manual will vary. Some systems already allow automatic approval when an insurer's rules are met, so the balance between writing and reviewing estimates may keep shifting.
Pay in context
Earnings
The national median is a useful benchmark, not a starting-pay offer.
Median and national spread
Insurance appraisers, auto damage had median pay of $78,240 a year, equivalent to $37.61 an hour. The 10th-percentile annual wage was $58,360 and the 90th-percentile wage was $101,590. These mark the national wage distribution, not beginner and experienced pay grades.
Openings in a shrinking occupation
Employment is projected to decline 8.7% from 2025 to 2035, while about 700 openings are projected each year on average. Openings can remain as workers leave even when total employment falls.
Getting started
Study autobody repair and estimating
- What the route involves
- Complete a vocational-school or community-college program that teaches vehicle damage and repair-cost estimating.
- What it can lead to
- This supplies technical preparation for applying to appraisal jobs and learning the employer's estimating process.
- What to check
- Check your state's insurance regulator before choosing training. In Massachusetts, a course alone does not complete licensing: supervised experience and examinations are also required.
Bring repair-shop experience
- What the route involves
- Gain experience identifying vehicle damage and estimating repair costs in an auto repair shop.
- What it can lead to
- Relevant experience can provide an alternative to a postsecondary award when entering appraisal work.
Build repair-estimating knowledge through school or shop experience. New appraisers then learn with an experienced appraiser until their employer considers them ready to estimate independently.
After entry
Career paths
This starts where the entry routes leave off: early work, growing capability, and advancement or specialization.
Get established
Use feedback on your early estimates to improve how you identify damage and calculate costs.
Make estimates easier to check
Develop clearer damage photos and stronger quality checks so another appraiser can follow your estimate.
Develop repair-supplement expertise
Build skill in evaluating repair supplements: additions to an estimate when further repair needs emerge. Appraiser training includes writing these additions and checking their quality.
Where you can work
Field visits to body shops
You inspect vehicles where repairs happen, moving between shop visits and estimate writing. Mobile tools can keep photos and vehicle details together.
- Field work
- Travel
- Indoors
- Outdoors
Desk appraisal teams
Some teams build or review estimates from submitted vehicle photos. The vehicle reaches you through a screen, making the available images central to your work.
- Office
- Indoors
Try it
See whether the job clicks before you commit to the path.
Choose a public photo of a damaged car. Make two columns: damage you can actually see and questions you would need answered before pricing repairs. Notice whether you enjoy separating observations from assumptions.
Stay safe: Keep this photo-only; do not inspect a crash site or try to judge whether a damaged vehicle is safe to drive.
Sources
- O*NET OnLine. Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage — 13-1032.00. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Claims Adjusters, Appraisers, Examiners, and Investigators — appraiser-specific passages. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — national SOC 13-1032; supplied pinned binding. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment Projections Table 1.2, 2025–2035 — SOC 13-1032; supplied pinned binding. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- CCC Intelligent Solutions. Insurance Claims Estimating. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- CCC Intelligent Solutions. Supporting Appraisers with AI-Powered Estimating. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance. Motor Vehicle Damage Appraisers. Accessed 2026-10-10.
- Inter-Industry Conference on Auto Collision Repair. 2026 Course Updates. Accessed 2026-10-10.