Career
Insurance appraisers, auto damage
Inspect damaged vehicles and estimate the cost of repair.
Here's what you actually need to know.
The work
What people in this job 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.
The outlook
How the forecast changed this year
AI
BLS now cites artificial intelligence in this occupation's outlook: “share decreases as specialized software and artificial intelligence (AI) make the appraisal process more efficient, allowing appraisers to focus on more complex claims.”
The deeper question
What kind of person does this path ask you to become?
What this work centers on
O*NET interest profile, scored 1–7.
The work
Do you want most of your days spent on information & systems, then objects & tools?
Responsibility
Are you willing to be the one responsible for this?
“Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.”
Development
What would you need to build over the next 5–10 years?
Writing, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening.
Trade-offs
What does it ask of you in exchange?
Under 2 years of education after high school (postsecondary nondegree award), for a median of $78,240 a year and 700 openings nationally each year.
Paths in
Degrees that lead here
- Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/TechnicianCIP 47.0603
- InsuranceCIP 52.1701
Paths across
Careers that use similar skills
- Transportation Vehicle, Equipment and Systems Inspectors, Except Aviation
- Automotive Body and Related Repairers$54,890 · +3.7%
- Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics$50,620 · +5.0%
- Appraisers of Personal and Business Property
- Automotive Engineering Technicians
Ask anything about this career.
“Would this make sense if I don't want to sit at a desk all day?” Answers will come from the sources on this page, with citations. Coming soon.
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Sources
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- BLS Employment Projections, 2024–34 (archived), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- O*NET 31.0 Database (August 2026), National Center for O*NET Development / U.S. Department of Labor. Retrieved 2026-10-01.
- CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk, NCES and BLS. Retrieved 2026-10-01.