Insurance Appraisers
O*NET title: Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
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.
Also called: Appraisal Specialist, Appraiser, Auto Body Appraiser, Auto Body Repair Estimator, Auto Collision Estimator, Auto Damage Insurance Appraiser
Median pay
$78,240
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$58,360 – $101,590
People employed
11,560
Holland code
CRE
Conventional · Realistic · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 3.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 4.Do you prefer doing your own work rather than directing others?
- 5.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 6.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 7.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Work outdoors in all weather
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
Insurance Appraisers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (38 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What insurance appraisers do
- 01Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
- 02Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
- 03Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
- 04Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
- 05Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
- 06Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
Skills that matter most
- Writing
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Mechanical
- Administrative
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from insurance appraisers
- Transportation Inspectors75% · +18%
- Police Identification and Records Officers73% · group pay
- Power Distributors and Dispatchers73% · +36%
- Construction and Building Inspectors72% · −5%
- Aviation Inspectors72% · group pay
Change into insurance appraisers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Police Identification and Records Officers73% · $93,790
- Construction and Building Inspectors72% · $74,690
- Opticians, Dispensing72% · $47,260
- Airfield Operations Specialists71% · $56,850
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators71% · $75,920
Majors that lead here
- Autobody/Collision and Repair Technology/Technician
- Insurance
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.