Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
Also called: 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)
Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement.
What insurance appraisers, auto damage do
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage salary
The median annual wage for insurance appraisers, auto damage is $78,240 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $58,360 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $101,590. The mean annual wage is $78,900.
The mean hourly wage of $37.00 is 5.1× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $78,240 → in 3 years $83,300 → in 5 years $86,800 → in 10 years $96,300 (10-year range $82,800–$111,800). The model assumes pay growth of +2.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
Skills, education and requirements for Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 3 — medium preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★☆☆☆ Fairly easy (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become insurance appraisers, auto damage
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as insurance appraisers, auto damage
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.