How to hire an auto damage estimator

How to hire an auto damage estimator, step by step

Here's a step-by-step auto damage estimator hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write an auto damage estimator job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new auto damage estimator
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The auto damage estimator hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   You should also consider the ideal background you'd like them an auto damage estimator to have before you start to hire. For example, what industry or field would you like them to have experience in, what level of seniority or education does the job require, and how much it'll cost to hire an auto damage estimator that fits the bill.

   Here's a comparison of auto damage estimator salaries for various roles:

   Type of Auto Damage Estimator	Description	Hourly rate
   Auto Damage Estimator	Claims adjusters, appraisers, examiners, and investigators evaluate insurance claims. They decide whether an insurance company must pay a claim, and if so, how much... Show more	$19-32
   Insurance Appraiser	An appraiser is responsible for assessing a client's personal property, such as homes, cars, or jewelry. They provide an impartial and unbiased judgment about the property's value, assisting clients who wish to buy, sell, manage, and invest money... Show more	$17-35
   Damage Appraiser	A damage appraiser is someone who determines the damage costs associated with a property, such as buildings and vehicles, in preparation for filing claims and requesting payments from insurance. The damage appraiser compiles estimated and actual costs of repairs and creates a report used as a reference for any claims and insurance requests... Show more	$15-32

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Repair Facilities
   • Damage Estimates
   • Customer Service
   • Body Shop
   • ADP
   • I-Car
   • Repair Estimates
   • Insurance Guidelines
   • Vehicle Damage
   • Repair Costs
   • Market Value
   • Damage Analysis
   • Motor Vehicle
   • Damage Reports

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage the estimating of a commercial & industrial plumbing and mechanical contracting business.
   • Estimate collision damages through computer generate estimates, Mitchell, CCC.
   • Obtain measurements, photos and documentation to process remotely Xactimate estimates to submit for insurance and customer approval.
   • Prepare files for arbitration and litigation/mediation.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your auto damage estimator job description is a great way to entice the best and brightest candidates. An auto damage estimator salary can vary based on several factors:

   • Location. For example, auto damage estimators' average salary in florida is 15% less than in maine.
   • Seniority. Entry-level auto damage estimators earn 41% less than senior-level auto damage estimators.
   • Certifications. An auto damage estimator with a few certifications under their belt will likely demand a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for a prestigious company or an exciting start-up can make a huge difference in an auto damage estimator's salary.

   Average auto damage estimator salary

   $52,452yearly

   $25.22 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level auto damage estimator salary

   $40,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

4. Writing an auto damage estimator job description

   A job description for an auto damage estimator role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's an auto damage estimator job description:

   Auto damage estimator job description example

   Federated Insurance is seeking someone with auto physical damage estimating experience or an auto body background to fulfil our newly created position, Auto Physical Damage Estimator. In this position, you'll utilize your skills to review, evaluate, write, negotiate and approve repair estimates written by body shops or Independent Appraisers, or through photographs,within CCC ONE Esimtating on private passenger vehicles, smaller commercial trucks/trailers and recreational vehicles. You will also assess vehicle condition and complete total loss vehicle evaluations for private passenger and recreational vehicles.
   
   No previous insurance experience needed! Federated provides exceptional training to provide the foundation needed to succeed.
   
   This is an in-office position that will work out of our Owatonna, MN office, Monday through Friday (no nights or weekends). A work from home option is not available.
   Additional Responsibilities Include
   
   + Communicating with internal and external customers to ensure repair estimates and total loss valuations are reviewed, negotiated and approved timely for the claims professional to resolve.
   
   + Providing feedback and recommendations regarding auto physical damage program audit rules.
   
   + Assisting in training others claims professionals regarding auto physical damage, as needed.
   
   Minimum Qualifications
   
   + Prefer vocational training or degree in auto body repair
   
   + Prefer one year of auto physical damage estimating or auto body experience demonstrating basic understanding of auto body parts.
   
   + Prefer prior experience using CCC One Estimating software or its equivalent (Audatex, Mitchell, etc.)
   
   + Strong computer knowledge.
   
   + Ability to memorize/recall information quickly.
   
   Salary: $58,500-$71,100 (Starting salary will be determined based on skills and experience.)
   
   At Federated Insurance, we do life-changing work, focused on our clients' success. For our employees, we provide tremendous opportunities for growth. Over 95% of them believe our company has an outstanding future. We make lives better, and we're looking for employees who want to make a difference in others' lives, all while enhancing their own.
   
   You will have opportunities to grow in your career. Our employees are encouraged to ask questions and learn on the job, and we are committed to promoting from within. We recognize your contributions with an exceptional rewards package that includes competitive pay and bonus programs, incredibly affordable health insurance, generous pension and 401(k) benefits, and gift matching and paid volunteer time to support your involvement in the community. Learn more about our Benefits.
   
   If California Resident, please review Federated's enhanced Privacy Policy.
   
   ID: 2022-3994
   
   Street: 121 E Park Sq

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right auto damage estimator for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your auto damage estimator job on Zippia to find and recruit auto damage estimator candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit auto damage estimators, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   You should also ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match the ideal candidate profile you developed earlier. Candidates good enough for the next step can complete the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new auto damage estimator

   Once you've decided on a perfect auto damage estimator candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also good etiquette to follow up with applicants who don't get the job by sending them an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new auto damage estimator. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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