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The differences between damage appraisers and claim processors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a damage appraiser, becoming a claim processor takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a damage appraiser has an average salary of $48,075, which is higher than the $41,201 average annual salary of a claim processor.
The top three skills for a damage appraiser include vehicle repairs, parts costs and process claims. The most important skills for a claim processor are customer service, data entry, and medical terminology.
| Damage Appraiser | Claim Processor | |
| Yearly salary | $48,075 | $41,201 |
| Hourly rate | $23.11 | $19.81 |
| Growth rate | -6% | -6% |
| Number of jobs | 1,117 | 11,542 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 6 |
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. The damage appraiser can also come in handy for any legal requirement for repair agreements between parties and such. The damage appraiser works closely with the client and all the repair companies that repaired the damaged property.
A Claims Processor is responsible for processing and verifying insurance claims, in adherence to the policies, laws, and regulations of the company involved. Aside from examining its authenticity, they must also oversee new policies and recommend modifications should it be needed. Moreover, it is also the task of the Claims Processor to prepare the necessary documents and guidelines for the policyholder, process reimbursements upon approval, provide answers to inquiries, and report issues and updates to the management.
Damage appraisers and claim processors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Damage Appraiser | Claim Processor | |
| Average salary | $48,075 | $41,201 |
| Salary range | Between $33,000 And $68,000 | Between $26,000 And $62,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Columbia, MD |
| Highest paying state | - | Connecticut |
| Best paying company | - | NTT Data International L.L.C. |
| Best paying industry | - | Insurance |
There are a few differences between a damage appraiser and a claim processor in terms of educational background:
| Damage Appraiser | Claim Processor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 53% | Bachelor's Degree, 43% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between damage appraisers' and claim processors' demographics:
| Damage Appraiser | Claim Processor | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 86.0% Female, 14.0% | Male, 22.9% Female, 77.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.5% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 5.0% White, 62.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 16.7% Asian, 5.2% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 10% |