A collision estimator calculates the cost to repair or replace a vehicle part or entire vehicle, typically found at insurance companies, repair shops, and car dealerships. They determine the extent of damage and use various methods to make this determination. Training is required, including frame and chassis collision repair, body panel training, and interior component repair.
A collision estimator is a person who calculates the cost to repair or replace a vehicle part, component or entire vehicle. Collision estimator jobs are typically found at insurance companies, repair shops, and car dealerships. Knowledge of vehicles and the methods for repairing them is essential for anyone wishing to become a collision estimator. This is due, in part, to the need to frequently replace multiple related parts when a single part needs replacing or is damaged.
When a vehicle is damaged by an accident, fire or natural disaster, a collision estimator is usually the person who determines the extent of the damage. The estimator usually decides whether the vehicle needs repair or replacement related to the damage sustained. Various methods and utilities will be used to make this determination, including a bank loan amount book, local vehicle sales reports for comparable vehicle models, and estimates of repair costs at local repair shops. The cost of repair is typically compared to the cost of replacing a typical vehicle to determine the amount of repair that will be authorized for a specific incident by an insurance agency adjuster.
Generally, a collision estimator employed by a dealership will be tasked with coming up with an estimate of the cost of repairing a damaged vehicle. The estimate is usually provided to a member of the sales team and weighted against purchasing a new vehicle. This is a very effective sales tool for many car dealerships, as the trade-in amount is generally the same whether the repair is completed or not. Usually, the customer is under the impression that the trade-in value is much higher than it should be, so the option of buying a new vehicle is a very attractive option. It is also common practice for many dealerships to slightly lower the repair cost when a new vehicle sale is not in the future to ensure the repair is completed through the dealership’s collision center.
Many collision estimator jobs include a training period that involves the new employee traveling to an estimator school. This ensures that the crash estimator is trained in all the necessary procedures involved in the various types of repairs required. Frame and chassis collision repair, body panel training, and interior component repair are all components of the estimator course. The estimator is normally trained in domestic and foreign vehicle repairs to allow the estimator to work in any type of collision estimating business.
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