Auto Appraiser - Tulsa District

About the Role

Appraises automobile or other vehicle damage to determine cost of repair for insurance claim settlement. Candidate must live within the Tulsa Appraiser Territory, which includes the following counties: Tulsa, Washington, Nowata, Craig, Ottawa, Rogers, Mayes, Delaware, Wagoner, Cherokee, Adair, Muskogee, and Sequoyah. Must be prepared to travel statewide as required.

Responsibilities

• Write estimates for cost of labor and parts to repair or replace each item of damage on autos, including adjuster and OCR assignments and catastrophe drives.
• Prepare necessary documentation if vehicle is determined to be a total loss.
• Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
• Prepare insurance forms and documents to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations; return all completed/signed forms to adjuster.
• Re-inspect required number of vehicles per month.
• Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
• Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with repair shop on repair cost.

Competencies

• Analytical: Synthesizes complex or diverse information; collects and researches data; uses intuition and experience to complement data.
• Customer Service: Manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Interpersonal Skills: Maintains confidentiality; keeps emotions under control.
• Oral Communication: Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and obtains clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings.
• Written Communication: Writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; varies writing style to meet needs; presents numerical data effectively; reads and interprets written information.
• Business Acumen: Understands business implications of decisions; displays orientation to profitability.
• Ethics: Treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Organizational Support: Follows policies and procedures; supports organization’s goals and values.
• Judgment: Displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Planning/Organization: Prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently.
• Professionalism: Approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; accepts responsibility for own actions.
• Quality: Demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness; looks for ways to improve and promote quality; monitors own work to ensure quality.
• Quantity: Meets productivity standards; completes work in timely manner; works quickly.
• Safety and Security: Observes safety and security procedures.
• Adaptability: Adapts to changes in the work environment; deals with frequent changes, delays, or unexpected events.
• Attendance/Punctuality: Is consistently at work and on time; ensures work responsibilities are covered when absent; arrives at meetings and appointments on time.
• Dependability: Follows instructions, responds to management direction; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals.

Requirements

• High School Diploma or GED.
• Two to three years’ automotive collision repair estimate writing experience preferred, or related experience and/or training, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Valid Oklahoma driver’s license or ability to obtain one; satisfactory driving record is a condition of employment.
• Must have investigative skills and a proven ability to work with people and solve problems.
• Ability to manage stress due to high volumes of work, long hours, and dealing with discontented insureds and/or third parties.
• Must maintain regular attendance.
• Work unscheduled hours.
• Possibility of extensive travel when there are catastrophic losses.

Skills and Knowledge

• Language Skills:
  • Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and repair procedure manuals.
  • Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
  • Ability to speak effectively before groups including customers or employees of this and other organizations.
• Mathematical Skills:
  • Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals.
  • Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret bar graphs.
• Reasoning Ability:
  • Ability to apply common sense and understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form.
  • Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.
• Computer Skills: Knowledge of computers and computer systems.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Regularly required to drive for consecutive hours in a company-provided vehicle; stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Frequently required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl.
• Occasionally required to taste or smell.
• Must regularly lift and/or move a minimum of 25 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. This is not a remote position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Frequently exposed to outside weather conditions.
• Occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions; moving or mechanical parts; high, precarious places; lubricants, fuels, fumes, or airborne particles; extreme cold; extreme heat; and risk of electrical shock.
• The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate to high.