Appraiser II, Material Damage (Orange County, CA)

Field position supporting the Southern Orange County area

Salary Range :  $80,000 - $92,000 annually, commensurate with experience 

Job Summary
Complete accurate and timely field appraisals, drive-in appraisals, supplements, and re-inspections on damaged motor vehicles, and if applicable, make claim payments in the field as required. Maintain a professional image while adhering to company and state regulated guidelines as they pertain to the appraisal process. Frequent oral communication with customers is required and must be timely. Keeps apprised of territorial labor rates, repair techniques, vehicle and construction design, industry trends and applicable state laws. Negotiate with customers or Shop Appraisers for proper repairs to vehicles in a safe, cost effective manner with a high level of integrity.

Duties may include work on special programs including the Early Tow Program, Catastrophe Duty and drive-in coverage.

May also be called to oversee, monitor, instruct and evaluate the performance of the CAR|EZ/Upload repair shops. Monitor compliance with procedures and department expectations in the writing of appraisals. Ensure customer service standards are being met. Work to resolve customer concerns with quality issues on work completed by CAR|EZ shops. Be able to assist in training shop personnel in regards to their roles and expectations in the CAR|EZ program; provide moderate field support to the shops for the WBAS and the upload process.

Develops and maintains a working relationship with those in the repair industry, and provides technical support. Attend period meetings and industry training in order to keep current on issues of auto and property repair. May need to be available for overnight travel to handle field losses, field visits and re-inspections of staff and independent appraisal firms, and/or Catastrophe Duty. Travel and field work may occur during both business and non-business hours, including weekdays and weekends. Performs drive-in coverage and other functions assigned to the position as necessary.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Education: Bachelor's plus Certificate, e.g. INS 21, 22, 23, or equivalent, related experience.
Experience: 2 - 4 years - or Associates Degree equivalent plus 4 - 6 years.
Knowledge: General knowledge of industry practices, standards, and concepts within field of work. Applies them to perform work requiring analytical business skills.
Decision Making: Makes decisions using broad management limits. Applies guidelines and procedures that leave considerable room for discretion and interpretation. Decisions directly influence project, client relationships and or expenditures. Additionally, decisions exert some influence on organization's long-range goals and objectives. Participates in determining objectives of assignments.
Supervision Received: Works independently under general supervision. Work is reviewed for overall adequacy in meeting objectives.
Leadership: May provide training and guidance to less experienced staff.
Problem Solving /Operations/Direct Work Involvement: Applies knowledge to determine solutions to complex problems with minimal direction. Uses research and analysis to develop innovative and practical solutions which are consistent with organizational objectives.
Client Contacts: Contacts other departments and or external organizations or parties frequently. Contacts are primarily at or below upper management levels. Represents organization on specific projects. Communication may involve persuasion, and negotiation.

Additional Knowledge, Skills and Abilities
Must possess a valid driver's license and individual state appraiser/adjuster licenses if required by the state in which working.
ASE or I-CAR certification preferred. Insurance course work such as AIC strongly preferred.
Automotive / Homeowner technical training such as VALE Tech / Fox Valley course work preferred.
Ability to negotiate around various types of appraisal software, point, and vehicle estimating programs and property estimating programs.
May require the need to testify regarding finding in arbitrations and court cases.
Working knowledge of auto policy for personal and commercial vehicles. Must have a thorough understanding of and ability to interpret coverages in automotive policies.
Ability to manage multiple projects at multiple locations in a fast paced multitask environment is required.
Ability to research various sources of information to locate vehicles, parts and values of vehicles, especially specialty vehicles.

If you require an accommodation for a disability so that you may participate in the selection process, you are encouraged to contact the MAPFRE Insurance Talent Acquisition team at talentacquisition@mapfreusa.com.

We are proud to be an equal opportunity employer.