Appraiser Certification: CREDIBILITY and COMPETENCY

How many times have you listened to body shop owners complain about poor damage estimating or, even worse, incompetent estimators? How many times does the appraiser at your shop miss items and forget to call the insurer for a supplement?

Your shop's profitability and productivity begin with that damage estimate. The person controlling that pen or keyboard should understand all of the structural aspects and industry terminology involved in writing a valid and comprehensive damage report.

One way to heighten appraisers' skills is through training. Estimators can combine their training and work experience to earn certification--and employing estimators certified by the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) can prove advantageous to your shop's profit and, ultimately, reputation.

Respect and Responsibility

Pride in workmanship is an important trait for a professional in any segment of the automotive industry. As a certified professional, your performance should set and maintain standards for your area of expertise within the collision repair industry. Damage estimators bear a large responsibility because their performance affects that of the technicians and painters, who base their procedures on the repair estimate. Consequently, this influences the business' reputation, shop profitability and customer satisfaction.

An appraiser's certification often begins with the basics, including proper training in damage analysis. Instruction customarily includes structure terminology and examination criteria, as well as how to look for secondary damage. Estimating training programs, such as those offered by Vale National Training Center and I-CAR, allow appraisers to hone their estimating skills and prepare them for the next level--certification. I-CAR and Vale National are just two of the institutions where such training is available; in fact, some insurers even hold in-house appraiser training classes.

What is ASE Certification?

According to ASE president Ron Weiner, "Representatives of both the collision industry and the insurance industry met with ASE in order to create a commonality and acceptance that would test the credibility, methods and competence of those who prepare and write an estimate of damage."

The certification exam for estimators "indicates a level of credibility, competency and a desire to improve his or her skills," Weiner says. "It demonstrates the fact that they know some of the basics in damage analysis and have some understanding of the technology that's involved in the repair. Also, the processes and knowledge [used] during the appraisal indicate a certain ... proficiency."

A characteristic of those who pursue voluntary certification, says Weiner, is that they care enough to demonstrate their skill, knowledge and eagerness to prove they meet a national standard.

Warren Barbee, Jr., technical specialist for collision repair and refinishing with ASE, advises that "anyone who writes an estimate on vehicle damage should consider taking the damage analysis certification test. [It] will help recognize those individuals who are working as estimators or appraisers in the collision industry [but] haven't been tested or recognized by any other major organization before.."

To promote the damage analysis certification exam, Barbee asks body shop owners how long they plan to stay in business, how sharp they think their estimating skills are, and how they feel about what they're doing. Barbee believes that most of the answers will help to promote the certification tests. The exam will test the estimator's skills in the field, and an ASE patch tells consumers how good damage appraisers are at what they do--which, of course, benefits the repair shop.

The test is written in relation to a task list within the self-study guide as well as information gained from the I-CAR Collision Repair 2000 course. Every question is written to address one or more of the tasks within the guide. There are no surprise questions on the exam; however, it is recommended that the person review a training class before taking the test.

Why is Certification Important?

"ASE certification recognizes the skill level of an appraiser, [something] the industry is not always sure about these days," says Barbee, noting that body shops complain when a representative of the insurance industry writes what they call a "short-changed" estimate. However, certification indicates that the person knows how to perform his or her duties according to industry standards, and knows how to do the job effectively.

According to Trish Serratore, vice president of ASE West Coast operations, the ASE Damage Analysis certification exam "is both a professional and personal credential, and an important thing to have."

Michael Astalos, material damage group manager for Integon Tech, says some insurers--such as Integon--offer their appraisers training in proper damage inspection. At the completion of its training program, the appraiser may refer to his or her indoctrination as a "quasi certification"--a demonstration that the person has advanced to a higher level of understanding and achievement.

Test Preparation

Questions vary from test to test, and are written by a panel of technical service experts from vehicle manufacturers, repair and test equipment and parts manufacturers, technicians and educators. All questions are pretested and quality checked on a national sample of technicians.

An appraiser's training course should cover the following subject areas:

* Positioning the vehicle for proper inspection. The vehicle must be placed in a position in which a visual inspection of the entire body can be performed. The surface on which it rests must be level, dry and free of debris. A reasonably level surface will help the appraiser detect evidence of structural damage.

* Providing access to the damaged areas. If possible, relieve the collision damage to gain access to engine compartments and trunk areas, and behind fenders and door assemblies. This pertains only to vehicles that are not driveable. In fact, many insurers forbid their appraisers to open damaged hoods, doors and trunk lids unless the vehicle is being repaired. Some consumers request an estimate without having the damage repaired.

* Analyze the damage to determine appropriate methods for overall repairs, including whether a part should be repaired or replaced; whether diagnostics will be necessary, and whether there is structural and/or mechanical damage. A familiarity with the body components and their role in the strength of the vehicle is required. The paramount consideration here must be for the safety of the vehicle passengers during everyday vehicle operation and for the vehicle's behavior if it is involved in a subsequent collision.

* Determine the direction, point of impact and extent of direct and indirect damage. Record pre-existing or unrelated damage. Independent of the vehicle owner's recollection of the accident, a qualified appraiser will be able to determine the point of impact and the sequence of events thereafter. It is necessary to retrace the movement of kinetic energy through the vehicle. An appraiser then can examine the attaching parts.

Direct damage, also called primary damage, is the area that directly contacts the damaging force or impact, and is the easiest to see.

Indirect or secondary damage is caused by the force of the collision as it moves through the vehicle. It can be found anywhere on the vehicle, can be located away from the point of impact, and can be identified using measuring equipment.

* Determine the cost effectiveness of the repair and the approximate retail and salvage evaluations (i.e., total loss, borderline total loss, constructive total loss, etc.). When presented with options such as replacing or repairing a given part, the chosen course of action must effectively result in a pre-loss condition appearance. It is the responsibility of the appraiser/estimator to select the repair method that is safe, cost effective and will restore the vehicle to its pre-loss condition.

* Perform a visual inspection of structural and non-structural components and members, and determine whether a repair or replacement of those parts is required. Integral parts such as frame rails, radiator supports, floor sections and rocker panels are all considered structural components in vehicles with unitized construction. The decision to repair or replace any of these parts is based on the projected post-repair safety and performance of that damaged part. Will it be as the manufacturer intended it for consumer safety and performance? Also, advances in polymer technology and welding could affect repair choices and must be considered.

* Identify structural damage using measuring tools and equipment. While some structural damage is visible at a glance--e.g., uneven gaps between panels, halos around fasteners, shifted motor mounts--today's vehicles require the use of measuring devices when checking for structural misalignment. Equipment may include computerized systems, universal three-dimensional systems and a tram gauge.

* Recognize the type of surface finish and determine if refinishing is required. An appraiser must be able to determine by paint code, reference manual or physical inspection what type of finish is on the vehicle, whether it's two-stage, three-stage, pearlcoat, etc. An appraiser also must observe any custom effects and note their effect on labor times and materials (e.g., flex additives and special coatings).

* Identify suspension, mechanical, electrical, safety system and interior damage.

* Classify damage to add-on or non-OEM accessories (e.g., custom wheels, stereo systems, ground effects, custom paint, monograms, stripes, specialty tires).

* Record customer and insurance company information such as the vehicle owner's name, address, telephone numbers (home and work), location of the inspection, insurance claim number and policy number.

* Document vehicle information including the vehicle identification number (VIN), make, model, year, production date, body style, trim codes, paint codes, engine size, transmission type, mileage, license plate data, options, accessories, condition, modifications and safety systems.

While many automated estimating systems offer a VIN-decode feature, certain data will not become clear unless the vehicle is examined. It is the appraiser's job to make a subjective judgment of the overall condition of the vehicle. Some of this data will greatly affect the vehicle's market value if the vehicle is deemed a total loss. For example, the condition of the interior can be a good indicator of the vehicle's overall state.

* Utilize appropriate estimating terminology. An appraiser should be familiar with the language of insurance claims and collision repair. The procedures, abbreviations, acronyms, synonyms and devices used in the repair industry may not be clear to the consumers. The estimator should be prepared to define these terms so that everyone understands the damage report.

* Use an appropriate estimating sequence--that is, the order in which the appraiser itemizes entries on the damage report. The typical sequence is to start from the point of impact and continue in the direction of the collision force. However, some automated estimating systems will formulate their own sequence regardless of when the entry is made. Also, remember that an automated system designed to remove overlap may apply full panel paint times to the first major panel listed on the estimate, then deduct paint overlap from subsequent painted pieces.

* Follow estimating guide procedure pages to determine what is and what is not an included operation. There are three major labor and parts databases available to the collision repair industry, in electronic formats as well as printed versions. An appraiser should be familiar with each system and its procedure explanations.

* Estimate labor value. It is not necessary to pinpoint the time to an exact minute. The damage report is an estimate of repair labor and parts replacement costs, and is subject to supplement and review.

* Identify procedures to establish corrosion protection and its labor value. In the case of corrosion protection, the appraiser must attempt to duplicate the factory level of protection when possible. Familiarity with aftermarket and manufacturer's application methods are required because these application procedures are typically not found in labor estimating guides or estimating system formats.

* Recognize state and repairer regulatory obligations, federal environmental codes, vehicular regulations, and contractual and warranty obligations. Understand that each state has its own laws and codes governing insurers' obligations to the consumer. For example, the Department of Transportation specifies that all emission equipment must be in proper working condition, and no insurer or repairer may specify or perform a repair that would deviate from those standards. In addition, federal laws regulate automotive glass, tires and safety items including restraint systems.

When outlining a repair of a collision-damaged vehicle, the appraiser must be mindful of the implications of repair procedures and alternative parts replacement. For example, the use of an aftermarket radiator may void an OE powertrain warranty. By the same token, an aftermarket body part may also void a manufacturer's corrosion protection warranty.

* Apply ethical business practices. Return telephone messages. Act without bias. While there are laws preventing discrimination, bad faith and illegal acts, there are also protocols of courtesy and ethics in commerce.

Pre-Exam Information

ASE provides information on each of its certification programs in its tech newsletters and news releases. "[The Damage Analysis and Estimating test] is a relatively new test for ASE," Serratore says. "Nevertheless, [it's] an important test for anyone who prepares and writes an estimate of damage for a vehicle."

Anyone planning to take the certification exam may enroll in the I-CAR Collision Repair 2000 course, which includes information on damage analysis, says Barbee. The I-CAR Collision Repair 2000 end-of-course exam will also help prepare technicians for the ASE certification test, adds Weiner. In addition, students may want to review the Automotive Body Repair News Damage Analysis and Estimating B6 Self-Study Guide.

ASE certification exams and administration are offered each spring and fall, this year in May and November. Occasionally, the exams are also administered during NACE; however, says Serratore, it has not yet been determined whether the exams will be offered during NACE '98.

The Damage Analysis and Estimating B6 certification test fee is $20, plus a $25 registration fee. ASE suggests that participants register for the tests early because test center slots are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. In the event that the requested test center is full, ASE will assign the participant to an alternate location.

Completed tests are sent to American College Testing (ACT), which conducts research, analyzes, validates and scores all of the exams. Test takers are notified within six weeks whether they pass or fail. If you fail a test, you may retake it during any future test period, but you must register again and pay the appropriate fees.

In order to be eligible for ASE testing, participants must have at least two years of full-time, hands-on experience as a damage estimator. However, the participant may receive credit for up to half of the two-year experience requirement by substituting relevant formal training in one or a combination of the following areas:

* High school training. Three full years of training in damage estimating may be substituted for one year of work experience.

* Post-high school training. Two full years of post-high school training in a public or private trade school, technical institute, community or four-year college, or apprenticeship program may be counted as one year of work experience.

* Short courses. For shorter periods of post-high school training, the participant may substitute two months of training for one month of work experience.

A participant may receive full credit for the two-year hands-on working experience requirement following satisfactory completion of either a three- or-four-year bona fide apprenticeship program.

In order to have training considered as a substitute for work experience, contact ASE for filing instructions.