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Motor Claims Assessor

Finance

Appraise automobile or other vehicle damage to determine repair costs for insurance claim settlement. Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost or cost estimates and recommendations. May seek agreement with automotive repair shop on repair costs.

You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.

FinanceMechanical Engineering

What you'd do all day

The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.

  1. 1Evaluate practicality of repair as opposed to payment of market value of vehicle before accident.
  2. 2Review repair cost estimates with automobile repair shop to secure agreement on cost of repairs.
  3. 3Examine damaged vehicle to determine extent of structural, body, mechanical, electrical, or interior damage.
  4. 4Prepare insurance forms to indicate repair cost estimates and recommendations.
  5. 5Estimate parts and labor to repair damage, using standard automotive labor and parts cost manuals and knowledge of automotive repair.
  6. 6Determine salvage value on total-loss vehicle.
  7. 7Arrange to have damage appraised by another appraiser to resolve disagreement with shop on repair cost.

Also known as

What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.

  • Appraiser
  • Estimator
  • Reinspector
  • Auto Appraiser
  • Auto Estimator
  • Field Appraiser
  • Field Inspector
  • Claims Appraiser
  • Damage Appraiser
  • Auto Body Appraiser

How far is this from you?

Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.

  1. 1

    Entry straight after SPM

  2. 2

    SPM + sijil / short TVET course

  3. Typical entry

    Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)

  4. 4

    Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)

  5. 5

    Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route

Typical educationSome college

Subjects that matter here

The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.

EnglishDraws directly on English Language — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Computer Science / ICTDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Electrical & Electronic Eng. StudiesDraws directly on Computers and Electronics — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
Mechanical Engineering StudiesDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).
PhysicsDraws directly on Mechanical — a top knowledge area for this role (O*NET).

What you'd need to know

The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.

  • Customer and Personal Service85%
  • English Language76%

    English

  • Computers and Electronics67%

    Computer Science / ICTElectrical & Electronic Eng. Studies

  • Mechanical65%

    Mechanical Engineering StudiesPhysicsDesign & Technology (RBT)

  • Administrative63%

    Business

  • Education and Training59%

Tools you'd use

Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.

Where to learn these, free

Scholarships & funding

What the work feels like

Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.

  • Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
  • Contact with other peopleConstant contact
  • Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
  • Leading or coordinating othersHigh
  • Handling conflict situationsOften
  • Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
  • Outdoors, in all weatherEvery day
  • Noisy environmentOften

Where this job is heading

Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.

  • Contact vendors to locate replacement parts for vehicles.
  • Discuss insurance claims with customers or damage claimants.
  • Review repair cost estimates and negotiate with automobile repair shops to secure agreement on cost of repairs.

AI and demand for this job

A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.

14%

Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)

This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.

Pay in Malaysia

We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.

Where to check:

  • JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
  • DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
  • SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
See pay for a related career: Compliance / Regulatory Officer

Check what you may qualify for

Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.

Check my eligibility Not sure yet? Take the quiz

How to get here

Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.

Matriculation

One or two years, heavily subsidised with allowance. Competitive, quota-based entry.

12–24 months

Related careers

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About this information

This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.

O*NET occupation: Insurance Appraisers, Auto Damage

Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org