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If you want to become an auto damage appraiser in South Carolina… this post is for you. Below I’ll give a quick summary then dive deeper into the steps needed to become an auto damage appraiser in South Carolina.
- License Required? – Yes
- Cost: $80
- Test Required: Yes
- Cost for Test: $45
- Cost for Exam Prep: $149 (optional)
Below you’ll find step by step instructions, links, and even companies you can contact when you are ready to become licensed. These instructions are detailed instructions for becoming an independent auto damage appraiser, subcontractors that own their own appraisal business. If you are looking for instructions to become a staff auto damage appraiser that works at an insurance company click HERE for my Ultimate Guide to Becoming and Auto Damage Appraiser in 2019 where you’ll find links to help you out with that.
Let’s begin.
Phase 1: Create Your Auto Damage Appraising Company
Most companies that will assign you work, will require that you be a business… not just an individual. This is due to independent auto damage appraisers being 1099 contractors and NOT W-2 employees.
It doesn’t take long to set up your business, but there is an order to it, and if you need help establishing your appraisal business you can check out my “Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Auto Damage Appraiser in 2019” for a complete walkthrough and steps to accomplish creating your business.
The major steps in this Phase of your business are,
- Get an Appraisers License
- Start Auto Training
- Obtain Your EIN
- Establish Your LLC
- Open a Bank Account
- Get Proper Insurance
- MILESTONE: Open for Business!
Obtain Your South Carolina Appraisers License
One of the steps to creating your auto damage appraising company is to be legally licensed to handle auto damage claims as a South Carolina Auto Damage Appraiser
South Carolina requires you to hold a “Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser’s License.” To obtain you MUST PASS A TEST. I took this test 3 years into my career and I barely passed. I highly recommend if you aren’t a full time auto damage appraiser currently that you study for this test.
You can find the Exam Prep for this test by clicking HERE. The cost of the exam prep is $149 and worth every penny.
SC Appraisers License Steps (Motor Vehicle Damage Appraiser License)
- Study for Exam
- Pay and Register for Exam ($45)
- Pass Exam
- Complete the application on NIPR
- Pay the license fee is $80.
- Provide the original South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) report. You may submit this using NIPR’s Attachment Warehouse or by emailing the Licensing Division.
*Applicants must pass the state examination prior to applying for a license through NIPR. Exam certificates expire 12 months after issuance. Contact PSI directly at 800-733-9267 to register for the state licensing exam and/or view exam content outlines.
(these are my modified steps. You can see the SC official guidelines by clicking HERE)
Apply for your South Carolina Auto Damage Appraisers License HERE
Once you have obtained your license and completed all the steps to set up your business, including training, you’ll now be officially OPEN FOR BUSINESS.
If you need help with those steps, check out my “Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Auto Damage Appraiser in 2019.”
Phase 2: Promote Your Appraising Business
The second phase of creating your auto damage appraising business is to promote your new business.
The biggest mistake most people make when becoming an independent auto damage appraiser or adjuster is that they believe companies will instantly give them work…. However, like opening up any new business, you need to let your future customers know that you can provide a valuable service for them.
You can get full detailed instructions of how to promote your new business in the “Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Auto Damage Appraiser in 2019” or in either of my Amazon #1 Bestselling books, Independent Adjuster’s Playbook or the Networking Adjuster’s Playbook.
The steps in this phase are,
- Get Software Training
- Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile
- Create Your Resumé
- Photo Rosters
- Get on 4 Daily Rosters
- Purchase Software
- MILESTONE – Get Your First Claim!
Nationwide Independet Adjuster Firms
- SCA Claims – sca.claims
- ACD – acdcorp.com
- Bassett Services Inc – bassetservices.com
- QA Claims – qaclaims.com
- IA Net – ianetwork.net
- Nationwide Appraisals – nationwideappraisals.net
- Primeco Claims – primecoclaims.com
- U.S. Adjusting Services – www.usadjustingservices.net
- Telaclaims – telaclaims.com
2 Key Elements to Becoming a Successful Auto Damage Appraiser
Becoming a licensed appraiser is only a small part of the battle to becoming a successful North Carolina auto damage appraiser.
Just because you are licensed doesn’t ensure you will get work or be able to complete that work. The most important things to breaking into this industry are getting proper training and networking.
The training is important because you MUST know how to do your job as a skillful auto damage appraiser BEFORE anyone will give you work.
Networking is important because getting started is many times all about whom you know and how you connect to people. Most companies expect you to have 3-5 years of experience before they’ll take a chance on you…. Moreover, that is the biggest hurdle to getting started in this industry as an independent auto damage appraiser
If you need help with getting trained, check out our online training called the Auto Adjuster’s Path, a series of courses, designed to get you ready and certified as being competent in our industry.
Seventeen companies currently recognize our certification and waive the 3-5 year experience requirement. Upon graduation, I vouch for you and connect you directly to these leading companies across the nation.
As a recap the steps to getting started as an independent auto damage appraiser in North Carolina is,
- Get an Appraisers License
- Start Auto Training
- Obtain Your EIN
- Establish Your LLC
- Open a Bank Account
- Get Proper Insurance
- MILESTONE: Open for Business!
- Get Software Training
- Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile
- Create Your Resumé
- Get on 4 Daily Rosters
- Purchase Software
- MILESTONE – Get Your First Claim!
If you feel lonely on your journey, check out our IA Path Community. Over 300 IA’s who are journeying on their path to freedom as an IA.
You can take a look at our community at IAPath.Community.
Your Guide,
Chris Stanley
P.S. Don’t forget if you need more detailed instructions on how to do the steps listed above check out our more detailed post “Ultimate Guide to Becoming an Auto Damage Appraiser in 2019.”
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