Auto Body Estimator

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches, LLC

Plainville (CT)

On-site

USD 70,000 - 100,000

Full time

14 days+

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Benefits offered by this job

Monthly Performance Bonus

Personal Time Off

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

SIMPLE IRA retirement plan with match

Job summary

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches in Plainville, CT, is seeking an experienced Auto Body Estimator specializing in RV and fleet work. You will write strong estimates, liaise with insurance companies, coordinate with technicians, and drive claims to resolution.

This is a full-time, in-person role in a growing family-owned shop. The right candidate brings collision estimating expertise, meticulous documentation, and the ability to navigate complex RV and fleet repairs.

Qualifications

Strong collision estimating skills and auto damage appraisal
Experience writing supplements and documenting additional damage
Ability to work with insurance companies and adjusters
Excellent organizational skills across multiple active files
Confident communication with customers, technicians, and management

Responsibilities

Inspect vehicles and RVs for visible and hidden damage
Prepare accurate, detailed repair estimates and complete repair plans
Submit supplements with photos, labor justification, and supporting information
Review findings with technicians and adjust estimates as needed
Communicate with insurance adjusters and carriers to resolve issues
Ensure repair orders are complete and ready to close before delivery

Skills

Collision estimating experience

Insurance claim experience

Communication with insured/adjusters

Organized multi-file management

Attention to detail

Job description

Auto Body Estimator - RV & Fleet

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches

Plainville, Connecticut

Full-Time | Monday-Friday

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches is looking for an experienced collision estimator to join our growing team. We are a family-owned, independent repair facility specializing in automotive collision, fleet vehicles, RVs, motorhomes, fiberglass, structural repair, paint, and complex insurance claims.

This is not a large corporate collision center where every decision is made three levels above you. We are growing quickly, and we are looking for someone who is comfortable working in an environment where people are trusted to think, make decisions, solve problems, and take ownership of their work.

We are looking for someone who knows how to write a strong estimate, communicate with insurance companies, work with technicians, and stay on top of a claim until the job is complete. Just as importantly, we are looking for someone who does not get easily discouraged when a claim becomes difficult. Insurance work does not always move in a straight line. Approvals get delayed. Estimates come back incomplete. Additional documentation is requested. Repairs become more complicated once a vehicle is opened up.

The right person for this role knows how to work through those situations professionally, ask the right questions, provide the right documentation, and keep moving toward a solution.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Estimating & Damage Analysis

Inspect vehicles and RVs for visible and potential hidden damage
Prepare accurate, detailed repair estimates
Build complete repair plans before work begins whenever possible
Review technician findings and update estimates as additional damage is discovered
Prepare and submit supplements with photos, documentation, labor justification, and supporting information
Ensure estimates include appropriate labor, materials, paint operations, parts, sublet work, and repair procedures
Research repair procedures when needed
Help determine appropriate repair versus replacement decisions
Maintain complete and organized documentation throughout the repair process

Insurance Claims

Communicate directly with insurance adjusters and carriers
Review insurance estimates and identify missing or insufficient repair operations
Prepare and negotiate supplements when additional work is required
Follow up consistently on outstanding approvals
Provide documentation needed to support necessary repairs
Work through differences between carrier estimates and the actual repair requirements
Maintain professional relationships with adjusters while representing the repair needs of the vehicle accurately
Stay involved until outstanding claim issues are resolved

We are looking for someone comfortable having professional but direct conversations when necessary.

You should be able to explain why a repair or operation is needed, support your position, and continue working through the issue when the first answer is not the final answer.

Production & Shop Coordination

You will work closely with our technicians, painters, management team, and support staff to help keep work moving through the shop. Responsibilities include:

Reviewing active work-in-progress
Identifying jobs waiting on approvals, parts, documentation, or decisions
Coordinating teardown and blueprinting
Making sure supplements are handled promptly
Helping prioritize work based on approvals, parts availability, technician capacity, and customer commitments
Following jobs through the repair process instead of handing them off after the initial estimate
Helping ensure repair orders are complete and ready to close before delivery
Identifying problems early and working with the team to find solutions

Customer Communication

Our customers are often dealing with significant repairs, insurance claims, and vehicles that may be very important to them. Communication matters. You will:

Explain estimates and repair plans
Help customers understand the insurance process
Provide updates throughout the repair
Communicate changes in repair scope
Set realistic expectations
Address questions and concerns professionally
Make sure customers are not left wondering what is happening with their vehicle or coach

What We're Looking For

We are looking for someone with solid collision estimating experience, but attitude and working style matter just as much. The right person is:

Experienced in collision estimating, auto damage appraisal, or body shop operations
Comfortable working directly with insurance companies and adjusters
Experienced writing supplements and documenting additional damage
Organized and able to manage multiple active files
Confident communicating with customers, technicians, adjusters, and management
Detail-oriented without losing sight of the overall job
Comfortable making decisions
Persistent when something needs to be resolved
Resourceful when the answer is not immediately obvious
Willing to ask questions, research an issue, and figure out the next step
Accountable for following through on what they start

We do not expect someone to know everything. We do expect someone to be willing to figure things out.

RV & Specialty Vehicle Experience

Previous RV experience is not required. Experience writing estimates for RVs, motorhomes, commercial vehicles, fleet vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles, fiberglass repairs, or complex insurance claims is highly desirable.

A strong automotive collision estimator with the right attitude and ability to learn can be very successful in this role. Our work allows experienced estimators the opportunity to move beyond traditional passenger vehicle collision and learn increasingly complex repairs involving large vehicles, fiberglass, structural damage, specialty components, and high-value insurance claims.

Our Environment

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches is a family-owned company, and we operate differently from a large corporate repair chain.

There are fewer layers, less bureaucracy, and more opportunity to have a direct impact on how the business operates. That also means we value people who can work independently, communicate openly, and take ownership. If something needs attention, we expect people to raise it. If there is a problem, we work together to solve it. If there is a better way to do something, we want to hear it. We are continuing to grow and improve our operation, and this position has the opportunity to grow with the company.

About Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches

Connecticut Motor Cars & Coaches is a full-service RV, collision, paint, and repair facility located in Plainville, Connecticut. Our approximately 25,000-square-foot facility includes 16 service and collision bays, a large downdraft RV paint booth, and the equipment necessary to handle everything from automobiles and fleet vehicles to large Class A motorhomes. We perform collision, fiberglass, structural, paint, mechanical, electrical, and RV repair work and work extensively with insurance companies and manufacturers. We are continuing to expand our capabilities and are looking for people who want to help build something rather than simply fill a position.

Compensation & Benefits

$70,000-$100,000 per year, based on experience.

Compensation within the range will be determined primarily by the candidate's collision estimating and writing experience, including the complexity of claims they have handled and their exposure to larger or specialty vehicles.

Experience writing estimates for RVs, motorhomes, commercial vehicles, fleet vehicles, heavy-duty vehicles, fiberglass repairs, or complex insurance claims is not required, but is highly desirable. Strong automotive collision estimating experience is highly relevant, and RV-specific experience is not required for the right candidate.

Benefits