Cassandra Caravella, an experienced auto appraiser with deep familial ties in the insurance industry, is the owner of a new franchise with The Doan Group in the northern New England regions of Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.
For more than 40 years, The Doan Group has been working in the appraisal industry. It has grown to include all lines of business -- “anything you could damage,” said Executive Vice President Roger Crowley -- and currently has about 750 appraisers across the U.S.
For auto damage claims, the company works with collision repair shops, from the initial estimate to any supplements, ensuring all state laws and regulations are followed.
Image via The Doan Group.
“There's a lot of different nuances within states,” Crowley said.
In July 2020, The Doan Group was acquired by Woodland Capital Holdings. Since then, the company has tripled in size. Crowley said it aims to be 100% franchisee-owned by the end of 2025.
Caravella hails from a family of insurance appraisal professionals. Her father, Dominick Caravella, is a franchise owner in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Cassandra Caravella has more than five years of experience as an auto appraiser, and three years as a co-owner of The Doan Group’s franchises in Connecticut and Virginia.
When she decided to open her new office in New England, Caravella quickly learned the new states’ regulations. Vermont, for instance, requires adjusters to hold an auto appraiser license to handle both the appraisal and the claim, a regulation Caravella has prior experience with in Connecticut, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
The Doan Group’s appraisers are mostly hired by an insurance company or, less frequently, a third-party administrator, to work as a liaison between them and the body shop.
It’s important for appraisers to communicate well with the shop, Caravella said, and to thoroughly review estimates and any supplements to agree on a repair process and what it will cost.
“One of the things we do very well is we have that local-level appraiser that goes out and builds that relationship with shops,” Crowley added. “We want to be able to work with shops, not against shops, to make it easier for the customer between the insurance company and the body shop, to make sure that those customers are being serviced timely, accurately and fairly.”
Caravella said owning a Doan franchise “offers a unique blend of professional success and personal fulfillment.” Her prior experience in a Doan franchise family instilled a strong belief in the business model, which, she said, "not only fosters financial growth but also supports family values."
As a mom, Caravella said those values were one of the most important factors in her decision to become a franchise owner with The Doan Group, as it allows her to build a business while being present in her family’s life.
Caravella said it is also a good experience for her older son, who will soon be 12, and has taken to heart how hard she and her fiancée work to run the franchise.
“It's been nice to hear him say he wants to follow in our footsteps,” she said.
Crowley said The Doan Group is looking for more franchisees like Caravella to build at the local level and one day hand over the reins to the next generation. For more information about franchise opportunities, visit the website.
Carriers with claims in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont can reach Caravella and her team at their main office at cassandra.caravella@doan.com and 860-960-0409.
Abby Andrews