I handle over 3 million dollars a year in auto related insurance claims. Not all states are the same obviously. Wisconsin after an accident you can't even collect the other parties insurance card. The police won't allow you to be in contact with the other party. Also insurance rates vary from different companies. Some raise them based off of your history, some base them off of a certain geographical volumn. Never once in my life have I seen an insurance premium go down. The replacement value of your vehicle depreciates daily but your premium stays the same or goes up. Makes sense. I battle DAILY with these rip off insurance companies who force body shops to repair a car the way THEY want you to... which is in their best interest. I currently have a Usaa claim in my shop and they have cut our estimate by 25% flat out refusing to pay for operations necessary to repair someone's car. Be hopeful you have a shop that likes working for free, doesn't know they are working for free or is so desperate for work they work for free. And be thankful you don't find the shop that takes what they get and does a half *** job so they can be profitable.