....all very good points....

mushedroom,

One other thing to consider is to 'work backwards' to find a good carrier.

What I mean is, find a shop (or two or three) you would feel comfortable with repairing collision damage to your car. Then, contact the owner of the shop and tell him/her what your are doing. Say "I want to get your experience in which insurance company provides the least hassle when repairing a vehicle properly."

They will likely help you by telling you which carriers are best to work with, without having to find out 'the hard way'....filing a claim yourself!