I’d like to offer a tip from a long-retired cop. When your car suffers accident damage and there is any possibility of an unwanted write off, first have it appraised by your local small man before letting your insurer give it to an ‘approved’ repairer. My 2003 Omega (which is really an Opel and probably a Holden Commodore before that) suffered a bent wing and smashed headlamp and bumper. The approved repairer assessed it at £3250 and rated it a write off. I retrieved it (with some difficulty) and the local man did a perfect job with all-new parts for just over £1000, which the insurer happily paid. Had they not, I would have had the car mended as it is a high quality car which means a lot to me even though I know it is theoretically worthless.