Insurance recommendations

This all really depends on the type of vehicle you insure and how much you care about it being repaired. Cheaper insurance companies like Progressive and Geico are cheaper for a reason. They typically force shops to use aftermarket parts, recycled parts and generally minimize the claim severity every chance they get. Premium insurance companies like Erie, or Acuity have standards for parts usage that make repairing your vehicle "better" for the vehicle owner (oem parts for safety items like headlamps, sheet metal, mechanical parts, and structural items).

Funny how insurance companies somehow dictate how cars get repaired. Geico and State Farm will flat out refuse to pay any diagnostic fees attached to any claim. They expect body shops to keep all of this equipment in house which these days isn't even remotely feasible. They will pay you .5 labor for a pre and .5 labor for a post scan. These are all the reasons why they are cheaper.