here is how it works
1. call your insurance company and make a claim.
2. with the claim number, you can rent a car, without paying anything.
3. send your car to a garage.
3. the garage will do the estimate (how much it will cost to fix it) and fax the estimate to the insurance company. at this stage, the company may want to send a representative to examine the car and take some photos.
4. if the insurance company approves it, the garage can start to repair the car.
5. the insurance company will issue a check to you, with the garage and your name on it.
6. if you're happy with the rapair, you can undersign the cheque and gave it to the garage.
7. that's it.
good luck.