get a lawyer. wife's car was hit about a year ago. get a lawyer. insurance companies will try to screw you over...
While I think skepticism of insurance companies is definitely fair, lawyers can just as easily screw you. There are times to invoke a lawyer, and there are times where it's unnecessary. If there was no personal injury, no active dispute/insurance is cooperative, and damage is isolated to the vehicle(s), there's little reason to involve a lawyer. They come at a hefty price which doesn't always add value, and it's money that can go towards the replacement vehicle.
It amazes me that people pay for insurance and then automatically assume that the company they're paying for a service is instantly going to screw them the first opportunity they have. Yes, I'm aware of how insurance companies work.
Agreed, it depends on your company (and state law). Since I pay my company and they're considered experts, I also use them as a service for when I have questions (with or without a claim).
Some years ago when my car was totaled (rival driver was at fault, with a police report), I decided I wanted to speed up the process and get back on the road. I pursued the process with
my company, who worked with me to determine the value of my car, and after providing them with information and a few calls to dealerships to validate, I was good to go.
Once I was out of the way, my insurance company pursued the rest of the claim with the at-fault insurance company, through an arbitration process. They have the money, time, expertise and resources, so I let them handle what I've paid them to do.
Fact is, money is involved, and so both lawyers and insurance companies may or may not have your best interest at heart. Everyone will have a different experience, but it's a good idea to educate yourself, so that you have a better idea as to
when to escalate and involve a lawyer.